20 January 2011

Youth Engagement in Pakistan - How does this inform U.S. youth engagement?

Being in the process of a learning curve, I am in the process of looking for examples of youth engagement in projects that positively impact communities. I found an interesting article called "Social development: Tapping youth creativity for effective solutions." Taking place this week in Islamabad, Pakistan is the Regional Youth Symposium: Youth in Action for Global Change intending to "understand key questions on youth participation."

I'm interested in the follow up to this event. How are the youth being engaged? Are youth part of the group deciding upon a youth engagement strategy? To what extent does the country want the youth engaged? I wonder how this plays out in political engagement.

Seeing the efforts in Pakistan makes me curious to learn whether there are opportunities like this in the U.S. So often elected officials call out the youth and claim their support of younger generations, but with low youth voter turnout I wonder how many young people feel engaged? From my own conversations, it sounds like a percentage of the youth do not vote because poll operating time conflict with work schedules and commutes. I think for many, they do not feel adequately represented so they do not show up.

I remember being in my earlier teens and wishing I could vote. I was engaged in the content and wanted my voice to be counted. One of the first exercises I remember from first grade was a workbook about the 1992 election between George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Even then I had an opinion.

Do you have any pros and cons to share about having a younger voting age? I think it would get youth engaged at an earlier age in the decision making process about those who govern.

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