Youth do not realize they are the future until it is too late!

The perennial problem with youth today is that on the one hand they are impatient, but on the other they do not realize that it is them who are the future of the country and they must have a vision for the future if they are intent on taking ownership of it. They must not think that their rights will just fall onto their laps when they come of age. It just does not happen that way.

It is important that there is some method to inform them of how they can affect their future through activism now. They may feel that the world is run by older people and that they do not have power. However remember in most democracies the new voters are significant in number and they can actually make a difference to the result if they vote enmasse for a particular party. They can even change governments and administrations. It is therefore important that they know this, as often they cannot appreciate the power of their strength in numbers.

In the age when young people graduate from children, being dependent on parents to adults being responsible for themselves, first and their future later, it is best to galvanize their thought process and their focus to what is important to them. Then they can with commitment and numbers embark on a political process by joining a movement or political party, to achieve their objectives first as it pertains to youth, and later as it pertains to them and their families.

If one studies history and the biographies of statesmen, it is often an indication that they have shown their vision of the future in their early writings or campaigns, be it for student political office and other youth related project, be it in Environmental protection or education benefits that affect them now and in their future.

In order to instill in young people the responsibility they carry for their future, and that it will be of no use to blame the earlier generations for their predicament, there has to be a carefully tested method using real life examples of what is practical and doable. If as the heading implies, that ‘if they do not come clean now, it will be too late for them to make a difference’, it implies that there must be a long term plan beginning now for them to achieve their goals in life.

As part of leadership and empowerment, we would like them first to have a vision of the future. Then they can take that vision and try to make it happen in a practical way, that may include getting involved in politics, especially in Sri Lanka as it affects people’s livelihood, more than in most other countries. Change takes place in Sri Lanka with a lot of political backing or interference depending on your outlook, but it is political nevertheless, that can make a difference.