by Myriam Zekagh
Fixing the world? A daunting task, but someone has to, and quickly. And why not you(th)? Audacity and bravery are key ingredients to personal growth as well as building collective solidarity. The obstacles are many – rigid social structures, lack of opportunities, self-marginalisation – but can be overcome, with a little help from others, such as EA.
Anxiety, depression, are prevalent among youth, and the current news and political development are not helping assuage our fears. To many of us it feels like a time of helplessness… or a time to take a first step towards fixing the situation. Many people dare to do things they’ve never done before, with minimal guidance. It’s not the motivational quotes that surround us that can bring us the solution, in fact personal development material depoliticize issues. They can empower us in our daily lives, but fixing the big problems that are looming over us requires a collective (and, well, political) approach. It’s about finding the tools, and finding the community, to harness the power of the collective. And historically, it is youth and worker movements that have successfully changed the system.
So, what prevents young people from being actively engaged – and what can be done to change that fact?
Why not? Rigid and conservative social structures, and repressive context
“Be patient, things will come in due time” must be the sentence I’ve heard most often in my life. It sparks a frustration that allowed me to bond with many people eager to make a change but unsure where to start and facing the same social pressure: relying on the older generations, who occupy the positions of power. That attitude is one form of social pressure that keeps us in line. Traditional family structures marginalise young people, and this opens the door to many prejudices against them: impatient, inexperienced, “green”. In fact the assertiveness of younger generations is perceived by older generations as a loss of control (Yavuzer 99 in Camur 06). This defensiveness can explain why intergenerational solidarity is challenging to achieve, but quite clearly one of the strongest ways to build bridges and alliances. Traditional social structures that place men in a dominant position, coming back strong as seen through the current resurgence of masculinist ideas, rest on the notion of social hierarchy, with authority figures at the top and further away from this center all other categories. Intersectional approaches are powerful when it comes to dismantling privileges and prejudices that maintain young people, among other marginalised categories, at the bottom of this ladder.
Individual attitudes can also hinder engagement: feeling that participating in public affairs is something that others do, or that it requires specific qualities, is common. Whether it is impostor syndrome, internalised feelings of inferiority or just the notion that public affairs should be outsourced to a specific category, regardless of the reasons for this attitude, this contravenes the key notion behind our democratic systems that all citizens are equal in their rights, including the right to participate in decision-making. Several factors perpetuate this situation, lack of education to leadership (these skills are not natural, they’re acquired), or lack of awareness of what opportunities exist – for mobility to other countries, for increasing skills (e.g. public speaking). By overcoming these barriers, one can challenge their position in society. It is especially directly needed as the lack of diversity and absence of new voices from different backgrounds in decision-making spaces is one of the reasons behind the implementation of the same policies and perpetuation of inequalities.
The risks activists incur are currently increasing, and that is the third key factor limiting youth participation in public spaces. In our polarized world we seek refuge in experienced individuals, reassuring authority figures, taking power. Conservative actors – almost regressive, with the rise of traditionalists and far-right extremists pushing the idea of a fictional nation to come back to – are put in positions of power, and repression and surveillance of activists is stronger than ever. In this context, daring to act requires a certain acceptance of the risks that come with becoming more visible, as the person who promoted a certain idea. Rest assured that acts of bravery are accessible to each of us and need not be grandiose to be worthy of admiration and respect: the fight for progressive ideas can and must be taken in personal circles as well, as social pressure is an important ingredient in the propagation of ideas.
But why not, though? Seize the help
As we have seen, all of the reasons to stay inactive can be dismantled: it is EA’s vision that each resident of Europe is a powerful actor in becoming, and that democracy is a living thing that only works if we all partake in it. But young people bring their specific added value to the mix.
Through their curiosity and as relative newcomers to decision-making structures, they challenge the status quo, by bringing innovative practices and ideas into the conversation. This is why they must be present in decision-making circles, at any level (from school to national institutions)… in such a way that they can effectively engage with stakeholders, and not just be present as tokens or pretty decorations. Roger Hartman’s ladder of participation is an excellent tool to assess whether this is the case. Proportionally less burdened with economic duties (family to support) or in a rather sheltered position (in education) from the labour market, young people can afford to take more risks than their older counterparts. Exposed to new ideas through various means (travels, online communities…), they are able to bring new practices and arguments to their social circles, family, friends, and neighborhoods.
One last reason to become active is that there is high demand for it: institutions at all levels are in crucial need of participants, as this is where they draw their legitimacy. An unmissable opportunity?
So, where to start? First, take a big breath, and remember that you can do it. If not you, who will? Bravery is in small attempts at overcoming your fears; success is not even a must. Risks can be managed, limited; more often than not, it is a mind trick.
Working one step at a time makes things manageable. Here is a sequence that we propose to move towards action – those three steps can overlap, but the sequence is important: first, strengthen your skills through learning and practice; second, develop your leadership capacity by speaking out more often than not. Third and last, engage with those who must listen: voters, community, decision-makers – for the latter, listening to what people have to say is literally their job description, so you should not hesitate to be insistent.
Now this is not empty advice: European Alternatives works with young people and activists-to-be from throughout Europe (EU and beyond) on all three of these steps. Through our ongoing Speak-out webinar series and the upcoming Youth Movement and Campaign Accelerator – and many more activities, from cultural festivals to democratic citizen assemblies – EA can help you build your skills, accompany you in the actions you develop and lead in your area, and finally offer mutual support, find mentors and a network of like-minded individuals. EA’s youth programmes are precisely meant for activists-to-be to put a foot in the door and join a community of transnational doers, to draw inspiration from.
Of all the arguments that make us feel small, alone and powerless, we must not forget Margaret Mead’s words: “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; it’s the only thing that ever has”.
Myriam Zekagh coordinates EA’s programmes focused on youth and social movements, and monitors the impact of EA’s activities through monitoring, evaluation and learning. Her work focuses on developing and evaluating projects with high social impact, engaging with local activists, civil society organisations and local authorities to create strong and long-lasting connections. She has lived and worked in and outside of Europe, most notably in Germany and North Africa.