The capability to lead Malaysia into a fully developed nation by the year 2020 will rest on the empowerment of our youth through capacity-building initiatives.

EMPOWERING young people means creating and supporting the conditions under which young people can act on their own behalf, and on their own terms, rather than under the direction of others.

These enabling conditions fall into four broad categories:

> Access to knowledge, information, skills and positive value system;

Hear, hear: One of the initiatives to empower youth is by recognising their voices and roles through a Youth Parliament.

> Economic and social base;

> Stable environment of equality, peace and democracy; and

> Political will, adequate resources allocation and administrative framework.

Empowerment is both an end and a means. Although not all the conditions of empowerment have been met in a particular society, it does not mean we cannot empower young people to help bring about those conditions.

What the enabling conditions affirm, however, is that young people cannot be expected to do the job on their own and not assisted.

Youth empowerment is not about shifting responsibilities of other stakeholders onto the young people.

Mainstreaming is another strategy for pursuing youth empowerment. By reflecting, addressing, and being responsive to youth issues, mainstreaming is meant to both looking at the impact of a policy/project on youth and involving them to ensure participation in the decision-making of policies/projects that affects them.

Youth issues should be mainstreamed across various sectors and line ministries. It is a strategy for making us aware of the concerns and experience integral dimensions of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes that youth could equally benefit.

The Malaysian Youth Development Policy (1985) states very clearly the role of youth as partner in decision-making and the importance of empowering the youth. It is viewed as a continuum; from youth opportunity to youth right, and from informal consultation to formal decision-making, structure and process and the bottom-line is, partners in development.

According to the National Youth Development Act (2006) young people between the ages of 15 and 40 assume the status of youth. In 2011, there were 11.4 million youth in the country which represent 46% of the total Malaysian population.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) in youth development is the organisation led by the Malaysian Youth Council. It was established in 1948 and has since serve as the focal point. In 1972, the National Youth Consultative Council (NYCC) was established.

The Cabinet Committee on Youth established in 2010 represents the full commitment of the Government in pursuing matters pertaining to youth. Twelve ministries are appointed as members of the committee.

The Youth and Sports Ministry provides an integrated package of youth development programmes from the grassroots level right up to the International arena. It is being delivered through a smart partnership approach which is strategically synergised between government agencies, youth organisations, non-governmental organisations and private sectors.

Actions taken within the Government and non-governmental organisations, support from civil society and private sectors offer evidence of the highest profile on the initiatives to create the environment, facilitate and provide opportunities for youth to participate and contribute significantly in the development and in nation building.

These is also evidence that Malaysia has appropriate planning, the right approach and outfits in managing issues pertaining to youth.

Among the many initiatives that the ministry has rolled out, the ones that stand out as having the potential to make significant input in youth empowerment are those developed by the Youth Development Transformation Lab conducted in 2011. These initiatives aimed to develop competent individuals with excellent generic skills and turning them into a “first class” young generation.

The six initiatives that have been identified and will be implemented are namely:

– Recognising the voices and roles of youth through “Youth Parliament”;

– Instill, encourage and enhance volunteerism among youth by establishing MyCorps programme;

– Develop a mentoring concept in leadership among youth through a programme called “The Leader”;

– Transform Putrajaya into a youth friendly city through a “Malaysian Youth Park”;

– Identify excellent youth icons to become idols for youth; and

– Develop a youth portal called the “Virtual Youth Resources Centre” (VyREC) as a gallery for disseminating information and support services for youth.

We realise that the capability to lead Malaysia into a fully developed nation by the year 2020 will rest on the empowerment of our youth through capacity-building initiatives.

They need to acquire sufficient knowledge, skills and expertise in all areas and spheres. Most importantly is to ensure that Malaysians possess the competitive edge to excel in the international arena.

Youth work is so intense and all-pervading that no amount of effort can be deemed complete. There is so much to be done that the situation is not unlike the changing trends in technological advancement where products at one time considered latest in innovation become obsolete or outdated in no time.

This is youth work, and no Government can rest on its laurels.

> Datuk Mohid Mohamed is the Secretary-General of the Youth and Sports Ministry and welcomes comment to his e-mail.

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