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Young people – as the change makers, are the future architect of every society. They play a greater role in the development and sustainability of a nation. The foundation to their empowerment lies in education.
Vision 2030 speaks about youth empowerment
PECUC’s 2030 Agenda adds up specific goals and targets for ensuring sustainable development that represents the culmination of an extensive process involving the member states, civil society organizations, including youth organizations. There are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population. In India, the youth population stands at 229 million amongst the total population of 1205.6 million. Today every 5th person in India is an adolescent (10-19 years) and every third is a young person (10-24 years). This competitive advantage that India possesses over other nations is known as its demographic dividend. A similar advantage is possessed by the state of Odisha which ranks 19 as per the decadal increase in the youth population. Still the youth are often excluded from the decision-making process and are forced to resort to untraditional avenues for civic engagement. The active engagement of youth in sustainable development efforts is central to achieving inclusive, sustainable, and stable societies by the target year, and to averting the worst threats and challenges to sustainable development, including the impacts of climate change, unemployment, poverty, gender inequality, conflict and migration.
What we are doing?
In this context, PECUC emphasizes on the young people getting adequate opportunity in their areas of interest. Their employable skills need to be enhanced to reduce unskilled labour exploitation and distress migration so that that they can lead a life of dignity. PECUC provides training to young people on various employable skills, career counseling and provides support, linkages and convergence for employment and income generation activities.
PECUC also focuses on developing the leadership capabilities and knowledge base of young people to act as active and responsive citizens. It is necessary that they actively participate in the nation building process, for taking up leadership at various levels, generating awareness on various socio economic issues, participating in various forums, taking action for protecting environment, preserving ecology, etc. The youths are also trained on developing leadership skills, learning about the Constitution of India, Laws and Legislatures, voter education, local governance system, peace and conflict management, environment protection measures, gender and other need based trainings.
For achieving this end, youth group formation at various levels has been the setting stone. PECUC also involves youth in knowledge sharing, awareness building, leading the campaigns at their respective areas, carrying out various environment protection activities, cultural exchange programmes, etc. We strongly believe that youths are the innovators, inventors, developers and changemakers – who can lead others to a new direction in bringing changes in the lives of the people.
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