Learning the Art of Youth Participation in Budapest

I was scheduled to leave for the Time Management and Youth Participation FYEG study session in Budapest on the same day of my last exam (January 2009). Sleepless nights spent studying gave way to a mad rush to the airport from university, followed by a long and tiring journey (let's just say I am now an expert at spending nights at airports!). However it was all worthed thanks to the professionalism of the event's organizers and the amazing thirty or so participants from around Europe.

The seminar was originally supposed to be focused on Time Managment with Youth Participation having a somewhat lesser role. However this was soon changed as the Council of Europe pointed out that the topic wasn't as high on their agenda as others and so, the topic's roles were inversed. This ended up the only 'problem' we faced during the whole study session as far as I'm concerned.

The way the study session was structured was a breath of fresh air as the methods used were completely non formal. The fact that the answers and conclusions were to come from the participants themselves got us more involved and definitely more enthusiastic about the whole thing. Flip charts and power point presentations were substituted by more creative mediums such as role playing, songs, poems and art, the latter being used for presenting our various organizations. However, the fact that we were given so much freedom does not mean that we were left solely to our own devices. The trainers, Kristina and Maria, as well as the prep team were always in close range in case we needed any help.

New methods intertwined smoothly with the much loved FYEG classics such as the intercultural evenings, introduction games, energizers and farewell party. Some might dismiss the more informal parts of such events as superfluous or less important. However these events enable participants to get to know eachother and create a fun, relaxed atmosphere which is usually transferred onto the more formal areas of the study session.

One of the highlights was exchanging views on youth participation with the different participants. I was particularly moved by what the Bosnian NGO Revolt has recently accomplished. Deciding that something had to be done when the government threatened to charge university students for their education, Revolt organized a large protest, in collaboration with other youth NGOs. So strong was their message and so successful were they in rallying young people, that the government dropped their plan for this policy. Coming from a country where student/youth apathy runs deep, this was truly inspirational.

Although I consdiered it too brief, the Time Managment part of the session was definitely useful. All of us got a chance to take a look at our average day/week and find out where exactly time is lost, why, and see what can be done about it and how to reassess our priorities. I also appreciated that Maria said that she didn't want to generalise as to what constituted a waste of time since these vary from culture to culture.

We were also lucky enough to be given a free afternoon to explore the beautiful city of Budapest. This was appreciated by all of us, and we braved the cold and did some sightseeing, followed by dinner in town. We then split up as some went ice skating, while some preferred to find a local hang out and escape the cold. No need to say where the Maltese went:)

I came back from this experience feeling positive for what we can achieve. We live in a society where sadly, youths are not encouraged enough to participate in political life/civil society and often feel alienated, but we must not let this discourage us from our work. All in all it was definitely a positive experience – new useful skills to take back home were learned, new friends and contacts were made, and a new, beautiful city discovered. Mission accomplished! Thanks ADZ-Green Youth!!

Maya Schembri

Fearing Youths

These past few days I have been tormented by the idea that the majority of Youths in Malta are not interested in local social issues. Being a person who has been involved in youth organizations for the past 15 years, from girl guides to parish youth groups to NGOs, I have always been surrounded by youths who were involved actively in society, in some way or another. So needless to say the idea that the majority of youths today are not interested in local social issues and are not being active in society, totally turned my experiences and beliefs of youth participation topsy turvy. My torment all began when this statement was expressed by the team from the Secretary for Youth and Sport under Clyde Puli during a meeting held between the secretariat and ADZ on Monday 9th February 2009 at an office in the Parliament building.

The youths of today are not the youths of the 70's and 80's when the world was experiencing a revolution in society both locally and internationally. But this does not give the right for older generations to say that youths are not active in society. A lot of initiatives are carried out by various youth organizations and individual youths today - the evidence includes discussions and debates by youths on TV programs, in rallies, protests on social issues including human rights and animal rights, participation of youths in seminars and exchanges funded by the EU, youth organizing charity events, as well as youth expressing themselves in society through art and music. For 2009, the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, I really hope the current government of Malta takes the approach of believing more in the Youths of Malta. If government and other members of society have no faith in youths, then they do not have the right to expect youths to be interested in social issues. Further more government is not addressing enough the issues which affect youths directly. To date the Youth Sexual Health Policy has not be concluded; issues such as rights in civil unions for all couples are still taboo in government debate; local state TV is limited to giving space only to the two parties in parliament, thus excluding giving opportunities to youths to decide on their own accord and know all the options of the parties available when they vote in elections; many youths who graduate are forced to go abroad to have fairer wages and better working conditions, despite the fact that they would like to live and work in Malta (here I refer particularly to doctors); and so many more.

ADZ proposed that youths could be encouraged to be more active through means such as initiating debates and discussions on local social issues by youths through various forms of media - from internet (such as polls) to TV programs. ADZ also mentioned that opportunities such as the government funding of the KNZ project of the Youth Local Councils (Kunsilli Lokali Zghazagh) is a positive action in the right direction to involving youths in society. ADZ told the Secretary for Youth and Sport that allowing 16 year olds to vote in Local Council Elections will encourage Maltese youths to be more participative in society. If the fear of lowering the voting age is simply because of the fear that a 16 year old might contest elections and actually be elected, then I am indeed I believe there is no faith in today's young generation. If a 16 year old accomplishes such a task it will only be the evidence we already should be aware of - that youths are creative, energetic and care about of how society is evolving. Sadly I fear that if older generations and government turn their backs on youths and not offer them the opportunities to be active members of society, then the day will come when Malta will have fewer youths in society who will believe in Maltese identity and governance. Youths are the future of the nation and the world - I hope such a cry will not drown in deep waters once more.

Bernardette Mercieca

Rough exchange of views with the Secretariat

Meeting with the Secretariat for Youth (09.02.09) I expected first and foremost constructive dialogue and an ability from their side to be receptive to new ideas and also to be empathetic towards the youth who nowadays face greater pressures in their life.

But, I was disillusioned very easily we struck it on a very bad note when I proposed a structure of communication, such as the networking media present all over the web, between government and youth which creates a platform for opinion polls and anonymous contributions to take place. This in my opinion would reflect elements of direct democracy which have become possible only with the present technological progress which has gained mass popularity. So I would presume that such considerations are nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, the reaction I got was being labeled a 'radical'. Their replies were 2: "If you are for direct democracy then you are for the abolishment of political parties"(this was out of point, but then again there were many such instances) and the second reaction was "Are you an Anarchist?". The only insight I got from this debate was that they are proud to have a facebook group on Internet for the above mentioned purpose, but when asked on the feedback they get the answer was that it is not a representative sample and therefore it is considered as bias.

Further more pro-divorce and pro-civil marriage arguments were countered by the arguing that there would be a tyranny of the minority with respect to the wider range of society. Astonishing. I would have never thought that deciding together with my partner what we want to do with ourselves would cause any form of tyranny over the rest of the people. I mean all we would be asking is to be recognised as such and not become marginalised from the rest. Their argument with regards to Civil rights was brief and an abuse to anyone’s intelligence. They first tried to cut the debate short with Clyde Puli stating that Rights are a complex issue where one has to distinguish between Natural and Civil. But, as the point was repeated a confession of absurdity came out. They claimed that civil rights are rights which can be enjoyed by one is the greater society deems it proper for that person to do so. Therefore, my civil rights, even the ones which do not affect anyone else's right, can only be enjoyed by myself in a social structure if the 50% +1 of society thinks it is proper to do so.

Since when did the average Joe understand the issues of rights and even if what power does he hold to relinquish them from me? I personally believe it was a political gaff and nothing more. Or at least I hope so.

Then the argument of youth participation was also shot down as wishful thinking. Starting of by trying to understand each others views on the subject we obviously had to correct yet another time who has come up with the issue firstly? Just a matter of formalities since MZPN was definitely not key players in the debate on the issue and therefore his statement had to be corrected before continuing. The argument pro 16+ vote at local council level was deemed necessary by us if one expects to see greater involvement in the political process by these young citizens. But, as they always tried to prove the case by examples they explain that when doing house visits the youth are the most uninterested ones. Ehhh.

Change of tactics. We tried explaining that participation goes beyond trying to suck up to the first politician that comes about. They cut the debate short by stating in the long run the leaders come out as leaders and that’s what politics is all about.

And that is where I finish my blog by thanking Clyde Puli and Co. for the thorough explanation of why things haven't changed in the last 20 years... my whole lifetime.

Maybe I should retire easily by simply endorsing this politically endorsed if not created status quo. Or maybe not.

Joseph Caruana