Introduction
Youth Empowerment is all about the employment and the training programs for the youth. It aims to help students prepare for the life ahead of them as well as build occupational skills that will provide a more stable future. Youth empowerment programs can also include curriculum on building life skills as a way of enhancing self-esteem and empowering youth to be self-sufficient. Though academic success and job placement are goals for each student, the program assesses the individual needs of each student to see what will help him or her reaches her highest potential and raise her personal standards.
There are many influences that make the attention of the children today fall short: television, movies, video games, peer pressure, and the erosion of the family unit as a safe and supportive environment for growth. Nobody can control some of these influences but their immediate families, but people who care for them in utmost level ( like relatives, teachers, friends) can provide young adults with the tools to make healthy, powerful choices; choices that reflect their true purposes in life. There are varieties of programs that can help children have a free and fearless communication. It can awaken their innate ability to align with their own power and to use it to connect with their families, peers, and communities. For parents and caregivers, there are also a myriad of programs that can help them understand the youth even more and teach them to communicate openly with their children. Special focus can be given to revitalizing the communication within the family unit and the elimination of the "generation gap" through mentoring, activities, creative expression, and group sharing (Sazama & Young, 2006).
Events to Inspire the Youth
There are several activities youths can engage to in building their morale and uplifting their weary spirits. The following can be of utilization to help the youth to move forward in society. One can organize a program-the youth in particular-that aims to promote a healthy lifestyle for the young people done by the young people too. They can coordinate workshops, organize activities, and offer healthy snacks in order to educate the youth about the value of leading a healthy life through physical activity, good nutrition, and education. One can also devise a summer camp that would provide musical training and counseling to help participants deal with emotional and personal issues. The goal is to motivate youth through music and help direct their energy through a positive outlet.
Moreover, one can be a youth-led initiative that consists of an enlightening program for young people to discuss significant issues in words and an environment that they are comfortable with. The program may consist of educational workshops organized and presented by a youth council where they tackle such issues as self-esteem, depression, addictions, sexuality, abuse, and promote healthy relationships. Another one can be the setting up of an initiative that would distribute information to young people regarding mental health issues, mental illness and to breakdown stigmas associated with mental illness. The information distributed consists of a primary resource list and a mental health fact sheet that could expand the reach of the youth in order to increase participation in the group and raise awareness through information sessions in the community.
The Need for Youth Empowerment
People who are in support of building a nation are also those people who built a successful life, or at least have discovered what exactly they want to carve out of their lives and existence. The saying: whatever goes around comes around sums up the idea. Everything one does in life comes back. And to build a nation, one must be empowered and only you will do the job of empowering you. William Shakespeare helped capture the essence of what we are talking about in one of his writings, "This life is like a stage, we all come to play our part and we depart..." (Lofquist, 1989). Some come on the stage and are forgotten even before they bow down but some seem to be present on the stage long after their lines have been delivered. Why? The former came just like that but the latter came on to the stage only after deciding what exactly he will do when he gets to the stage. Youth empowerment is like that: one must be prepared in conquering and captivating the world. It truly is about the youth in taking control of the future.
Therefore, the ball is in the youth's court. A man who will empower himself will identify the information that is potent enough to empower him. Inspiration is everywhere-you just have to know where to look. It may be on websites, in old journals, in newspapers, on the notice boards, in books, in current journals, etc. Such will give you an edge and help you with taking control of the life that is presented and of course, help you take a stand as a citizen of the world that is in charge of the on the further development of an efficient youth.
References
Harter, S. (1993). Causes and consequences of low self- esteem in children and
adolescents. York: Plenum Press.
Lofquist, B. (1989). The spectrum of attitudes: Building a theory of youth
development. New Designs for Youth Development, 5(3), 3-6.
Sazama, J. & Young, K. (2006) 15 Points to Successfully Involving Youth in
Decision-Making, Boston: Youth On Board.
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