FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE YOUTH

AGENDA 21 Chapter 25:

The youth comprise nearly 30 per cent of the world's population. The involvement of today's youth in environment and development decisionmaking and in the implementation of programmes is critical to the long- term success."

Today's young people are growing up in rapidly changing societies. Their attitude towards democracy, politics, social problems and everything that is connected with 'the world of adults' is very often different. The wall between those two worlds is not becoming smaller. Both worlds have different ways of thinking, different problems, usually don't understand each other. It is much more difficult to encourage young person to work for the society and to co- operate with the society. What is more adults do not have any good idea how to solve the problem.

The problem of youth participation that touches all countries of the Baltic Sea Region, comes mostly from the relations between the youth and local authorities: the influence of youths on decision making process on the local level is very weak. Furthermore - usually there are no such relations. Decision- makers have more urgent problems, like new roads, social and urban problems. They are of the opinion that providing schools, medical and social care is enough also for youth. They also usually do not consider youth opinions, all in all they have better experience and power. Moreover, they do not have any legal duty to consult their decisions.

UBC, understanding the importance of youth in sustainable societies, made it their aim to help the member cities to change the situation, establish and develop the process of creation the conditions of participation and power for youth. UBC authorities will be opened for youth in nearest future. Creating of the UBC youth network and this bulletin is the beginning.

YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY - WHAT TO DO ?

The objective of youth participation must be that this group achieves real power in local society, both in the context of schools, local politics and voluntary organisations. It may sound obvious and some people can claim that that's the way it is. Unfortunately it is very often not the fact. UBC's survey sent to all member cities has shown the scale of problem.

Most of the cities have no youth policy, no youth council or Youth City Boards. Mainly the cities have no real will to change this situation - it is no use for them to treat youth as a partner. In Poland there is even no legal possibility to create youth city board as 'an official body'. Of course, some municipalities do financially support many of youth activities but there is usually no real dialogue between them.

A growing feeling of powerlessness is spreading among young people. They want to participate and have an influence, make decisions and take the responsibility. What is strange, the fact is that the youth participation is not a problem of money - a lot of youth activities do not need the financial supports - only some approval or institutionalised consultation and help from the municipality. It is easy to activate young people - if there is such a will.

As the result of such the attitude of the cities, young people do not want to participate actively in the lives of their societies because they do not feel welcomed. This is a vicious circle - adults think that youth do not want to take part in decision making, and youth is not taking part because adults are not helping and letting them to act.

This is not a good phenomenon - both groups become closed. The adults can not see the needs of the younger generation, the young get used to the passive attitude, do not want to influence on this what is happening around them. Such a situation causes in a way such social problems like drugs, alcohol, and crimes . This is a common truth, if the municipality does not invest in its youth, it will have to invest in the police and social help. And even if we do not go to extremes - youth is the future - and what will be a future if the future society will be so passive and dissociating themselves from the democratic system? Of course there are some solutions of this problem. The role of the city is just to choose the one that can be the best for their situation.

Society must be able to meet young peoples wish for influence and participation. This wish places demands first of all on the municipality and the political system, but also on the other authorities and institutions in the society that handle issues affecting the youth.

There is always good time to create a youth policy, to set an agreement between the local authorities and youth, good time to start the co- operation. This initiative may come from the grassroots but basically the municipality is the one that should make a first step.

But first of all, in order to achieve it, it is very important to start treating youth issues as a priority. Adults can not expect young people to take responsibility if at the same time young people do not feel that their views are being treated seriously.

As it was mentioned before - the city, heading to sustainable development, should create a youth policy - preferably as an official document, spread among young people in the city, document which is of course previously consulted with the interested side. This is a necessary basis that facilitates the following actions.

After starting the dialogue with youth there are a lot of initiatives that should be undertaken.

It is very important to emphasise the role of the school in the process. Student councils, students unions and other form for the influence on the school have the key function in the creating of the feeling of influence among the pupils. Participating in such bodies as well as in other voluntary, democratic associations and organisations like scouting should be widely promoted. NGO's should be and mostly are the main field of getting a life and work experience for young people.

It is also very useful to create or help in the creation of youth council in the city, or a youth city board - this has a lot of positive effects. Participation in such a body makes it possible for youth opinions to be heard, teaches young people the rules of democracy. Last but not least, the youth city board is the basis for the closer co-operation between different young organisations and bodies within the municipality and as the examples show, can inactivate those organisations.

The co-operation should also have some more practical aspects. Especially having municipal officers responsible for youth issues and activities in the city people thinking like young people - is very helpful in the development of the youth policy. This process should be also cofinanced by the municipality. As it was mentioned above, investing in youth activities now means fewer investments in the police and all social services tomorrow - it is really a very good business! Of course, such changes are not possible in one moment - the Rome was not built in a day it is a long- term process. Nevertheless the municipalities must see the end of that way as soon as possible.

by Magda & Przemek Marchlewicz
City of Sopot
e-mail: przemek_ marchlewicz@wp.pl; magda@wp.pl