Energizing the Young Generation for Civic Engagement!
The youth have been the backbone of our community activities in Chuuk. Ironically, they have also been the least resourced. Their voices are not readily heard because of the cultural misconception that youth means inexperience rather than energy; that youth (hemirit) means lack of wisdom when in fact they bear creativity; that youth are undisciplined when in fact they are hungry for knowledge; that youth lack unnecessary challenge the status quo when in fact they are simply asking to do more for the betterment of their island community, family, church groups, and organizations. It is vitally important that the government and the island leadership strengthen its youth services to empower the young people to do more to help the island communities. In an increasingly changing island culture, the adults have to learn the necessary skills to manage the complex needs of the youth. Adults have the responsibility to set positive role modeling for our youth in areas of hardwork, respect of others, dedication to taking care of each other and of being ambassadors for our beloved outer islands.
Action Strategies:
- Improve the formal education of the youth by improving elementary and secondary schools in the outer islands.
- Create job training opportunities for the outer island youth to succeed in future jobs in Chuuk or overseas.
- Build or establish a Fanapi Youth Center on Weno which provides opportunities in sports, jobs, businesses, fundraising, college advising, job training, etc.
- Establish a Northwest Region Youth Commission comprising of youth leaders from all the church groups in Pafeng, Pattiw, Namonweito which will serve as the advocacy body for all youth affairs.
- Create a Youth Fund controlled by the Youth Commission which encourages creative community service projects.
- Establish a Fanapi Cultural Performance Group comprising of a select group of dancers, song writers, performers who would represent the traditional and contemporary performance arts from the outer islands at State, National, and International conferences.
- Seek international funds for an Outer Islands Scholarship to enable merit and need-based financial aid for outer island students to attend private schools on Weno and college.
- Establish a College Advising Office with volunteers from US colleges to help guide outer island high school students through the process of planning, selecting, applying, preparing, and succeeding in a college education.
- Establish an Internet Café on Weno to be used by college and high school students from the outer islands attending schools on Weno.
- Establish opportunities for the outer island youth to know the pros and cons of a career in the U.S. military service. For those interested, establish tutoring programs to better their chances of passing the entrance exam.
