are we ready to listen to the youth?

I am not quite sure what the definition of youth is, that is, I am trying to find a cut-off date, when does one stop being young? I know that I am not young anymore, I left varsity about 20 years back! When did I stop being young? Was it 4, 10 or 15 years later? What I do know is that then, like now, there did not seem to be any way for the youth to participate effectively in decisions that affected their future.

In my view, there are two parties to blame, the curriculum developers for not being sufficiently interested in civic education, and the youth for not realising that they are responsible for their own destiny. However, apportioning blame is not going to solve the problem. What is needed is a way to get the youth to participate or at the very minimum develop an avenue for making sure that their voice is heard. In my view there a many ways in which this can be achieved. I have provided examples below.

1. through political party youth wings
2. through youth business chambers or business groupings
3. college and universities alumni societies
4. church youth groups
5. professional societies

Each one of these has limitations as to its efficacy, the political party youth wings tend to polarise the youth and debate at this level turns into rhetoric and grandstanding. I am not aware of any youth business chambers, nor am I aware of any moves by the existing business chambers to try and get young business men and women to participate in their initiatives. The NUL alumni society which is expected to be the leading and most strategically important alumni society in Lesotho is dead. Church youth groups do not seem to want to address the role of the youth in society, they instead tend to focus on the family and the young people's relation with the church and ministry. There are very few professional societies in Lesotho, and those that are there are very docile.

I know that I have painted a bleak picture, however, I have also demonstrated how easy it would be create a credible society that had a strong youth component. If I were to start such a society I would aim for the resurrection of the NUL Alumni Society, it would allow the youth to participate effectively and would not necessarily disenfranchise me from participating, its a forum that can be easily transition to a trusted convener on any issue. It would allow the youth's voice to be heard and that voice would have the benefit of the counsel of age.

I would give up my anonymity in a flash to participate in the renaissance of the NUL Alumni Society. I am ready to listen and engage effectively, I am old enough to have made a few friends in the right places and have the clout required to kick a few doors. I can make noise, someone will listen. A former boss once said that in assessing any situation figure out whether you are in control or want to be, whether you can influence the outcome, whether you need to lend support or simply get out of the way. I don't want control I only wish to lend support where I can.