Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1005614
OPINION maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 JULY 2018 8 OPINION Youth participation in NGOs "WE have a powerful poten- tial in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power to- ward good ends." So wrote Mary McLeod Bethune. Young people represent a substantive part of our com- munity. The importance of NGOs is shown through their contribution to community life and their ability to share ideas and opinions about their community in order to enhance it. Harnessing these ideas, energy and innovative thinking can help to shape the future of our country in innovative and exciting ways. Youth have the ability to influence NGOs at numer- ous levels according to their skills and interests. Develop- ing meaningful youth par- ticipation can contribute to engaging programs and cur- riculums, policies and ser- vices that influence young people's lives; this can effec- tively address their needs and interests while promoting and contributing to any As- sociation's success. By engag- ing young people, individu- als gain skills and a sense of empowerment while at the same time are able to cre- ate healthy connections with positive role models, among peers and adults. The predominant principle of youth participation is that it empowers the younger gen- eration to take control of their own lives by evolving their confidence and self-efficacy. NGOs can empower young people by providing various opportunities to be enthusi- astically and actively involved in decision-making and deliv- ering services and programs. Through such involvement, young people would start no- ticing that their engagements have positive outcomes, and they are able to acquire new abilities while at the same time help widen their com- munity's development. Young people are also the ideal contributor to help NGOs develop more effec- tive policies, programs and services; this results in or- ganisations becoming more significant to the youth. All young people concerned will absorb valuable skills that will eventually assist them in their personal lives and profession- al endeavours while allowing them to explore future career options. The Malta Girl Guides is a full member of the World As- sociation of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), a global organisation of 10 mil- lion girls from 150 countries across the world. The Malta Girl Guides of- fers over one thousand girls and young women in Malta the opportunity to develop leadership and life skills, to become self-motivated, re- sponsible and active partici- pants of the local community as well as at all levels of so- ciety. Our mission is "to be a relevant movement where each girl and woman is val- ued, empowered and given a voice" and our vision is to provide "challenging oppor- tunities that promote lead- ership in girls and women" through fun and adventure, and to develop their potential whilst making a positive dif- ference in their community. Our vision together with the association's mission sustains and strengthen the intrinsic principles of Girl Guiding to create a better world and a brighter future for the youth of tomorrow, an objective which is still applicable and pertinent today as it was al- most 100 years ago. With the aim of achieving its mission, the Malta Girl Guides, as the largest association for girls and young women, focuses on delivering quality non-for- mal educational programmes and also progressing democ- racy, inter-cultural learn- ing and affords equal oppor- tunities amongst all young people notwithstanding any differences. Girls and young women are inspired to be ac- tive citizens in the local and wider society by encouraging and simplifying their contri- bution in decision-making structures and dialogues re- lating issues that are relevant to youth at all levels. We fully believe that youth are not only tomorrow's world, but also have the ability to shape the world around them today. We strive to give youth the tools to speak up, move for- ward and make a difference. It is our aim as an associa- tion to inspire young people to challenge themselves, to achieve a critical understand- ing of the world around them, and to speak out and take action against injustice and inequality with the intention of bringing about optimistic change towards a more im- partial and sustainable world. Cynthia Duncan is a Group Leader with the Malta Girl Guides The National Youth Council (KNZ) and its member or- ganisations have been invited to submit opinion articles on topics affecting youths today. The contents of the article do not necessarily refl ect the opinion of the Council Cynthia Duncan The predominant principle of youth participation is that it empowers the younger generation to take control of other own lives by evolving their conf idence and self-eff icacy