YOUTH SYMPOSIUM 2012: GARNERING GENERATIONAL DIVIDEND
by Research and Policy Department, Yayasan MENDAKI
Contact Us: ys2012@mendaki.org.sg
Background:
Yayasan MENDAKI is celebrating its 30th year of dedication to the empowerment of the disadvantaged through excellence in education. In celebrating this milestone, Yayasan MENDAKI will flag-off with a social education effort centring on youth entitled YOUTH SYMPOSIUM 2012: GARNERING GENERATIONAL DIVIDEND.
As the pioneer self-help group in Singapore, set up by Malay/Muslim Community leaders in partnership with the government, it has brought about tangible improvements to the lives of people from community in its quest to navigate, empower and position the Malay/Muslim Community at the forefront of excellence. The festivities will be both a celebration of the achievements of the Community and Yayasan MENDAKI as well as a continued engagement of the Community through various platforms.
For the Youth Symposium 2012: Garnering Generational Dividend, this will be a culmination of various engagement platforms with the Youth of the Community which started with the Forward Planning Exercise 2010. Youth Symposium 2012: Garnering Generational Dividend will flag-off the 30th anniversary celebrations with an emphasis on both social educational engagement and youthful vigour and enthusiasm for the festivities. While the Symposium is a culmination youth-related engagement from the past few years, it is hoped that the ideas and discussions arising from it can be used for a future series of engagements.
Objectives:
With 54% of the population of the Malay/Muslim Community 35 years of age or younger, and with the vision of a community of excellence in sight, it is imperative for community leaders, scholars, activists and students to devote an interest towards development of its younger generation so as to nurture the spirit of excellence early.
Yayasan MENDAKI holds firm to the understanding that youth are themselves responsible to be in the forefront for change towards the future that they want. This must be set in the consciousness of the youth, for them to prosper and to build from the current structures and programmes that are already present so as to meet the challenges that will arise in the future.
The Symposium will be focused on the overarching theme of Garnering Generational Dividend with the end goal of the symposium is to bring about the commitment to it. Every generational cohort does not exist in silos. While every generation will want to make the best of their presence, their actions and inactions will inevitably affect the possibilities and liabilities of the next generation. Thus, the need for today’s youth to be aware of and to address the issue of generational debt while they are charting their future to garner generational dividend. This is in line with Yayasan MENDAKI’s 30th anniversary celebration, to look back into the past achievements and growth of the organization and the Community while at the same time, to chart the course for the future.
There are four-sub-themes to support the main theme of Garnering Generational Dividend. They are:
(1) ‘Living Heritage’ -the effect of development towards our heritage and culture.
(2) ‘Socializing in Social Media’ – negotiating the diminishing presence of society in social media
(3) Transiting childhood – Making Sense of the Formative Youth Years and
(4) ‘Adult-Youth Nexus’ – negotiating common space across generations
The Symposium will pursue three different forms of engagement; firstly, conceptual engagement, where three speakers will discuss the theme of ‘Garnering Generational Dividend’. Secondly, sensory engagement where there is a fusion of music, performance art and fine arts to draw out a discussion on the lived realities of youth. Finally, there are parallel sessions for guided experiential engagements to allow for a pragmatic understanding of the theme with regards to the community and how it can be brought forward beyond the symposium.
The objectives of the symposium are:
To foster a dialogic environment within the adult youth and to discuss on the challenges of ‘garnering of generational dividend’ and the effects ‘generational debt’ as a by-product of compromises
To discuss on our community’s commitment to embracing youth and enhancing the opportunities for youth development
To negotiate the role of youth in charting pathways for leadership functions
To promote a culture of ‘Pass It On’ the generational opportunities and dividends
Youth Fringe Festival:
Although named Fringe Festival, the aim of the festival is to get young people and children along with adults to interact and engage in activities that are in line with the theme of the symposium, generational debt. As a precursor to Yayasan MENDAKI’s Learning Festival, the festival aims to cultivate a learning culture with the youth, not just through the classroom but through informal means as well.
Through various booths and stalls from the community itself, youth and adults can learn about the issue of generational debt and the various sub-issues. Fun-activities such as traditional arts and crafts can help to invoke the sense of living heritage and at the same time create an opportunity for interaction between the young and adults.
At the same time there will be performances that highlight the vigour and enthusiasm of youth, the possibilities and promise of a brighter future. This will add to the carnival atmosphere where learning can be both enriching and entertaining.
Guided Engagement:
1) Generational Dividend
In order to examine the idea of Generational Dividend, the dialectic approach must be taken and the concept of Generational Debt examined. It will encapsulate three aspects of debt; economic, social and political debt. The participants must be made aware of these debts so that dividends can be grown and passed on to the future generations.
2) Transiting Childhood
As childhood is recent stage in life for the Youth, it would be prudent to discuss on the different concepts of childhood, the different stages in the human growth and development of a person. This will place the in the imagination of the participants the importance of childhood in the development of a person and the community so as to continue the drive towards excellence.
3) Living Heritage
The idea of the living heritage is to highlight how the effects of development have impacted the Malay heritage and culture. The emphasis will be on the development of the Community through its historic physical landmarks and buildings and how development has displaced them and on traditional music where the effects of modernity have affected its relevance.
4) Social Media
Youth are the ones who a driving this new form of communication and the responsibility there lies on them to ensure that future generations benefit from it. The prevalence of social media will be examined to allow the participants to rethink social interactions; whether virtual or face to face and how this affects relationships and personal identity.
5) Adult-Youth Nexus
This is to highlight the importance of creating a common space between youth and adults where both can learn and appreciate each other instead of a parochial relationship. The idea of generations will be discussed and the participants to learn more on how to build a more inclusive society where the relationship between youth and adults is reciprocal and dialogic.
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{Past Related Event}
IMAGINING YOUTH SEMINAR: TOWARDS A YOUTH CHARTER
Brief Biography of Speakers
Dr Kenneth Paul Tan
Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He has written widely about Singapore, mainly on (1) governance (focusing on meritocracy and pragmatism), democracy, and civil society; (2) the creative city and culture industry (focusing on film, television, and theatre); and (3) race, gender, and sexuality.
He is presenting on “The possibilities and limitations of youth activism in Singapore”.
Dr Rahil Ismail
An Associate Professor at the Humanities and Social Studies in Education academic group, National Institute of Education. Her current research and publishing interests are in international relations, multicultural studies and heritage studies. Her teaching duties at NIE include American history, multicultural education and international conflict and cooperation.
She is presenting on “Critical Multiculturalism in Changing Global Landscapes Youth Citizenship in Age of Insecurity”.
Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee
A Visiting Fellow at the Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore. His research interests include sociology of religion, sociology of literature, classical and modern Malay literature, Malay language and intellectual development. His research interest also explores the perspectives of critical pedagogy and transformative theology.
He is presenting on “(Mis)Understanding Youth and Living Community What Went Wrong”.
Muzaiyanah Hamzah
President and one of the founding members of Clubilya, a registered non-profit organisation with a vision of empowering and equipping youths to be responsible, resilient and progressive adults. As a Positive Youth Development advocate, she initiated several programmes in Clubilya which enshrine the PYD philosophy such as the Juz Gurlz programme. She has also been engaged to conduct numerous workshops, trainings and talks for schools and organizations. She is currently pursuing the Masters in Social Science (Social Work) from NUS.
She is presenting on “Defining Youth Work: a descriptive attempt through Clubilya’s experience”.
Abdul Shukor Ramli
Abdul Shukor was involved in developing many programmes for youth at risk, adjudicated youths and their family. Was an ex-offender, he climbed out of his dark world, mentored by two outdoor professionals during his teenage years. He devoted 13 years in Outward Bound Singapore as a Specialist Instructor before he moved on to social work and counselling youths. He pioneered three major establishments, Raffles Institute for Experiental Learning, in Raffles Junior College, Outdoor Breakthrough Programme for Pertapis Bukit Batok Boys Hostel and a hostel-based Residential Programme in Assumption Pathway School.
Ahmad Taufiq
Ahmad Taufiq has almost a decade of experience in the field of Youth Work and Youth Development. He is currently reading his PhD Family Ecology specializing on paternal attachment, behaviour and adolescents behavioural adjustment. Education is always a focus and he has been developing practical programmes for youths tailored to their learning styles, personalities and needs. Taufiq is currently, an associate consulting trainer for Explora for the upcoming 12-month youth developmental programme for MCYS Brunei Darussalam.
They are presenting on “Pendidikan Luar Sebagai Terapi Bagi Pesalahlaku Juvanil; Permasalahan dan Penyelesaiannya” (Reclaiming Youth Developmental Stage through Experiential Learning and Adventure).
Suryakenchana Omar
He is the Director/Principal Trainer (Community and Heritage) of By Definition Pte Ltd and the Organisational Development Consultant of PERDAUS. He is also an Academic Associate with Republic Polytechnic.
He has been a volunteer with the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM) and other Community and Social Service organisations since 1989. He is the Honorary Treasurer of 4PM; Management Committee Member of Persekutuan Jawa Al-Masakin; and Member of the Arts Consultative Panel.
He is currently completing the Graduate Diploma in Social Work at NUS.
He is presenting on “Groom Leadership Teams, Not Leaders!”.
Resource materials for the Seminar.
1) Women’s Charter (Singapore)
3) European Framework Convention for Youth Rights
4) European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life
7) CLF 2010 FPE ANNEX YOUTH WORKGROUP
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