The youth of today’s world have the potential to change the world by creating new and dynamic ways to drive and transform their economies. Where some societies have stagnated in terms of innovation, youth participation and engagement, this can be altered by renewing and refreshing policies and ideals. Societies’ youth have a lot to offer in the fields of education and technology, as they are the generation that has the most to gain from the advances of those areas. A lot is to be said about the influence of social media, as the youth are realising that they can play a big part in helping and shaping their communities through sharing their individual stories and experiences, with the intention of providing hope and inspiration to those around them.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Jibouri firmly believes in empowering the youth and unlocking their potential through funding, opening dialogues giving them a voice that is free from judgment and criticism, encouraging them to use their talents and passions for the benefit of society; just as much as he believes in allowing them take charge over their lives by properly educating them and giving them the skills they need in order to pursue careers. Most importantly, Dr. Al-Jibouri intends to provide them with these opportunities through humanitarian programs, projects and initiatives.
As a significant issue in today’s world, youth unemployment has a very negative impact on society, as it directly affects the economic health of the community. It can lead to an economic downturn that affects the labour market, as well as stagnate growth, productivity and innovation. Moreover, posing a more humanitarian threat, it has a negative impact in terms of both the material and mental well-being of a society for many years. If youth remain unemployed, this will lead to weaker skillsets and lower levels of productivity, which poses as a threat for a progressing future.
Dr. Al-Jibouri has identified that solutions for the lack of youth participation in the economy are centred around funding. The current lack of resources is the main barrier for the youth to actively take an interest in bettering their lives and their communities. A multi-step approach is needed to equip the youth with the right attitude, behaviour and mindset towards their lives and future business careers. Firstly, their education needs to be funded, from basic education for the younger ages up to further education for young adults, because without a solid educational foundation, no further steps can take place. Secondly, they need to be given a safe space for their ideas to be incubated and developed, with strong encouragement so that they can feel motivated to explore their creativity. Finally, there needs to be the creation of initiatives that fund their innovative ideas and further help develop them. Overall, there needs to be an environmental shift. In other words, what is needed is an environment that provides hope to the youth and motivates them to participate in the economy.
Conclusively, Dr. Al-Jibouri believes in investing in our youth, with a focus on the most marginalised and disadvantaged individuals. This can be done through educational initiatives, economic engagement and by teaching them to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. He wants to provide them with the tools and skills needed to create opportunities for themselves and eventually attain respectable careers. He wants to give them a sense of identity and belonging in order for them to aspire to positively affect their communities. This will give them the power and ability to help their economy grow, and one day compete in the global economy.
