Two principal elements of this transformational approach to youth development are ‘empowerment of young people to become strategic partners in the development process’ and ‘mainstreaming of youth development within the broader national development agenda’.

Regional Director of the Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre (CYPCC), Mr. Henry Charles has reiterated the notion that 'the development problems and challenges of Caribbean Countries are essentially young people problems', noting that the comment accurately captures the reality of our current development ethos.

Mr Charles, who was referring to a recent quote by former Barbados Director of Youth Affairs and youth development professional, Mr. Richard Carter, was delivering brief remarks on April 27 during the Trinidad and Tobago leg of the Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre Youth Development Lecture Series.

According to Mr. Charles, many of our countries' development problems and challenges affect young people in a profound and disproportionate manner. However, it is most unfortunate that despite this reality, the region is yet to witness an adequate demonstration of the requisite political will and social consciousness to engage young people as valuable and active partners in the governance and development process, he added.

He pointed out that, on the contrary, the region has become very efficient in stereotyping, stigmatization and condemnation of the negative manifestations of young people's efforts to grapple with the challenges of our existing and emerging socio-economic, socio-political and socio-cultural ethos.

The Regional Director noted: "As we reap the bitter harvest of our deformed youth development strategies, there is little surprise that our political directorates, policy makers and citizenry seem overwhelmed by a climate of despair, hopelessness and panic.  In the circumstances, the time has come for a paradigm shift in our youth development strategy. It is time for us to abandon the social welfarist approach to youth development and adopt instead a transformational approach."

Two principal elements of this transformational approach to youth development were listed as 'empowerment of young people to become strategic partners in the development process' and 'mainstreaming of youth development within the broader national development agenda'.

Mr Charles insisted that the latter demands a number of policy actions including, the formulation and implementation of effective national youth policies, the adoption and enactment of relevant policies and legislative framework to facilitate effective youth participation, the adoption of an evidenced-based approach to youth development policies and programmes, the existence of an effective democratic national youth network, the Professionalization of Youth Development work, Development and engagement of a competent cadre of youth development professionals, adequate and appropriate levels of investment in youth development, the development and nurturing of strategic partnerships involving Government, youth networks, corporate sector, mass media, institutions of higher learning, development agencies, community based organizations, faith based organizations and other relevant sectors of civil society, and the creation of an enabling environment for informed discourse and debate on youth development and youth in development issues.

He emphasized that it is in the context of creating the enabling environment for informed discourse and debate on youth development and youth in development issues, that the youth development lecture assumes much relevance.

The Regional Director also extended the Commonwealth Youth Programme's (CYP) profound appreciation to the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago for their leadership role in creating a new and more dynamic regional youth development strategy and offered his assurances of support for and commitment to Trinidad and Tobago's youth empowerment and youth development mainstreaming strategies.

Sourse: http://www.thecommonwealth.org