Aiming for a better future
According to the World Health Organization, there are about 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 19 in the world. One in ten of the world’s children live in conflict zones and 24 million of them lack access to school.
On August 12, youth around the world had the opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges and hardships that they face every day. They were also able to contribute to development and decisions in their communities and the world.
International Youth Day first started in 1999 by the United Nations to recognize the contribution that youth make to our society. The first Year of Youth, in 1985, laid the foundation and guidelines for International Youth Day, which was created 14 years later. It is celebrated worldwide with activities and events, such as concerts, parades, festivals and more.
Every year there is a specific theme that the participants focus on. This year's theme was Transforming Education, and was rooted in Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Goal 4 says, “[to] ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Many youth globally receive a substandard education or none at all. In addition, students with disabilities, different ethnic or religious backgrounds, girls, etc. experience additional challenges to access the tools they need and the opportunity to learn. Education is important because it leads to future jobs and money to support themselves and their families.
The UN is working towards providing all girls and boys with free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education and upgrading education facilities that will educate and empower youth to be an active part of their community and to be able to participate in decision-making.
"Youth is a decisive phase in personal development,” says Audrey Azoulay, Director General of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
“I call on civil society stakeholders, policymakers and entrepreneurs to imagine new forms of collaboration that are able to harness the vast potential of youth and enable it to express all within it that is unique and promising."
Pelham’s Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) is empowering our community’s youth with the opportunity to share their opinions and ideas for their town. A group of some 18 participants meet monthly from September to June to bring forward ideas, participate in active discussions, and take action.
MYAC’s mission is “to provide a communication link between the youth of Pelham and the Pelham Town Council. The needs of the youth may be addressed and action can be taken to enrich the quality of life, health and well-being of youth in our community.”
Ava Colangelo, Grade 11, has participated in MYAC for the past four years. After being selected to join the council, she immediately set out to share her ideas to benefit the community. She brought forward that there was a lot of speeding on her street. The Mayor decided to station a speed tracker on the road and subsequently Colangelo noticed a reduction in speed.
“I took an interest in leadership and learned about the opportunity of MYAC. I joined to get involved, to meet new people and to make a difference in the town,” says Colangelo, “MYAC has given me a place to input my ideas so that they have a chance of being heard.”
MYAC held a forum to give the community’s youth a chance to give feedback and share their opinions about the town, and the council was also responsible for creating a teen zone at Summerfest to ensure that the youth have fun too.
“Youth can often feel unheard, with many decisions being made for them, rather than with them,” said Brittany Maclean, 2019-2020 MYAC leader. “I believe this is extremely important, as when youth’s ideas are valued and viewed with importance, it creates and encourages positive change in the next generation.”
