YOUTH

Youth are those between 15 to 24

years old (WHO).
Youth as the critical period in a person’s growth and
development from the onset of development
toward the peak of mature, self-reliant and
responsible adulthood comprising the considerable
sector of the population from the age 15 to 30
years old (Nation Building Act of 1995, RA 8044).
Youth is defined as those within the
adolescence and early adulthood
phase (psychosocial perspective).
• Adolescence stage – youth have already an
integrated image of themselves as unique
persons and are in the process of constructing
their personal identity. This is the stage when
they cling to a peer group.
Earlyadulthood stage – the youth form a
close relationships with others (Philippine
Medium-Term Youth Development Plan
PMTYDP, 2005 – 2010).
 In the study, it was revealed that many
young people do not go through the
expected course as many get side-tracked
by family life.
• The youth are mostly concerned with issues related to
sexual-risk behavior and drugs.
• Limited access to quality education and training,
increasing number of out-of-school youth and the lack
of educational and scholarship opportunities. Low
educational attainment and high cost of education,
limited government funding for education,
• High incidence of poverty and the youth’s
lack of knowledge on history and culture.
• The youth lack on the involvement and
influence in community and local affairs.
Why is youth the most crucial
stage in the life of a person?
 Importance of Youth in Community Action

“The State recognizes the vital role of

the youth in nation-building and shall
protect their physical, moral, spiritual,
intellectual and social well-being.
(Art. II, Sec. 13)
 The youth are the vital resource of the
community.

1. They are the dynamic foundation of community

force and community change agents.
2. They are the forerunners of social transformation
and essential asset because of their creativity,
resourcefulness and keenness.
 Role of Youth in Community Action

 The role of the youth in community action is

to improve the quality of life of the people
through community development.
 Effective community development results in
mutual benefit and shared responsibility
among community members
 Ways on how the youth can improve the
quality of life of the people in community

1. The youth may convene as a social group to

study urgent issues and produce policy
recommendations. (violation of human rights,
gambling, domestic violence and child abuse,
criminality, drug addiction, terrorism, illiteracy,
and among others.
2. Undertake listening circles. Listen to problems
and commit to solve them as soon as possible.
3. Join volunteer groups and work for their
purposes.
4. Discover, map and mobilize assets hidden away
in all folks who live in their community and bring
those resources out of the closet and into creative
energy with each other with dramatic result.
5. Organize study circles. Meet 2 to 3 times a week to
explore a subject often a critical social issue. Encourage
those attendees to formulate their ideas about issues and
share with others.
6. Conduct dynamic dialogue or collaborate with law
enforcement agencies on critical issues that confront
them.
7. Conduct relief activities for disaster victims.
8. Campaign for a clean and honest elections or
blood donations to the PNRC.
9. Be a member of religious and spiritual activities.
10. Be a member of socio-political actions groups
such as the PPCRV, Crime Watch, Crime Volunteer
Groups, Volunteer Against Crimes (VAC) and
others.
 Four Strategies to support and protect the
youth well-being.

1. Building youth-caring communities

2. Developing community-caring youth
3. Reengineering the mechanism through which the
youth services are delivered
4. Becoming more responsive to the specific needs of
the youth
 Community Action Initiative

Itis a community-based collaborative

project in partnership with political and
social institutions and sometimes with
religious and business association.
 Its goals are…

1. One to one outreach, support and advocacy to engage the target

population.
2. Improve linkages between service provider agencies on and off reserve
and increase capacity to reach and support the at-risk population.
3. Development of a core group of mentors within the target population
group that can support and train others.
4. Intergenerational knowledge transmission through workshops and activities.
5. The development of a food cooperative to address the basic needs of this
population and promote self-sustainability.