Youth Civic Engagement
The 2015 International Youth Day theme is Youth Civic Engagement. Youth Civic Engagement, a main goal of the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan on Youth (Youth-SWAP), seeks to promote young people’s effective inclusive civic engagement at all levels. The engagement and participation of youth is essential to achieve sustainable human development. Yet often the opportunities for youth to engage politically, economically and socially are low or non-existent.
There has been recent increasing attention and policy and programming focus on youth civic engagement by governments, UN entities, regional and multilateral organizations, CSOs, youth and researchers.
On 12 August 2015, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) with the support of the UN Inter-agency Network on Youth Development is organising an event to commemorate International Youth Day under the theme Youth Civic Engagement.
International Youth Day 2015 Online Campaign #YOUTHDAY
The engagement and participation of youth is essential to achieve sustainable human development. Yet often the opportunities for youth to engage politically, economically and socially are low or non-existent.
More efforts are needed to raise awareness about the importance of youth civic engagement and its benefits to the individual and to society, including for sustainable development as well as resilience and wellbeing. The International Youth Day 2015 campaign aims at promoting civic engagement and participation of youth in politics and public life, so that young people can be empowered and bring a full contribution to society, development and peace. You can be part of these efforts!
ACTION2015/YOUTH Campaign
This year, 2015, world leaders are setting global goals to end poverty, inequality and climate change – but it is down to us make sure those promises are kept.
2015 is a once in a generation opportunity, and as the largest population of young people in history, we are the generation with the power to make sure the world keeps its word. This International Youth Day, unleash your #YouthPower with #action2015 for a better future for people and planet.
What’s happening?
On International Youth Day, thousands of young people around the world are taking action.
In September world leaders will meet in New York to announce a new set of global goals, the Sustainable Development Goals, which will shape the future of people and planet by ending poverty, inequality and climate change. Then, in December world leaders will meet in Paris to discuss new climate agreements, which could set us on a path for a safer, renewable future.
Organisations and individuals are uniting to show world leaders that as the largest population of young people in history, we’re the generation with the power to make sure the world keeps its word and delivers ambitious global goals that leave no one behind.
Check out this wonderful toolkit for ideas HERE
Whether you’re taking part locally or online, make sure you’re part of the action!
With these resources you, your organisation and your supporters will be equipped to play a leading role in the biggest youth mobilisation of action/2015 on International Youth Day, 12th August 2015. Together let’s show the world the immensity of #YouthPower!
#YouthPower
action/2015’s key messaging for International Youth Day is all about #YouthPower.
This year world leaders are setting global goals to end poverty, inequality and climate change – but it is down to us to make sure those promises are kept. 2015 is a once in a generation opportunity, and as the largest population of young people in history we are the generation with the power to make sure the world keeps its word.
This International Youth Day, unleash your #YouthPower with #action2015 for a better future for people and planet.
#YouthPower Resources
You can access all of the action/2015 International Youth Day Resources here. These include:
- International Youth Day Toolkit
A guide to engaging with action/2015 on International Youth Day, from simple online actions that will make a big impact to exciting local action such as peer-to-peer workshops.
- International Youth Day Workshop Plan
A simple plan for running your own International Youth Day workshop. The plan outlines an hour long session addressing the new global goals and the power of young people to ensure they are implemented.
- International Youth Day Social Media Graphics
Join the action online by sharing our International Youth Day social media graphics – tell the world about the impact young people can have!
- International Youth Day T-shirt Designs
Brand up your International Youth Day event with our eye-catching action/2015 #YouthPower t-shirt designs.
- International Youth Day Press Releases (Coming soon!)
Amplify your action on International Youth Day by contacting your local media and sharing these informative press releases.
You can also get find out more about how to get involved by pulling your #YouthPower pose on the fantastic new #YouthPower page of the action/2015 website.
Some other ideas…
This is Your Day and Your Year!
To guide the celebrations of the International Year of Youth, the United Nations has developed the Framework Approach highlighting three key objectives for the Year, namely: increased commitment and investment in youth, increased youth participation and partnerships, and increased intercultural understanding among youth. Use these objectives to guide your activities related to youth.
Think about what you can do in your community and how you can effectively spread the message. Make it fun and relatable and use all your channels to spread the message. Think Facebook, Twitter, university newsletters, local newspapers.
Educational radio show. Contact popular local/national radio stations to request a slot to have a discussion with distinguished individuals and youth.
Organise a public meeting or debate to discuss young people’s contributions to global issues.
Initiate round table discussions among adults and young people to promote intergenerational understanding.
Organise a youth forum to exchange ideas and discuss cultural backgrounds in order to help young people accept others and popularize a culture of non-violence.
Organise a concert to promote International Youth Day and the launch of the Year. Invite your local musicians and combine it with a panel discussion or invite a politician or policy maker to hold the key note speech.
Create an “info point” about youth-related issues in the centre of town/village, at high schools, or at university centres.
Organise an exhibition. Get permission to use a public space for an arts exhibit, which showcases the challenges of young people today or how young people are contributing to development. Try to involve young people in the domains of culture, arts and music, to raise awareness on youth-related issues.
Write to your Minister of Youth to inform him or her about the challenges young people face in their daily lives and to suggest solutions.