54
Change Enabler: Youth Empowerment
The youth empowerment sub-cluster includes (1)
capacity-building programmes and (2) technological innovations.
Capacity Development
Policymakers view building the capacity of youth
as a critical area of youth empowerment.
Policymaker and senior official Y1 stated that:
The government needs to invest in capacity building programmes for youth. Lots of resources are
now going towards infrastructure development
activities such as an airport, main roads but not
enough is going to youth and people development
needs. The government should work with youth
and community organisations to assist them in
developing and implementing Climate Change
Education programmes within their respective
communities to build awareness and take actions to
reduce the impact of Climate change.
Youth recognise themselves as important
change enablers, especially when they are
empowered as indicated by a young woman from
FGD X1:
I enjoyed this part of the work – providing voluntary services to members of our community. It was
enjoyable and rewarding to help out the homeless
and other less fortunate people. We need to start
organising ourselves in groups as soon as possible
so we can play more positive roles in the future
(Me rayle injaiy dis part ah de wok na. Me like fuh
wok as a valanteer inah ahwe kommunite. Me
injaiy helpin de homless an de peplo inah ahwe
vileeg whoah les ablo fuh help demself. Me feel
real good inna me hart. Ahwe hav feh farm groop
fuh help mo peplo inah de fuchur).
Youth voluntarily respond to the incidence of
climate risk vulnerability and natural disasters
without being prompted by anyone in authority
despite their lack of formal training in climate
change education. Most policymakers state that
youth should be viewed as key change enablers to
respond to the impact of climate change in their
communities. Therefore, efforts should be made
to explore strategies to enhance this role. SVG
had some of the most vibrant and active youth
groups in the Caribbean region in the
1980s–2000s. However, many of these groups
are dormant due to lack of funding and support
from the government. Should these organisations
be reactivated, policymakers believe they will
provide excellent opportunities for the development of the capacity of youth to adapt to climate
change.
Over two-thirds of the policymakers and
senior officials attributed their activism, careers
and education later in life to their participation in
youth and community groups. They said that the
first time they travelled overseas was to participate in regional or international youth development fora to discuss global or regional
development issues. They opined that some youth
are not benefiting from these opportunities
because of the absence of groups at community
and national levels. They reiterated their call on
government and other stakeholders to invest in
the activation of youth and community organisations and the broader youth development agenda.
Capacity building is an important strategy for
building the resilience of people to adapt to climate change. Developing countries should, therefore, implement strategies to enhance education,
training delivery and the use of technology to
boost their education systems in order to provide
the knowledge and skills necessary to build the
resilience of the people to adapt to climate change
(UNICEF 2015).
Technological Innovation and Creativity
Technology is a significant enabler for empowering young people with new knowledge and skills
on CCA. A young woman from FGD X2 called
for the use of social media and ICT to enhance
the delivery of the climate change education/
adaptation programmes:
The education curriculum should be redesigned to
reflect climate change education. ICT should
improve and deliver the content on Climate Change
Education in all of the schools and college. Social
media, including Twitter and Facebook, should be
used to raise people awareness on climate change
and to encourage them to take actions at community and national level to adapt to climate change
(deh educashon silabus shod be don ova to puteen
climate change. Ahwe shod youse ICT feh improv
an deliva climate change educashon ena arl e
skool an colige dem. Ahwe shod youse soshal
medya – fasebook, twittah feh rase aweernes pan
climate change an peplo feh tek akshon ah kom3 Implementation of the Conceptual Framework for Youth Adaption in Climate Change on SIDS
Change Enabler: Youth Empowerment
The youth empowerment sub-cluster includes (1)
capacity-building programmes and (2) technological innovations.
Capacity Development
Policymakers view building the capacity of youth
as a critical area of youth empowerment.
Policymaker and senior official Y1 stated that:
The government needs to invest in capacity building programmes for youth. Lots of resources are
now going towards infrastructure development
activities such as an airport, main roads but not
enough is going to youth and people development
needs. The government should work with youth
and community organisations to assist them in
developing and implementing Climate Change
Education programmes within their respective
communities to build awareness and take actions to
reduce the impact of Climate change.
Youth recognise themselves as important
change enablers, especially when they are
empowered as indicated by a young woman from
FGD X1:
I enjoyed this part of the work – providing voluntary services to members of our community. It was
enjoyable and rewarding to help out the homeless
and other less fortunate people. We need to start
organising ourselves in groups as soon as possible
so we can play more positive roles in the future
(Me rayle injaiy dis part ah de wok na. Me like fuh
wok as a valanteer inah ahwe kommunite. Me
injaiy helpin de homless an de peplo inah ahwe
vileeg whoah les ablo fuh help demself. Me feel
real good inna me hart. Ahwe hav feh farm groop
fuh help mo peplo inah de fuchur).
Youth voluntarily respond to the incidence of
climate risk vulnerability and natural disasters
without being prompted by anyone in authority
despite their lack of formal training in climate
change education. Most policymakers state that
youth should be viewed as key change enablers to
respond to the impact of climate change in their
communities. Therefore, efforts should be made
to explore strategies to enhance this role. SVG
had some of the most vibrant and active youth
groups in the Caribbean region in the
1980s–2000s. However, many of these groups
are dormant due to lack of funding and support
from the government. Should these organisations
be reactivated, policymakers believe they will
provide excellent opportunities for the development of the capacity of youth to adapt to climate
change.
Over two-thirds of the policymakers and
senior officials attributed their activism, careers
and education later in life to their participation in
youth and community groups. They said that the
first time they travelled overseas was to participate in regional or international youth development fora to discuss global or regional
development issues. They opined that some youth
are not benefiting from these opportunities
because of the absence of groups at community
and national levels. They reiterated their call on
government and other stakeholders to invest in
the activation of youth and community organisations and the broader youth development agenda.
Capacity building is an important strategy for
building the resilience of people to adapt to climate change. Developing countries should, therefore, implement strategies to enhance education,
training delivery and the use of technology to
boost their education systems in order to provide
the knowledge and skills necessary to build the
resilience of the people to adapt to climate change
(UNICEF 2015).
Technological Innovation and Creativity
Technology is a significant enabler for empowering young people with new knowledge and skills
on CCA. A young woman from FGD X2 called
for the use of social media and ICT to enhance
the delivery of the climate change education/
adaptation programmes:
The education curriculum should be redesigned to
reflect climate change education. ICT should
improve and deliver the content on Climate Change
Education in all of the schools and college. Social
media, including Twitter and Facebook, should be
used to raise people awareness on climate change
and to encourage them to take actions at community and national level to adapt to climate change
(deh educashon silabus shod be don ova to puteen
climate change. Ahwe shod youse ICT feh improv
an deliva climate change educashon ena arl e
skool an colige dem. Ahwe shod youse soshal
medya – fasebook, twittah feh rase aweernes pan
climate change an peplo feh tek akshon ah kom3 Implementation of the Conceptual Framework for Youth Adaption in Climate Change on SIDS