A tireless fight to improve the lives of the Youth

By Wamukoya John

“We ignore the youth at our own peril” I have always warned the Kenya YMCA leaders, and as such we have embarked on an ambitious plan to revamp the Kenya YMCA youth programs and committees after years of neglect. Our ultimate agenda is to turn at least a few branches/units into transformation centers of excellence.

Following my involvement in the S2C process I have spearheaded another ambitious program aimed at reconciling communities through youth exchange programs and visits where youth switch areas for at least a week. The program has seen youth from Nakuru and Naivasha interact; areas which were hotspots in the post-election violence.

In developing youth/adult mentorship we help young people to find friendship in us and this is what we need to do to transform young people from Subject to Citizens.

Young people know that leadership is a process which influences people to accomplish an objective in a cohesive and coherent manner. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, as beliefs, values, ethics, character knowledge and skills. And this is what young people have been prevented from practicing. Through our interaction with young people and presentation/discussion of the Subject to Citizen concept, it is clear that we need to enable effective leadership among youth by:

• Providing access to resources: this is the greatest handicap to youth seeking leadership opportunities.
• Giving due attention to youth thoughts, opinions and ideas: young people need to be allowed to flourish. They can only thrive where there is autonomy for entrepreneurship.
• Keeping young people informed and involved in major decisions.
• Facilitating youth participation in activities that enhance skills.
• Widening the youth leadership horizon.
• Re-emphasizing leadership qualities.

To be able to develop young leaders, practical strategies for engaging in shared leadership are:

• Youth should be sensitized to rise up and make their own situations better.
• Mentorship programs should be in place to nurture young people.
• Design training programs which aim at bonding the youth and elders to embrace shared leadership.
• Involve youth from all background in policy formulation processes.
• People at all levels of leadership should be sensitized to embrace gender equity.
• Network existing youth movements to enhance exchange programs on leadership development.
• Intermarriage (cross-culture marriage) should be encouraged among the youth as a mean to eliminate tribalism in Kenya.
• Designing and implementing appropriate organizational structures and policies that facilitate shared leadership.

On the future of youth leadership in Kenya, S2C identifies the promotion of shared leadership and the development and promotion of mentorship programmes as the way to go. Besides, the reforms should also embrace the principle of equity by mainstreaming gender balance and that of other marginalized groups. There is a need to promote only credible leadership across all generations and this we are already doing by empowering young people.