News
Caribbean Youth Summit 2023 Provides Opportunity for Meaningful Engagement and Empowerment for more than 60 Youth Delegates
More than 60 delegates at the Caribbean Youth Summit participated in a dynamic training session utilizing the "Meaningfully Engaging with Youth" tool sourced from the UNESCO Toolbox for Youth Policy and Programming. The training, led by UNESCO Youth Trainer, Antonette Dennis, provided the opportunity to cultivate meaningful youth engagement and empower emerging leaders throughout the Caribbean.
The interactive session, designed to sensitize participants to the subtleties of meaningful youth engagement across all tiers of society, featured immersive group discussions focused on intricate characteristics of youth, various modes of engagement, and the pivotal distinctions between authentic involvement and tokenism. The training also included collaborative ideation and presentation of project concepts by youth cohorts, accentuating practical methodologies for authentically involving young individuals in decision-making.
In reflection, a participant, Chelsea Antoine, expressed satisfaction with the session, describing it as "informative, enjoyable, and interactive."
Through this session young people were able to collaborate and expand on ideas. I believe the discussion on Meaningful Youth Engagement was extremely necessary and I hope that in the future there are opportunities to bring awareness to the UNESCO Toolbox for Youth Policy and Programming
Participants also benefited from a better understanding of engagement principles and the best practices which inform strategic Caribbean Youth participation. Another critical feature was cross-cultural collaboration and networking which equipped the participants with invaluable tools and insights to cultivate collaborative and supportive networks and culminated in a 'Pitch for Youth' exercise, encouraging activities and discussions that foster the exchange of experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions.
Against the background of the Caribbean Youth Summit, participants were enabled to shape the narrative of youth involvement and empowerment in the Caribbean. From the discussions, youth participants underscored the importance of appreciating diversity among their peers, emphasizing the urgent necessity for targeted strategies actively involving and including youth from diverse backgrounds.
Recognizing the multifaceted nature of factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, religion, class, education, social status, place of residence (rural/urban), sexual orientation, physical and intellectual abilities, and interests, they advocated for greater inclusivity and resources in programmes and decisions about policy development.
