Empowering Young People

Many emerging countries, present similar characteristics:

There is a large majority of young people (less than 30)

1. The educational system is often weak and a large percentage of children, particularly girls, have no access to school
2. The educational methods are not active, they encourage subordination and passivity. They are often not adapted to children from poor families and the percentage of children dropping out from school is high.
3. In many aspects of professional and social life, there is a significant gender gap and a long distance between those who have the power and the citizens; the leadership is more often top-down.

All these characteristics undermine employability and entrepreneurship, increase youth unemployment and slow down the pace of development. Yet, many communities are resourceful and the majority of young people have a strong desire to take responsibilities and contribute to the social and economic development of the country.

Therefore, there is a need to develop active learning, foster critical thinking and initiative, encourage equity in participation, active citizenship and entrepreneurship in order to contribute to break down the vicious circle of underdevelopment.

Using the expertise of youth organizations (Scouting and Guiding) combined with the findings of the most recent research in education and leadership (partnership with Cambridge University), the Open Minds initiative aims at developing in several countries around the world a sustainable programme able to help young women and young men develop their capacities to take initiative in society and become agents of change. In most emergent countries, where more than 50% of the population is less than 15 years old, nothing can be done without providing young people with the motivation and skills they need to become agents of change and make a difference.

This is also the only way for giving them hope in the future and the opportunity to work for the development of their country instead of falling into despair and violence or emigrating.

The Open Minds initiative aims at providing young people with the experience and skills required to assume fully their role as responsible citizens in a democratic society. At the most general level, all need to develop communicational, relational and organizational skills; the ability to express their own views, to hear and understand the views of others, the skills to negotiate, to find satisfactory compromises, to resolve differences and the ability to work with others.

The ambition of the Open Minds Initiative is to promote a new holistic approach to education that can be summarized by the words of Peter Senge:

• Learner-centred learning rather than teacher-centred learning
• Encouraging variety, not homogeneity - embracing multiple intelligence and diverse learning styles
• Understanding a world of interdependency and change rather than memorizing facts and striving for right answers
• Constantly exploring the theories in use of all those involved in the education process
• Reintegrating education within webs of social relationships that link friends, family and community.