Youth Inspirations II

Written by Alexis Lion.

In my previous article, we looked at how youths participated in or started their own fund-raisers, and the widespred impact that they created. As youths, we can contribute through such sharing our experiences and knowledge on various platforms too. Here are some ways in which youths are living out the “Pay it Forward” motto!

TEDxYouthDay, a series of events and forums that are held worldwide, stems from TED: Ideas worth spreading. The speakers and performers inspire youths to not limit themselves, but instead empower each other with their ideas and leadership. In the Asian culture, most families are not as encouraging of the development of the creative self. Very often, having an interest or occupation outside the ‘norm’ would be stifled by our families and community. I am grateful that this platform gives the younger generation an opportunity to share ideas, thoughts and messages to the rest of their peers. It offers youths a head-start in engaging in critical thinking and providing peer support for each other.

“We realized the importance of our voice when we are silenced.”- Malala Yousafzai Malala Yousufzai, a 16-year old Pakistani started a campaign advocating the fundamental rights of girls to receive an education in Pakistan. She was attacked by a gunman who shot her in the head. She survived the attack, and went on to publish a book titled I Am Malala to share her story prior to and after the attack. With a wave of positive public sentiment and support, she started a non-profit foundation The Malala Fund to tackle culture, poverty and violence, and also to send some girls to school in Pakistan. I applaud her courage and tenacity, at such a young age, to lend a voice for the girls who have been marginalised by the country. Even after being brutally attacked, she continued her advocacy and spoke at various conferences.

Under the World Vision U.S. program, there is a four-part framework program for youths, Thrive Foundation for Youth. It allows youths that have been through the same programs to step up as youth leaders to inspire other youths to develop their own goals, find a motivation in life, and have a “growth mindset”. It takes one to know one. People connect through problems and empathize when they share similar struggles. These youth leaders were once victims and felt bleak about their future. Through sharing about their lives with other youths, they find a way to help them in the long-term. As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Create Not Hate is a project by Quiet Storm, where people from the creative industry mentor youths that have been affected by gun and knife crimes. It seeks to empower youths to use their creative talents and channel them to making their community safer. It also hopes to inspire them to pursue creative careers. One youth, Dennis Gyfami, has since, through the help of this initiative, directed a short film titled A Mother’s Tear (2008) to encourage youths to turn away from gun and gang-related violence. I watched the video and it definitely evoked various emotions. It contrasts a mother’s tears to the blood shed by the victim when gang violence is involved. For these youths, it is often hard for them to see beyond the limited options that they have, and this is especially so if they are involved in gangs. This initiative provides them with alternatives to express their emotions and the power to make wise decisions for their futures.