The overall goal of AYSD is: “To promote and mobilize the young people to proactively participate in development processes together with other similar-minded organizations and stakeholders such as the government, SGD, NGOs and development partners both locally and internationally”.
EXECUIVE SUMMARY
Young people are the driving force of all nations. They provide the energy, hope and leadership needed for the future. Our traditions holds youth in special esteem, emphasizing them as a blessing and calling upon young people to become active members of society, and to contribute to the development of their countries. For a more inclusive society, it is important to ensure that youth have the means to become active participants, who can drive the development of their respective countries.
Introduction
Adolescence is the pivotal period between childhood and adulthood. It is the time when youth need to acquire the attitudes, competencies, values, and social skills that will carry them forward to successful adulthood. It is also the time when they need to avoid choices and behaviors that will limit their future potential. Parents and families play a crucial role in helping young people navigate this phase. In the past, schools, neighborhoods, and communities extended and enhanced positive development and supported young people. Indeed, an enduring image of African life is the participation of neighbors and community members watching out for children and youth, taking responsibility for their safety and well-being, and helping to steer them in the right direction. In recent decades, a number of social forces have changed both the landscape of family and community life and the expectations for young people. A combination of factors has weakened the informal community support once available to young people: high rates of family mobility; greater anonymity in neighborhoods, where more parents are at work and out of the home and neighborhood for long periods, and in schools, which have become larger and much more heterogeneous; extensive media exposure. Therefore, African Youth for Sustainable Development was created as a platform where young people are engaged, informed, trained and educated in schools, churches and other youth organizations in terms of creating awareness, education, training, school-to-work transition programs, leadership and parenting skills, arts and recreation activities, among others and the social and emotional skills needed in a highly competitive environment as school and community.
Education
The Strategy recognizes the importance of all types of education, including early childhood development, formal schooling, alternative education, technical and vocational education, higher education, and non-formal education. This pillar describes how AYSD will address youth education through its operations and projects in economic and social infrastructure and inclusive social development.
- Donations to schools and students; including learning materials.
- Promote vocational and technical education.
- Provision of scholarships or soliciting for funds to aid brilliant but needy students.
- Provision of health care
- Organization of quizzes to enlighten students.
- Mentorship
- Career counseling
- Organization of motivational talks for students and parents.
- Provision of incentives to hardworking teachers.
Economic Empowerment
Forward-looking government policies are required to ensure that youth are sufficiently adaptable to benefit from the economic empowerment opportunities offered by technological progress. The ability of member countries to harness the opportunity of ‘demographic dividend’ depends on their capacity to create jobs, transform their economies, invest in human capital, and develop the private sector. This pillar describes how AYSD will address youth economic empowerment through its programs in economic and social infrastructure, finance sector, private sector development, and inclusive social development and through the global value chains.
- Enlighten youth on modern technologies.
- Provision of loans to promote works of youths.
- Entrepreneurship counseling.
- Soliciting for investment from partners to support the works of the youth.
- Counseling on application of school knowledge. Eg Accounting and good management skills in everyday life.
- Marketing of youth products.
Engagement
AYSD members should be fully engaged in shaping the changes that are affecting them. Young people will be supported in their efforts towards developing mechanisms to promote an enabling environment for youth engagement. AYDS will continue developing and contributing to entry points and channels for engagement, promoting youth as partners and leaders.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AYSD offers a range of workshops and training programs focused on sustainable development topics such as climate change, social entrepreneurship, and leadership skills.
You can get involved by contacting AYSD directly through their website or social media channels to inquire about volunteer opportunities and upcoming outreach events.
Yes, AYSD facilitates mentorship programs connecting young individuals with experienced professionals in various fields to provide guidance and support.