CYP Asia Centre

Background Note

Regional Consultation on Student Youth Movements

Conducted by the Commonwealth Youth Programme in Collaboration with the 

Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, India

14th -17th  September 2010 

Introduction

The mission of the Commonwealth Youth Programme ( CYP) is to 'engage and empower young people ( aged 15 to 29 ) to enhance their contributions to developmen." Youth empowerment is, therefore, at the core of CYP's strategic plan for 2008-2012.

Student Youth Movements in Commonwealth Asia

Student Youth Movements across the Commonwealth Asia region are many and diverse in structure, support base and possibly, goals and aspirations. While most of the organized student bodies exist within the educational system in the form of student unions in Colleges and Universities, with some of them having clear party-political affiliations, there are other organizations such as student volunteer corps such as National Service Scheme ( NSS) and, the National Cade Corps ( NCC ) in Indiaand Bangladesh, and the Scouts and Guides in most of the countries.Groups such as women's cells in universities represent the best option of active women's student organizations representing women's interests. No specific organizations for students with disability have been identified so far. The CYP Asia Centre is right now in the process of a mapping exercise of existing national and sub-national student youth movements in terms of their structure, affiliation, goals and objectives. It is hoped that this exercise coupled with the outcome of the consultation will enable the CYP in charting out its future strategies towards this segment of the youth 




Objectives of the Consultation

1. Sharing of student youth movement experiences and unique national experiences in the Commonwealth member countries of the region.

2. To understand the challenges of youth leadership and fulfill student leadership potential and goals in order that student youth organizations function with independence , legitimacy and respect.

3. To explore the possibility of building and strengthening a national/regional network of such organizations for specific advocacy events and to establish linkages between the CYP, Youth Ministries and Student Youth Movements.


Expected Outcomes of the Consultation

1. A completed mapping of student youth organizations including goals, aspirations and affiliations.
2. A documentation of best practices pertaining to student youth movements.
3. An enabled set of democratic student youth leaders and representatives capable of implementing their respective agendas in an effective, transparent and representative manner.
4. A solid awareness of Commonwealth values and principles.
5. A strategy developed for pan-national and regional networking and coalition building for specific advocacy goals.

source CYP Asia Centre