Scores of young people in Anguilla have come away from their Eighth Annual National Conference on Youth and Development with a fresh outlook and a renewed passion to become involved in the decision-making process.
The facilitator for the Conference was Mr Henry Charles, an Independent Consultant at Development Alternatives Inc. and an International Youth Development Specialist/Strategy Adviser, who was in Anguilla previously.
The National Conference, spearheaded by the Ministry and Department of Youth and Culture, was held at Massara Resort (Dorack’s Place) on September 25 and 26, and followed the launch of the National Youth Parliament at the House of Assembly on September 24. Both activities were part of the celebration of Youth Week which also included an award ceremony at La Vue on Saturday, September 27; a service at the Dominion Faith Centre the following day, Sunday, and a social function at Road Bay hours later.
Addressing the young people from across the island at the National Conference, Mrs Chanelle Petty Barrett, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Culture, said in part: “The focus of this year’s Conference – Participatory Inclusion Governance: Facilitating Youth Involvement in Decision-making – seeks to build on the gains made during the last Conference. We will agree that this is not a novel theme. In fact, arguably, this annual conference was conceptualized for the purpose of facilitating youth involvement in decision-making. Over the years young people attending the Conference have sought to engage with Ministers of Government, and senior public officers, to ensure that their concerns are considered and given due weight when addressing a host of national issues.
“However, the fact that this year’s theme is so familiar suggests that, sadly, we have not made meaningful progress in terms of youth inclusion. It means that there is still a need for a paradigm shift on the part of policymakers and a new approach to engaging them. I must therefore commend the Department of Youth and Culture for structuring this year’s conference in such a way that brings policymakers together (which I must tell you is not always an easy thing to do) in an effort to raise their awareness about the need for youth inclusion, and to discuss ways in which youth involvement in their policy and planning processes can be facilitated in a systematic manner.
“The message must be made clear that youth participation is not something that should happen by chance, but should be the result of the conscious and consistent application of an agreed methodology or procedure for decision-making within government. It is my hope that this new approach of engaging policymakers on this matter will meet with more success.”
The Permanent Secretary cautioned all young people that since they were demanding a seat at the decision-making table, they must have something to offer and to share, thereby making some contribution. She added: “Remember, as well, that when you are at that table, you not only represent yourself, but you represent all young people. Your level of contribution therefore has an effect on whether other young people are also invited to the table. When you represent, make sure that you represent well.”
Mrs Hyacinth Bradley, Senior Programme Officer, Youth Development, said the National Youth Conference had become a much-anticipated event. “It is here that young people share and learn; where they become involved in debates on topics of youth and national interest and where recommendations to inform national policy development are formulated,” she stated. “This theme is timely as it aims to explore the establishment of a permanent framework that allows for policy inputs by youth at all levels of governance and society. Further, it aims to establish the rationale for a youth strategy. This calls for effective youth engagement practices and recognises that youth expect that their actions will make a meaningful difference. Youth, understandably, want their efforts to contribute to a legacy that makes a difference in their own lives, in the lives of other youth and in the system at large.”
Mrs Bradley added: “The Department of Youth and Culture strongly believes in youth participation, and undoubtedly believes that involving a youth perspective in the national decision-making process is an acceptable practice of good governance. We believe that it is a strategy for making youth concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and social spheres.”
Ms Rochelle Rogers, President of the National Youth Council, said the Eighth National Youth Conference was aimed at finding a better process to ensure that the development of youth perspectives are reflected that govern them now and in the future. She hoped that the Conference would achieve its objectives.
The feature address was delivered by the Deputy Governor, Mr Stanley Reid, and is printed elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian.
