The youth form an important part of every society since they are energetic, more informed, and aware of the unique challenges they go through in their lives. In many countries, these individuals aged between 18 and 40 form the majority of the population. The absence of adequate support systems and resources can leave these individuals disoriented and eventually undermine economic performance and security levels. The establishment of many youth-led non-profit organizations (NGOs) in Negara Brunei Darussalam is an effort that seeks to empower more individuals to achieve their cultural, social, economic, spiritual, and mental objectives, protect the integrity of the natural environment, create job opportunities, and generate new ideas for transforming the society. Their activities and strategies show that these members of the society can join hands to establish a new sense of identity and promote ethical or moral values in their respective nations. This discussion examines the nature of such efforts and how they are transforming the lives of young citizens in the country.
Youth-Led NGOs in Negara Brunei Darussalam
Within the past three decades, the youth in Brunei Darussalam has been on the frontline to identify the trends recorded in different parts of the world in an attempt to implement similar practices in the country. This evidence-based practice has resulted in more youth-led organizations and programs aimed at changing the fate of many citizens. First, Green Brunei is one of such agencies that have been operating in this nation since the year 2012 (Green Brunei, n.d.). The founders of this NGO focus on some of the best approaches to engage more citizens in research and take the issue of conservation to the next level.
Second, the Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT) has been promoting powerful initiatives to fight poverty and encourage people to embrace sustainable practices in their lives. This NGO targets underprivileged communities and collects adequate resources from sponsors to meet the demands of the less fortunate (Society for Community Outreach & Training, 2018). Such an effort has made it possible for more people to overcome their challenges and eventually consider new ways of becoming sustainable or self-sufficient.
Third, Brunei Youth Council (MBB) is a youth-founded NGO that plays the role of a coordinator in Brunei by ensuring that all welfare agencies and organizations focus on similar goals. It has volunteers who unite all young people in different regions to promote the economic, mental, and spiritual gains of different beneficiaries (Brunei Youth Council, n.d.). The NGO encourages all partners to consider the importance of remaining responsible and developing a sense of national pride or identity.
On top of these NGOs, the youth have been keen to use youth leadership conventions to monitor some of the challenges many young people face. They acquire new ideas and share concepts that can be implemented in different regions depending on the beneficiariesâ needs. Most of these practices and initiatives echo the actions of many youths in several countries in the region (Brunei Youth Council, n.d.). This remains the case since the global society continues to face numerous challenges, including climatic change, unemployment, poverty, and inequality. Such predicaments have triggered a paradigm shift in Brunei in an attempt to support more individuals to achieve their goals while at the same time empowering their neighbors.
Youth Empowerment and Participation
My personal experience reveals that disempowered youths find it hard to engage in meaningful activities that have the potential to support their professional goals. The government and the established welfare programs have failed to meet the demands of all citizens. This obstacle explains why many young citizens have been keen to identify emerging trends in different regions, including innovation, technology, social media, and entrepreneurship. Such efforts have the potential to transform the experiences of many people below the age of 40 and make it easier for them to record meaningful social mobility indexes (MartĂnez et al., 2016). The case of Brunei appears to borrow a similar model to guide more youthful members of the society and equip them with the relevant ideas that can make them successful.
The decision by the youth of Brunei Darussalam to establish different NGOs is a remarkable case study for understanding how different members of the society can collaborate to encourage more individuals to participate in value addition programs. Using the example of SCOT, it is evident that NGOs have been instrumental in providing adequate resources to young people to engage in different activities that can make it easier for them to address the problem of poverty (Society for Community Outreach & Training, 2018). The organization has been involved in undertaking different studies that seek to analyze and present the facts on the challenges many citizens have to experience in their lives. The acquired findings become new guidelines for understanding how to provide additional support to underprivileged communities.
The focus on the youth is a good practice that guides them to acquire additional skills in a number of areas, such as agricultural practices and entrepreneurship. They share such competencies, thereby empowering all beneficiaries to collaborate and consider the importance of introducing sustainable projects to fight the vicious cycle of poverty in the country (Society for Community Outreach & Training, 2018). All the targeted youths find new reasons to think outside the box and consider additional strategies to meet the changing demands of their family members.
The initiatives and actions different youth-led NGOs undertake have revolutionized the concept of youth empowerment. They have been achieving positive results by ensuring that more children and young adults take control of their lives. The leaders of such NGOs have been keen to analyze and monitor the specific problems every local community experiences. The acquired information is what guides such managers to identify the right resources and tools that can support their needs (MartĂnez et al., 2016). Additionally, the agencies have been providing additional instructions and ideas that result in the formulation of new personal philosophies, ethical standards, and beliefs. The acquisition of such values makes it possible for the beneficiaries to establish new identities and work ethics. These gains are essential since they have the potential to make a significant difference between personal success and failure.
The idea of participation has become a reality in this country due to the number of conventions and conferences organized periodically. Such platforms encourage more young citizens to be involved and present additional insights for launching new projects. This strategy equips the youth with emerging concepts, resources, and tools that can support their goals (BYLC, n.d.). Each forum becomes a new opportunity for more individuals to receive new financial resources and sponsorships from well-wishers and other established NGOs. Without such initiatives, more young citizens in t country would be unable to get the outlined incentives and support.
Members of the society who participate in the Brunei Young Leaders Convention get an opportunity to learn about the major approaches and roles they can undertake to transform policymaking processes in the country. The opportunity gives them a chance to present their grievances and encourage different leaders or agencies to consider new ways to address them. The beneficiaries go further to share emerging ideas with one another and conceive new strategies for addressing their common problems (Wong, 2018). Additionally, the attendees acquire numerous skills in entrepreneurship and business management. They have also been keen to monitor emerging innovations and technologies that can solve of the problems they encounter in their lives. These developments explain why the levels of crime and poverty in different underserved regions of Brunei have declined within the past two decades (Wong, 2018). Chances are also high that this country will continue to achieve most of its economic goals due to the involvement of more young people.
The case of Green Brunei goes further to take the issue of youth participation and empowerment to the next level. This youth-led agency promotes and guides its members and other citizens to protect and promote the sustainability of the natural environment. Those in leadership positions introduce superior initiatives that encourage more individuals to engage in evidence-based practices that can minimize pollution and promote the idea of conservation (âYouth awardees,â 2019). They go further to present new concepts for engaging in advocacy. These developments have managed to inform more members of the wider society to consider sustainable sources for energy that do not disorient the integrity of the environment, such as solar power. This NGO has also been promoting dialogues and educational activities to encourage more young people to take up leadership roles in their respective regions (Abu Baker, 2019). Such an action plan is critical since it will support the sustainability efforts different organizations undertake and eventually protect the natural environment for posterity.
The achievements outlined above reveal that the youth in Brunei have appreciated the fact that the government can do very little to change their life experiences. Since the country being underdeveloped, such individuals have been keen to think outside the box and pursue new practices that have exposed their maximum potential. The support such NGOs receive from different sources has made them sustainable and capable of addressing the predicaments many people have been going through in this country (Brunei Youth Council, n.d.). Those who engage in different conventions and seminars acquire new ideas for pursuing their entrepreneurial objectives and developing a superior philosophy of life. These examples should, therefore, become a powerful model for all young people across the globe to protect the environment and transform their economic experiences.
Conclusion
The above discussion has described the how the youth of Brunei have transformed their country by engaging in advocacy and establishing NGOs that resonate with their needs. This strategy has become a new opportunity for them to share their experiences, identify emerging trends, solve environmental challenges, and acquire entrepreneurial skills to transform their lives. Such initiatives, therefore, explain why young people in different parts of the world should act swiftly to empower one another and participate in actions that have the potential to improve their economic gains and record meaningful social mobilities.
References
- Abu Baker, R. H. (2019). 200 youth gather for Brunei Young Leaders Convention. The Scoop. Web.
- Brunei Youth Council. (n.d.). About us. Web.
- BYLC. (n.d.). About. Web.
- Green Brunei. (n.d.). About. Web.
- MartĂnez, X. Ă., JimĂ©nez-Morales, M., MasĂł, P. S., & Bernet, J. T. (2016). Exploring the conceptualization and research of empowerment in the field of youth. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 22(4), 405-418. Web.
- Society for Community Outreach & Training. (2018). About SCOT. Web.
- Wong, A. (2018). âWe must take Brunei forwardâ. Biz Brunei. Web.
- Youth awardees developing platforms for employment and entrepreneurship. (2019). Biz Brunei.