Meaningful Youth Engagement
Meaningful Youth Engagement seeks to address and transform the power dynamics that hinder youth recognition as experts on their own needs and aspirations. It also focuses on enhancing their leadership skills. This approach encompasses all individuals aged 15-24, irrespective of their economic background, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability status, political beliefs, or geographical location.
Felipe Paullier Olivera
Assistant Secretary-General of United Nations for Youth Affairs
Meaningful youth engagement is about making decision-making more effective and building greater trust in public institutions at a time when the stakes for people and the planet have never been higher and when social cohesion is under threat - The transformation of global governance will require the trust of young people, and their capacity, as well as their urgent optimism.
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How do you Meaningfully Engage Youth?
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01. UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT DIVERSITY
Research youth perspectives through surveys and interviews, recognizing the various identities within the youth population, including gender, race, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
02. PROVIDE EMPOWERING OPPORTUNITIES
Offer substantive roles with real impact, such as positions on advisory boards or project leads, and equip youth with the necessary resources and training.
03. FOSTER OPEN COMMUNICATION
Create a safe environment for expression and continuous dialogue, ensuring all young people, including those from marginalized groups, can participate meaningfully.
04. ACT ON YOUTH INPUT
Incorporate their ideas into projects and policies visibly, and provide regular, constructive feedback to help them grow and feel valued.
05. EVALUATE AND ADAPT
Regularly assess the effectiveness of engagement efforts and be flexible to change strategies based on youth feedback and evolving needs.
06. CELEBRATE CONTRIBUTIONS
Publicly and privately recognize the efforts of young people, ensuring to celebrate their contributions to motivate continued involvement and attract more youth participation.
Degrees of Youth Engagement
Meaningful Youth
Engagement
Across all of our portfolio we always adopt our "No One Left Behind" principles which actively involve diverse marginalized groups such as young women, low-income individuals, migrants, Indigenous people, LGBTI+ community, and those with disabilities to ensure every voice is heard and valued in shaping our society's future.
YECAP has arranged 385 sessions that have reached more than 22,000 young climate leaders and actively supported more than 135 active climate advocates in the Asia and Pacific Region.
Skill Our Future Learning Platform provides a platform for youth in the Asia-Pacific Region to develop essential skills they need to lead change in the 21st century, enhance their employability, and be ready for the future of work.
YGP aims to enable young people’s civic engagement and meaningful participation in decision-making, political processes, and governance structures for peaceful and inclusive societies.
Where does YEP-AP Meaningfully Engage with Youth?
Youth Co:Lab has reached 255,000 participants across Asia and the Pacific region. National youth social innovation and entrepreneurship activities have benefitted more than 15,000 young people and created or improved 1,700 youth-led social innovation or entrepreneurship teams.
Youth Co:Lab has reached 255,000 participants across Asia and the Pacific region. National youth social innovation and entrepreneurship activities have benefitted more than 15,000 young people and created or improved 1,700 youth-led social innovation or entrepreneurship teams.