Youth engagement and empowerment

1
Youth engagement and empowerment

• Anna Maria Grech
• B.A., M.A. (Youth Comm. Studies)

2
Overview

• Defining youth engagement
• Defining youth empowerment
• Success stories - overseas
• Success stories - Malta
• Way forward

3
Youth engagement .

• is the sentiment young people feel towards a
  particular person, activity, place or outcome. It
  has been a focus of youth development, public
  policy and social change movements for at least
  forty years

4

• Process of youth engagement

MEET YOUTH IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT
LISTEN TO YOUTH
ONCE ACCEPTED BY YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGEMENT OCCURS
EMPATHISE WITH YOUTH
5
youth empowerment

• is an attitudinal, structural, and cultural
  process whereby young people gain the ability,
  authority, and agency to make decisions and
  implement change in their own lives and the lives
  of other people, including youth and adults

6
State youth services abroad

• United Kingdom Northern Ireland
• Belgium - Flemish Youth Council
• Sweden Gotland Youth Council
• Ireland

7
State youth services at local level

• Empowerment Centres experience
• 2000 Birkirkara (Pilot Project)
• 2004 Mosta, Qormi, Tarxien, Fgura, Zurrieq,
  Gozo
• 2005 Zejtun

8
Mosta Youth Empowerment Centre
EU Funded Projects
9
Mosta Youth Empowerment Centre
NGOs
YOUNG PEOPLE
EMPOWERMENT CENTRE
10
Exchanges
Malta - April 2009
Toledo Sept 08
11
Partnership Building Activity Sept 09
12
Unexpected benefits
13
Mosta Dome Festival
14
TWO-STEP for success for Maltese Local Councils

• STEP ONE
• COMMITMENT TOWARDS YOUNG PEOPLE

15

• STEP TWO
• COMMITMENT TOWARDS A QUALITY SERVICE
• The Deming Quality Cycle (adopted from Walton,
  199285)

16
Process for success for Maltese Local Councils

• COMMITMENT TOWARDS A QUALITY SERVICE FOR YOUNG
  PEOPLE
• INDEPENDENT BASE
• ENGAGEMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL YOUTH WORKER
• NEEDS ANALYSIS (IDENTIFY TARGETS)
• BUSINESS PLAN
• BUDGET
• OFFER SERVICES TO YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH CAREFUL
  ENGAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS
• CONTINIOUS EVALUATION AND REPORTING

17
Way Forward..

• Greater involvement and commitment of local
  councils
• Tangible central government structures
• Build on examples of good practice consolidate
  and expand services
• Networking
• EU and locally funded programmes towards the
  empowerment and growth of young people
• Constant evaluation no stagnation

18
Recap

• Explained the meanings of youth engagement and
  empowerment
• Given examples of good practice
• Given hints of what could be done in your local
  councils

19
One key question

• what will YOU do?

20

• THANK YOU!
• mostayouth_at_gmail.com