Dear contributors,
I wish to very sincerely thank you for sharing your insights and experiences in this discussion forum. It has been a very rich exchange of approaches and diverse perspectives.
The knowledge you have shared here will feed into the international expert meeting to be held later this year and will inform the recommendations that will be issued.
In these last few days, a number of contributions have highlighted the need for approaches to pay attention to both the broader context factors affecting rural youth and the particular needs and challenges facing youth under 18 (both girls and boys). For instance, participants pointed to the need for greater investment in agriculture and rural development in general, but also to the need for youth employment and agricultural development programmes to specifically target youth under 18 and develop tailored approaches for them.
While the need for increased policy coherence was raised, a number of contributions highlighted the importance of measures to ensure youth under 18 were not excluded in practice during implementation (even when included in policy and programme design). The need to consider legislative barriers facing those under 18 was also raised. In other cases, participants pointed to cultural and social norms that act as barriers to youth. The importance of engaging youth’s families was stressed by several contributors in this regard, as was supporting youth to develop their agency and voice. Organization - whether in youth associations, cooperatives or producers’ organizations - was another common theme.
With regards to education and vocational training – participants consistently pointed to the need to strengthen the inclusion of agricultural curricula in the education system and to improve agriculture’s reputation, both in schools and vocational training centers. Again and again, contributors stressed the importance of schools and vocational training programmes being located in rural areas and close to home, in particular for girls. A number of you also pointed out that the school-to work transition is not linear and that for many youth it is important that they are also earning an income while learning. To engage youth – whether in school, training or business – you also highlighted the social dimension, the creation of a sense of belonging and the provision of advice and support through peer groups or mentorship. Participants shared experiences working with disabled youth and the challenges of youth education and employment in conflict areas and humanitarian crises.
A number of practical and enlightening case studies and models have been provided that further enriched the discussion.
While unfortunately we must bring this discussion to a close, I would like to invite you to send any additional contributions directly to [email protected] within the next few days.
Thank you again!
My best regards,
Jacqueline
Jacqueline Demeranville