Youth empowerment

Malala Yousafzai, an activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

Youth empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes.[1] Youth empowerment aims to improve quality of life. Youth empowerment is achieved through participation in youth empowerment programs. However scholars argue that children's rights implementation should go beyond learning about formal rights and procedures to give birth to a concrete experience of rights.[2] There are numerous models that youth empowerment programs use that help youth achieve empowerment. A variety of youth empowerment initiatives are underway around the world. These programs can be through non-profit organizations, government organizations, schools or private organizations.

Youth empowerment is different from youth development because development is centered on developing individuals, while empowerment is focused on creating greater community change relies on the development of individual capacity.[3]

Empowerment movements, including youth empowerment, originate, gain momentum, become viable, and become institutionalized.[1] Youth empowerment is often addressed as a gateway to intergenerational equity, civic engagement and democracy building. Activities may focus on youth-led media, youth rights, youth councils, youth activism, youth involvement in community decision-making,[4] and other methods.

  1. ^ a b Kar, Snehendu B; Pascual, Catherine A; Chickering, Kirstin L (1 December 1999). "Empowerment of women for health promotion: a meta-analysis". Social Science & Medicine. 49 (11): 1431–1460. doi:10.1016/S0277-9536(99)00200-2. PMID 10515628.
  2. ^ Golay, Dominique; Malatesta, Dominique (2014). Children's councils implementation : a path toward recognition ? In D. Stoecklin & J.-M. Bonvin (Eds.), Children's Rights and the Capability Approach. Challenges and Prospects. Dordrecht: Springer. pp. 109–130.
  3. ^ Ledford, Meredith King; Lucas, Bronwyn (2013). "Youth Empowerment: The theory and its implementation" (PDF). Youth Empowerment Solutions. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  4. ^ Sazama, J. & Young, K. (2006) 15 Points to Successfully Involving Youth in Decision-Making, Boston: Youth jHGbagY On Board.