I had the opportunity to engage hundreds of young people at UWI Guild fest last week, while volunteering at the U-Report booth. This interaction generated great insight about their thoughts on the platform and the issues they face.
When asked about whether they knew of U-report, approximately 85% -90% of the youth replied in the negative. However, when they learned about the power of the platform 100% of the youths said U-Report is a step in the right direction.
Not only will they now have a voice on issues that are important to them, but their voices will be heard by those with the power to make positive change.
They loved the idea!
I specifically asked the youths I spoke with what were some of the issues they believed were severely affecting the youth today. Their responses were varied. However, there were specific issues that were repeatedly mentioned; mental health issues, cyberbullying, unemployment, finding job opportunities after finishing their degrees, family issues, and financial problems. These seemed to be the most pressing issues affecting the youth from the interactions I had on the two days at UWI Guild fest.