National Youth Policy: An opportunity for Jamaica

By Jaevion Nelson

As young people, we are disproportionately affected by poverty, crime and violence and the quality of education as well as the limited opportunities available for entrepreneurship, skills building and employment. This social and economic malaise is exacerbated for those young people who are among the poorest of us and those living in rural Jamaica.

The large number of young people who indicated their desire to migrate in the 2012 National Youth Survey reveals the low confidence youth have in the government to find resolutions to the quandary. The review of the National Youth Policy that is currently under way and expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2014 is the perfect opportunity for the Government to renew trust and confidence and to show us as young people that our issues matter and that they are committed to addressing our less-than-perfect situations.

Investing in our youths

On November 8, 2013, at the 37th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO, Hon Lisa Hanna who headed Jamaica's delegation, reaffirmed the government's commitment to "investing in our young people and improving the conditions for our children including those in need of care and protection, by increasing budgetary allocations and working to have more of them stay with their families and loving environments where possible".

The latter part of this statement might interest my colleagues who have been mooting for a more holistic support system for scores of children who are in need of care and support. Minister Hanna's intention could easily provide room in the Budget to allocate necessary support to children and youth considering it costs more to put children in places of safety or lock them up. Apart from the fact that resources are scarce, evidence and rights-based social interventions are more sustainable and are a better long-term solution for the children and youth who are affected.

I am enthralled by the minister's commitment because so many children are living on the streets; over 200,000 unattached youth and only a quarter of secondary-school students can matriculate to tertiary institution.

The proposed revision of the 2004 National Youth Policy, therefore, presents an excellent opportunity for us to work together to design a holistic strategy that will address the litany of problems faced by young people and to facilitate our development to function in the global economy.

The previous youth policy focused on education and training, living environments, employment and entrepreneurship, health, participation and empowerment, and care and protection through three overarching goals:

1. To foster a culture of positive youth development and participation in decision-making around activities that affect the lives of youth.

2. To increase the capacity of service providers to provide accessible, relevant and high-quality services for young people and their families.

3. To guide the development of a multi-sectoral approach to youth development in Jamaica.

The new policy must go further to address social, political and cultural attitudes and practices that continue to undermine our progress as young people. It must not be bashful about including difficult and sensitive issues. It must recognise that development "is the process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy" (Amartya Sen, 1998) and "encompasses the need and the means by which to provide better lives for people. It includes economic growth and human development - providing for health, nutrition, education, and a clean environment" (Levin Institute/SUNY, 2013).

We have a crucial role to play in remedying the problems we face, but this cannot be done in the absence of policies and programmes to foster our development. And it cannot be done if we get caught up with the political ball game of blaming. Time come fi wi set di agenda.

We cannot allow ourselves to fall prey to politicking and watch our opportunities decay. As Minister Hanna poignantly said, "We cannot pay our debts with blame or motivate each other with unwholesome values that persecute or harm the most vulnerable among us. Our ability to reconstruct our future must first begin by reconstructing our own approaches, our dialogue and acceptance that we will need to force togetherness to get the job done."

Sen also said "what people can positively achieve is influenced by economic opportunities, political liberties, social powers, and enabling conditions ... , which are influenced by the exercise of people's freedoms, through the liberty to participate in social choice and in the making of public decisions."

Get involved

Therefore, we have to make use of this opportunity. I encourage all youth and community-based organisations to get involved - make your voices heard; make it count. Don't just register your complaints that nutten nah gwan fi di yute dem caw di system set up a way. Call the Ministry of Youth to enquire when they will be having consultations so you can posit recommendations. You can even organise your own with the support of youth empowerment officers or community development officers and submit them to the relevant persons. In fact, this should be the first thing on the agenda of the soon-to-be-elected executive of the National Youth Council. I implore other organisations to support young people in this process and to develop systems to monitor and track the implementation of the policy as well.

Let us make it happen for young people. Come mek wi reset di ting.

Jaevion Nelson is a youth development, HIV and human rights advocate. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and jaevion@gmail.com.