About Us
Youth for Change (Y4C)
Rationale:
In Malaysia, youths of today are fragmented due to lack of integration, exploration and exchange of ideas and views on the political future of the nation.
This is made worse by identity markers which the state has used effectively to divide and rule, such as race, ethnicity, culture, language and religion.
As a result of these barriers, there is no common strategy and platform to plot the future direction of Malaysia politics. The youth organizations in Malaysia lack the necessary concern for cooperation in order to influence political decisions and public policies.
Even at the local level, because local election on the municipal level was scraped and replaced with government appointees, there is no avenue for people’s input in decision-making on local governance. Thus, it give the ruling parties free-reign of local councils to make decisions and implement policies without the need to consult the people.
There is no clear alternative path, apart from traditional ones, to provide a set of important technical trainings with such people in mind e.g. young lawyers, young NGO workers and potential youth leaders etc. to advocate for the youth rights in a parliamentary system of government.
Finally, many of the young activists are lacking in political orientation and awareness about their roles as agents for social change and as pressure groups. The political scenario in Malaysia does not encourage young people to be involved in the frontline of politics, whether from being a candidate in elections to being involved in advocacy. Due to these factors, the involvement of the young activists in the political parties has been minimal for many decades.
Mission:
Youth for Change (Y4C) works to empower young people to participate actively and effectively in the building of multi-racial Malaysia and in communities where they live in. Y4C hopes to increase the participation of young people in Malaysia through the trainings, advocacy and exposure programs.
Objectives:
1. Encourage young people to be involved in the current political issues including the decision making process at different levels, from local to national and international levels.
2. Foster the exchange of ideas and experiences, mutual understanding, and equal rights and opportunities among the young people in Malaysia.
3. Create a conducive political environment through the popularizing intellectual and social sciences research via the mass multi-media.
Our Work:
1. The Y4C works to mobilize and activate young people where its main focus is on articulating and voicing the concerns of its members and partners on democracy and change, in the political agenda of the Malaysia.
2. The Y4C provides a space for young people to develop skills and experience, and offers strategic support for capacity building, networking and the dissemination of good practices to build a strong and united youth movement in Malaysia. It empowers youth in their ability to come together and build independent, democratic and inclusive societies and communities.
3. The Y4C is a place for debates which leads to the elaboration and exploration of policies and positions, which are based on the opinions, experiences and expertise of young people from all over Malaysia.
The Y4C works in specific areas:
• Education
- Promotes the reform of the higher education to encourage more dynamic forms of human development.
• Democratization and local governance
- Develops policies for the local government elections and campaign to ensure the democratization of Malaysia takes place in all levels.
• Training
- Provides training to the members and youth organizations through our Pool of Trainers
• Mobilization
- Recruits, organizes and mobilizes the youth to advocate for the democracy in Malaysia.
