The power of youth as a potential resource and agent of change for a country’s development can never be underestimated. Young people, once their potential is tapped and steered in the right direction, are often dynamic, innovative and passionate about contributing to a good cause.

The term ‘youth’ is recognised largely as the period from adolescence to early adulthood when an individual moves from dependence to independence, evolving into an active, responsible and productive member of society. Pakistan has the largest young population in the world with an estimated 64 per cent below the age of 30 years, of which about 29pc are aged between 15 and 29 years. While this poses challenges due to a dearth of employment opportunities and social services, its potential can, however, be effectively harnessed for sustainable development activities.

The absence of a formal national youth policy has meant a disjointed focus on areas of youth development. Pakistan’s Youth Development Index (YDI) value has improved sluggishly, 0.61 out of a potential maximum of 1. The fact that an estimated 27 million Pakistani youth are not engaged in any productive activity or are unemployed implies that they are both vulnerable and alienated from national issues.

A change in mindsets and social practices is clearly required. Pakistan National Human Development Report 2017 observes how mere education and employment are insufficient to empower young people unless they feel their ideas can influence policy making. They develop a sense of identity only when engaged in meaningful ways, their opinions heard and valued and their contributions acknowledged.

Through meaningful engagement and experiential learning, young adults can evolve into more informed and generous members of society, leading to a paradigm shift whereby Pakistani youths become philanthropists

One approach is to involve them in organised philanthropy and community participation. Youth philanthropy is the donation by youth of time, energy, talent, or resources — money, goods or services— for meaningful purposes and the common social good. These may vary from personal giving and volunteering time for social causes to fundraising activities and organised grantmaking.

Despite limited impact studies on youth philanthropy initiatives in the Pakistani context, the few that exist suggest that involving young people in philanthropic activities helps them acquire a better understanding of social and environmental issues; develop useful communication, decision-making, and leadership skills; and develop a sense of community ownership.

A common misconception about philanthropy is that it is the exclusive preserve of privileged adults. However, young people too are part of the culture of giving — whether contributing pocket money for a social cause, donating clothes to orphans or volunteering to read to the elderly. They must, therefore, be educated early about philanthropy and volunteerism, the importance of community service and the non-profit sector’s essential role. Here educational institutions can play a crucial role by inculcating values of compassion, empathy and civic responsibility.

Pakistan’s prevalent education system offers limited opportunities for young people to cultivate skills that render them responsible and productive community members. As a first step, policymakers may lobby for the support of federal and provincial ministries of education and textbook boards to formally integrate philanthropy into the school/college/university curricula. This would impart knowledge about the purpose, history and values of philanthropy, volunteerism, fundraising, civic education, and human rights.

Educational materials may reflect diversity in the case studies, and models of philanthropic initiatives they present, representing various communities. In fact, the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) has taken the initiative to pilot an academic course with wide-ranging themes on philanthropy in two universities in the private and public sectors, namely Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (Szabist) and Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU).

Secondly, policymakers may link theory with practice by combining academic learning with community engagement, thereby expanding the network of community service learning and experiential philanthropy in school education programmes. The curricula may incorporate a mandatory community service-learning component, requiring students to conduct fieldwork in community organisations including orphanages, old homes, hospitals etc.

Partnerships and synergies between educational institutions and community organisations, teachers and youth organisations can effectively transmit philanthropic knowledge to youth to address community needs.

Thirdly, capacity-building programmes may train educators on ways of integrating philanthropy into lesson plans, thereby making it part of the required coursework rather than teaching it on an ad hoc basis.

Finally, practitioners including community foundations, youth organisations, government agencies and non-profits, may structure youth philanthropy programmes to ensure the authentic inclusion of young people, particularly from marginalised and minority groups. This may go beyond mere cosmetic participation or “decorating” a project with young people to meaningfully involving them in planning and decision-making roles.

Youth-adult collaborative platforms may allow young people the opportunity to voice their opinions and engage in critical dialogue with adults on social justice issues. Adults in youth projects can equip young people with the tools to take the lead in different project activities, whether identifying community issues, determining the best ways to address them, sharing ideas on generating sustainable funding sources for philanthropy or evaluating socio-economic impacts.

In all, nurturing an early interest in “giving back to society” may be the initial push towards systemising youth philanthropy and fostering a culture of positive youth development and civic engagement. Through meaningful engagement, skill-building, and experiential learning, Pakistani youth can evolve into more informed, proactive, empathetic, and generous members of society. This may lead to a paradigm shift whereby Pakistani youth is perceived as a valuable resource and asset rather than a liability for meeting the challenges of the changing world.

The writer is an education researcher and specialist, serving as Senior Programme Officer — Research at the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy, Islamabad

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, July 18th, 2022