DON’T NEGLECT OUR YOUTH!
The youth of the world today are in a critical state, and contrary to popular belief, it is not the fault of the youth! Every child is born to two (2) parents and to a family and community. Furthermore, each child is the citizen of a nation and all these players have a responsibility to its youth. We must train our children and young people properly and thoroughly, teaching them the things they must know and understand in order to maintain continuity, individually and nationally.
Sadly, the previous generation has failed to adequately prepare the way for our young people. The previous generation did not ensure that certain basic principles were taught to them and they compromised on many areas they shouldn’t.
On one hand, some of our youth, have little to no respect for senior citizens, for their own parents and for each other. Having been left to their own devices by parents who have given up on them, they learn to be independent very early, and reject authority in many forms. They are not corrected or taught proper principles.
On the other hand, some of our youth have slipped through the cracks of humanity as a result of wars and have been forgotten. Sometimes the help that is geared toward them does not get to the areas of dire need. Again, they have to fend for themselves in order to survive; no one teaching, training or directing them in the way they must go.
Further to this, there are those in such poverty-stricken areas that they are thrust into the sex-trade from the ages of four (4) and five (5) years. They are abused and treated like property rather than precious gifts.
UN Statistics show that 75 million youth, aged 15 – 24, are unemployed. That’s 75 million able-bodied individuals that are able to function productively and are capable of earning wages/salaries, are not actively engaged, but are pulling on the world’s resources. We all have a responsibility, what are we going to do about it. We can’t refuse to care!
Years ago, there was constant talk about the ‘generation gap’, and our young people were being ignored because they were not easily understood. They were put into their own groups without proper parenting, and were expected to grow up and fit into place.
Now we are reaping the ‘benefits’ of this approach.
The Main Issues
Today,
Families are at risk as a result of Sexual Immorality and Abortion
Youth and the Aging are unwanted, uneducated and their skills and talents are not being realized
These groups are marginalized and have the highest rate of unemployment. Furthermore, the Labor Market is not growing, but the population is increasing and the demand on the earth’s resources is growing. It is one thing to seek to increase educational opportunities for the Youth globally; in fact it is important for us to do so. Everybody has the right to learn all they can and need to in order to fulfill their purpose.
If the Labor Market is stagnant or shrinking, then the problem will increase. The number of employable persons increase, but the market for it does not expand, it will increase poverty, crime and result in wasted resources! So clearly, education cannot be the sole focus of any group or individual that wants to help the Youth of the nations. The Youth need to be channeled into entrepreneurship. This will help them to be job creators instead of being mere job-seekers.
Personalize This Situation
The statistics are indeed staggering, but the figures mean nothing and are un-relatable to many because they are not directly connected or directly affected by the unemployment figures.
Recognize that if we have children, then they are included in these figures. As it stands now, it may seem as if this situation is distant and unrelated to our children, but it only takes one swift change in the world’s economic situation for things to go awry for our youth! How would you feel leaving a mountain of debt for your children to try to clear up? How would you feel knowing there are no opportunities for our children, and that they would be mistreated or hurt in any way if we were taken away? If we don’t begin to care on this level, then we need an awakening, and our priorities have to change.
The Youth And Poverty Eradication
If we are going to engage in poverty eradication at any level, we cannot exclude the Youth. They have ideas and solutions to offer that can change the very course of a nation’s economy. They have an energy that if channeled in the right direction can be used to accomplish great things within any nation. We have a responsibility to nurture, protect and motivate them into fulfilling their purpose.
Not Mistakes, Misunderstood
Many often make the mistake of calling children we didn’t plan on having ‘mistakes’. What we must recognize is that those children are not mistakes – they never are. Each of them is born with a purpose and that purpose must be fulfilled! If we treat them as mistakes and that causes the development of a whole new set of issues they have to deal with and try to rise above in order to live a life of victory and prosperity.
Furthermore, we think that the Youth are insignificant and have nothing to offer. Some think they have no common sense or understanding. Yet there are others who, when they hear the word ‘youth’ they immediately think, ‘failure, bother, a waste of time’!
Even the babies that are born today seem to be born with a certain kind of maturity! They understand more than we give them credit for. The same applies to our young people! They understand more than we give them credit for and we must stop underestimating our young people and their abilities!
It may seem as if there is a new crop of ingenious prodigies rising with the creation of Facebook and Twitter, but the truth is these capabilities are there in youth all over the globe. Their excellence may be in the areas of Technology, Economics, Music, Art, Investment, Inventions, Medicine or Law!. Some young people may already have the cure for AIDS or the recession, but it is our limitations that can hinder the greatness in them from shining through and coming to the fore!
Why do we think that young people are incapable of thinking clearly or maturely? It is sad that in the west we portray or young people as bumbling buffoons who lack respect and can’t think for themselves! We must begin to think very seriously about how we relate to our Youth. The saying may be hackneyed but it is a fact – they are our future! They are tomorrow’s leaders and if we want to see a better tomorrow, we must start by helping our Youth TODAY!
Don’t neglect the young people, they have a lot in them; they have a lot to say and we must not muzzle them. We need to make a greater effort to acknowledge their gifts and talents, treat them with respect and listen to them.
There are young people in war-torn nations, 6, 12 or 15 years old, that are suffering hunger and extreme poverty and some die daily. Some are orphaned victims of war, who have no parents and other family members are too poor to take them on. Now they have to fend for themselves! In other countries, there are those who have had tertiary level education but have no jobs or job prospects.
Something has to change! There is something we can do. Knowledge is power.
We can do simple research via websites, phone calls and emails to find out more about NGO’s and Youth organizations and how we can help them help our Youth.
We can demand that children throughout the nations be afforded the basic right to Education, Proper Healthcare and access to Food and Water.
We can give of our time and mentor children and young people within our communities.
We can financially support NGO’s and Youth Groups that cater to and are actively engaged in helping to meet the needs of the young people in order to steer them in the right direction.
We can set better examples for our Youth by the way we live with each other.
Let us not neglect our Youth! Give them an opportunity to live and support them in every way you can. They are our leaders and adults of tomorrow, and tomorrow will soon become today!
The youth of the world today are in a critical state, and contrary to popular belief, it is not the fault of the youth! Every child is born to two (2) parents and to a family and community. Furthermore, each child is the citizen of a nation and all these players have a responsibility to its youth. We must train our children and young people properly and thoroughly, teaching them the things they must know and understand in order to maintain continuity, individually and nationally.
Sadly, the previous generation has failed to adequately prepare the way for our young people. The previous generation did not ensure that certain basic principles were taught to them and they compromised on many areas they shouldn’t.
On one hand, some of our youth, have little to no respect for senior citizens, for their own parents and for each other. Having been left to their own devices by parents who have given up on them, they learn to be independent very early, and reject authority in many forms. They are not corrected or taught proper principles.
On the other hand, some of our youth have slipped through the cracks of humanity as a result of wars and have been forgotten. Sometimes the help that is geared toward them does not get to the areas of dire need. Again, they have to fend for themselves in order to survive; no one teaching, training or directing them in the way they must go.
Further to this, there are those in such poverty-
UN Statistics show that 75 million youth, aged 15 – 24, are unemployed. That’s 75 million able-
Years ago, there was constant talk about the ‘generation gap’, and our young people were being ignored because they were not easily understood. They were put into their own groups without proper parenting, and were expected to grow up and fit into place.
Now we are reaping the ‘benefits’ of this approach.
The Main Issues
Today,
Families are at risk as a result of Sexual Immorality and Abortion
Youth and the Aging are unwanted, uneducated and their skills and talents are not being realized
These groups are marginalized and have the highest rate of unemployment. Furthermore, the Labor Market is not growing, but the population is increasing and the demand on the earth’s resources is growing. It is one thing to seek to increase educational opportunities for the Youth globally; in fact it is important for us to do so. Everybody has the right to learn all they can and need to in order to fulfill their purpose.
If the Labor Market is stagnant or shrinking, then the problem will increase. The number of employable persons increase, but the market for it does not expand, it will increase poverty, crime and result in wasted resources! So clearly, education cannot be the sole focus of any group or individual that wants to help the Youth of the nations. The Youth need to be channeled into entrepreneurship. This will help them to be job creators instead of being mere job-
Personalize This Situation
The statistics are indeed staggering, but the figures mean nothing and are un-
Recognize that if we have children, then they are included in these figures. As it stands now, it may seem as if this situation is distant and unrelated to our children, but it only takes one swift change in the world’s economic situation for things to go awry for our youth! How would you feel leaving a mountain of debt for your children to try to clear up? How would you feel knowing there are no opportunities for our children, and that they would be mistreated or hurt in any way if we were taken away? If we don’t begin to care on this level, then we need an awakening, and our priorities have to change.
The Youth And Poverty Eradication
If we are going to engage in poverty eradication at any level, we cannot exclude the Youth. They have ideas and solutions to offer that can change the very course of a nation’s economy. They have an energy that if channeled in the right direction can be used to accomplish great things within any nation. We have a responsibility to nurture, protect and motivate them into fulfilling their purpose.
Not Mistakes, Misunderstood
Many often make the mistake of calling children we didn’t plan on having ‘mistakes’. What we must recognize is that those children are not mistakes – they never are. Each of them is born with a purpose and that purpose must be fulfilled! If we treat them as mistakes and that causes the development of a whole new set of issues they have to deal with and try to rise above in order to live a life of victory and prosperity.
Furthermore, we think that the Youth are insignificant and have nothing to offer. Some think they have no common sense or understanding. Yet there are others who, when they hear the word ‘youth’ they immediately think, ‘failure, bother, a waste of time’!
Even the babies that are born today seem to be born with a certain kind of maturity! They understand more than we give them credit for. The same applies to our young people! They understand more than we give them credit for and we must stop underestimating our young people and their abilities!
It may seem as if there is a new crop of ingenious prodigies rising with the creation of Facebook and Twitter, but the truth is these capabilities are there in youth all over the globe. Their excellence may be in the areas of Technology, Economics, Music, Art, Investment, Inventions, Medicine or Law!. Some young people may already have the cure for AIDS or the recession, but it is our limitations that can hinder the greatness in them from shining through and coming to the fore!
Why do we think that young people are incapable of thinking clearly or maturely? It is sad that in the west we portray or young people as bumbling buffoons who lack respect and can’t think for themselves! We must begin to think very seriously about how we relate to our Youth. The saying may be hackneyed but it is a fact – they are our future! They are tomorrow’s leaders and if we want to see a better tomorrow, we must start by helping our Youth TODAY!
Don’t neglect the young people, they have a lot in them; they have a lot to say and we must not muzzle them. We need to make a greater effort to acknowledge their gifts and talents, treat them with respect and listen to them.
There are young people in war-
Something has to change! There is something we can do. Knowledge is power.
We can do simple research via websites, phone calls and emails to find out more about NGO’s and Youth organizations and how we can help them help our Youth.
We can demand that children throughout the nations be afforded the basic right to Education, Proper Healthcare and access to Food and Water.
We can give of our time and mentor children and young people within our communities.
We can financially support NGO’s and Youth Groups that cater to and are actively engaged in helping to meet the needs of the young people in order to steer them in the right direction.
We can set better examples for our Youth by the way we live with each other.
Let us not neglect our Youth! Give them an opportunity to live and support them in every way you can. They are our leaders and adults of tomorrow, and tomorrow will soon become today!
