Setting the Scene
“It's not what you say, But how you say it!” said Mae West, an American actress (1893-1980). These words go beyond the film industry to highlight the gap between public policy and the young people in Zambia that is widening as they get lost in the jargons. This is problematic when formulating policies that affect the young people and raise questions on how this demographic can meaningfully contribute to challenges that directly impact their future. Youth-led think tanks involved in public policy research and advocacy in Zambia should see this as an opportunity to reach out to the young people in communities and learning institutions to engage and consult them at their level of understanding on policy issues. This treatise is therefore an attempt to address some ways in which the young people can influence public policy with think tanks as a medium. It is a note to remind young people that age is not, actually I believe should not be an obstacle to their meaningful participation. Their voices do matter and they have to get involved in policy issues.
Think tanks as a medium for young people to reach policy makers
“I can think of nothing worse than a think tank where everybody agreed”, said Sir Geoff Mulgan, a fellow at the Nordic think tank- Demos Helsinki. That partially explains why we don’t have a universally agreed upon definition of a think tank. But broadly, it is a body of experts that conduct research and advocate for public policy. This is mainly done with the aim of improving our societies and influencing policy makers and the general public. However, to influence the young people who are equal members of the general public, think tanks need to get them involved at various levels of participation. This requires that a public engagement process is carried out with the young people by any of the five levels of participation as required. Zambian think tanks can maximise public engagement with young people on policy issues through the levels of participation which are; inform, consult, engage, collaborate and empower.
Inform is seen by some as the lowest level of participation because it does not involve input from the young people who are only informed on what has been decided by policy makers. Though this finds itself on the levels of participation, it does very little if any to include voices of the young people. I beg to differ here on the premise that informing is just as vital especially when the aim is to educate the audience on certain issues before they can be consulted or engaged.
On the other hand, probably one of the levels of participation the young people would find riveting is consultation. Think tanks usually have the information they need with them, but find it apropos to consult and get a different perspective. It is a very inclusive process for the young people to participate in and serve as a way of obtaining feedback by think tanks. They do this mainly by having public hearings, surveys and workshops among others. Think tanks also need to be more accommodating to young people as they consult them by being less technical in communicating and realising that decision makers are more likely to implement policies that gain public support.
A deeper level of participation is engagement. It requires that think tanks work directly with the young people throughout the process and ensures that their concerns, challenges, desires and expectations are reflected in the same process. This may sometimes require some form of collaboration with the young people as a level of participation. A more practical form of this public engagement is collaboration on a research project, involving young people in facilitating and conducting consultative meetings, fellowships and internships among other activities. Lastly, empowering the young people with autonomy to directly contribute or make decisions that impact them. Though some may argue that empowering the young people is the highest form of participation, it all depends on the particular activity that the think tank wishes to conduct. Therefore, all levels of participation are just as important and young people should take keen interest in such processes.
While there are many ways beyond the scope of this treatise that young people can use to influence public policy, my focus was on the role of think tanks as a medium for the youth demographic. This form of public engagement is just as effective because successful think tanks have direct links to policy and decision makers of which young people can benefit from. Young people, on the other hand, need to have basic knowledge on civic education. Therefore, schools have an important role to play by encouraging young people to think differently and changing perceptions and stereotypes about the “uninformed” youngsters.
Final Thought
“You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results”, said India’s Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948). This is a reminder to young people to start getting involved in policy issues and have a say in the future, because they are ultimately the future. Young people should realise that Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) gives young people the right to actively participate in policy decisions that have impact on their lives.
On a positive side, some think tanks in Zambia are taking part in the important role of bridging the gap between young people and policy makers. Breaking the communication barrier between the two parties is cardinal in ensuring that policies for young people reflect the needs, challenges, solutions and aspirations of the young people.