Include youth at every decision-making table
Youth constitute almost 20 per cent of the Canadian population and have a significant impact on the nation’s landscape for the present and future. Acknowledging and involving youth in decision-making is important; who else will be the “leaders of tomorrow,” inheriting the torches of governance, education, health care and other sectors? Yet this future outlook negates the importance of youth today, and their desire to succeed in their own life pursuits.
Canadian youth are more digitally connected, educated and diverse than ever before. This diversity along so many demographic lines dismantles the idea of a monolithic youth voice, and emphasizes that to meaningfully support youth, every background must be represented. Whether in our educational institutions, retail outlets, fast food chains or community centres, our country cannot function without the tenacity and dedication of its youth.
If we agree it’s not optional to include youth at every decisionmaking table possible, how exactly can this be done successfully? As a member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council, providing non-partisan advice to politicians and agencies, I have had the opportunity to witness both fantastic and disengaging youth consultations at the federal level. From my experience, those consultations where guests desired our input and actively heard what we had to say without rebuttals or excuses felt the most empowering. This active hearing was actualized in the form of returning for future sessions, changing drafts of projects or recommending our work to other agencies.
The federal government is not the only sector that desperately requires youth voices at the table. In high schools where students run clubs and design their futures, in universities where emerging adults carve their careers, or for those who jump into employment to build families and futures, there should never be a disconnect between the adults running the show and the youth they ultimately serve.
It begins by ensuring that engagement is as accessible as possible. Never should only the most “involved” and “academic” youth be consulted; through providing simple and diverse modes of engagement, more can be reached. Things like frequent surveys with the students in a school, consultation meetings, and most importantly, establishing a culture within institutions — whether they be schools, councils or workplaces — where youth feel comfortable providing suggestions is paramount.
Additionally, we should provide unique opportunities where students can see their opinions actualized, and not simply as words tossed out into the air, landing nowhere. For municipal or provincial councils, allow youth to comment on policy plans, new bills, presentations and proposals. For schools, include students in approval processes for events, and in making plans for the future of the school like funding, scholarships and programs.
The future of Canada rests on the nurturing and acceptance of its youth today. Listen to us — as social media has shown, we have a lot to say.