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BAGAIMANAKAH CARA MEMPERKUAT JEJARING PEMUDA DI KAWASAN ASEAN?

Andi Tri Santoso
BLOGGER INDONESIA


In the same movement, similar movements have been born in each continent and nation and young people have committed themselves to build these networks and customize them to meet the needs of their nations and youth community in the light of climate change and sustainable development. This spirit that has led to the growth of the Indian Youth Climate Network, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, Australian Youth on Climate Change, Malaysian youth on Climate Change, Nepalese Youth on Climate, European Youth Forum, SustainUS, Energy Crossroads, among many others. The network has partnerships with governments in the North and South, United Nations agencies, NGOS and community groups in the rural areas of every continent. They are educated and are continually informing themselves through their Capacity Building Working Groups.
Communication in any network is essential. A network needs to communicate to its members, its partners, and supporters of their activities any new information and new projects upcoming or new findings to share with the community. The most effective way for each group is required.
People, Girls, Women, Students, Friends, Talking

·         While I worked for African youth, I realized getting the information to the youth, and ensuring that they understand it to an extent of taking action was a huge impediment to achieving our objectives in the network. While in developed countries, access and use of internet to build networks has eased their work. In Africa, like any other developing continent, the use of internet and ICT tools to grow the youth networks is still a challenge. Not only is access to a computer is a challenge for the local youth groups, but the effective use of the computer, internet and other Web 2.0 tools is still a challenge for most youth. While I have the dispensation to use ICT to support my youth work, I admit and appreciate the fact that only a quarter of my colleagues access these services. Of these, only a half can effectively make use of the services to further enhance the work of our networks. We therefore spend more time serving the network not only in project implementation, but also building their capacity in Communication strategies. This is the reason: I have sought to explore various ways that networks can use in their project implementation: blogging, wikis, social networks, film making, photography, mailing lists, SMS alerts, radio talks and road shows among others.
Diversity in Networks?
Yes. The beauty of diversity in any youth network is the liveliest phenomenon to observe. The growth of any youth network is solely dependent of the ability of its members to engage in diverse activities, while addressing their core vision and mission. Diversity provides each member of the network with a chance to take part in the running of the network activities. For instance, the saving of the dolphin would take a myriad of activities: educating school children and communities, working with artists to create awareness, advocacy work, policy work with governments, among other activities. Youth should never limit their opportunities to achieve their dreams, they should always innovate new ways to deal with their challenges.
Where do we get resources?
The major challenge for the young people in meeting their needs is finding the resources. The resources could be skills, educational materials, communication facilities, offices, finances, land and many others. The most important source of resources to a youth network is their contribution. Youth contribute either by paying membership to the network, contributing their time, skills, assets, to facilitate the achievement of the objectives they have set out. Young people have successfully run network projects with their own contribution. Another source of resources is the community where the youth belong – these can be government agencies, NGOs, universities or community groups. Youth networks have also moved to another level of fundraising for their projects which includes developing project proposals and fundraising from larger corporations, governments and other funding agencies. This has been in some measure successful, given the limited funding allocated to youth programmes. Governments, NGOs and funding agencies are now allocating a percentage of their annual budgets to youth programmes which is accessible to youth networks.
·         In 2009, eight African Governments supported young people from Kenya, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Malawi, Botswana, Nigeria, and South Africa to participate in COP 15 of the UNFCCC. This was a historic year for the youth movement to work with their governments in achieving their dreams. In 2010, the African Ministerial Conference on Environment, are in discussion with the youth to ensure that they are officially recognized with the AMCEN, and take part in the decision making processes. This is a huge resource to youth networks around Africa.


With whom should I work?
Partnerships? We must seek to work with all people and in different ways. Every time i meet a network of young people, the second question I ask them is, “Who are you working with?” It is vital for networks to identify and forge partnerships, friendships and other networks with relevant groups working in the same area as they. These partners are means of knowledge sharing, capacity building, information dissemination, support, among other areas of partnership. The partnership is either organized or informal, long term or short term, even project based. The partners still support the sustainability generation participants in their projects through knowledge sharing, internship programme, and mentorship. While I worked with the InterVarsity Environment Network, we were in partnership with UNEP, UNICEF, universities, UN Habitat, Consultancy firms, and journalists, to ensure the success of a sustainability workshop for the university students. Without them this project would not have been a success.
The bottom line for any youth network is leadership, integrity, transparency and responsibility. In leadership, a transition and mentorship policy needs to be in place either on paper or existing as a standard operating procedure. Dynamic youth networks needs to have dynamic leaders who not only buy the vision of the network and run with it, but also those that are willing to delegate duties, work with all members and mentor others to take up their positions once their term is over. In AYICC, which I have served for five years, I have always been amazed by the leadership characteristic that most members have observed. Having only started as a volunteer in events planning, I ended up being moulded into a leader and now have the role to mould others who are taking up the leadership position from me.

College Students Teamwork Stacking Hand Concept

Intergeneration partnerships in youth networks
When I joined clubs and societies in my high school we always had a patron who would guide the activities of the group. In running youth networks, I have realized that you need more than just a patron for the network. You need a board of advisors, a board of directors, and most important, as an individual, you need a mentor who guides your leadership journey and provides checks and balances. You need to learn under someone senior who has probably been in the same position as you, someone with years of experiences, who can correct you when you are in the wrong. The old and the young need to share their experiences, and their knowledge and dreams. While you have a mentor, you need to mentor someone else in the network that’s the only way an intergenerational partnership can be fully realized.
What is your role in a youth network?
Every person, youth or not, has a role to play in animating the youth network. Support the youth in your community to work together, share with them opportunities that exist, hold dialogues with them, listen to their way of thinking about the future, and advice them. You can support their vision, by developing programmes in your organization that will address their needs.
Young people are unwilling to accept failure, guide them in accepting mistakes as the way to achievements. Demonstrate to them, how to gather strength in the midst of failures.
Education is a right, not a luxury, so spend time educating the youth with your experiences.
Itulah beberapa cara yang dapat kita lakukan untuk memperkuat jejaring pemuda yang tujuannya adalah selain cultural exchange juga menjadikan kita orang yang lebih open-minded sehingga dapat menjadi pemuda yang dapat berkontribusi baik untuk negara melalui prestasi yang kita ukir. Semoga artikel ini bermanfaat ya..

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About the Author

Andi Tri Santoso / Author & Editor

Hi, Thank you for reading this article, I am Andi Tri Santoso, now i am one of the students at Universitas Teknokrat Indonesia majoring in English Literature.

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