By Fernanda Torres
Youth Services, AC (SERAJ)
Following the elections in Mexico, at Servicios a la Juventud, AC (SERAJ) we have carried out an analysis of the information we have within our projects to promote the citizen participation of young people, which has led us to identify the various ways they find and have built to participate and be agents of change in the spaces of which they are part and which have been and will be valuable in the electoral context. Among them we can find:
- Their active participation in the electoral process: from exercising their right to vote, promoting the interest and political analysis of their peers and electoral observation to ensure the transparency of the process.
- Designing youth agendas to present to decision-makers: Young people have organized themselves to identify and address different issues that are relevant today, such as education, decent employment from different forms of employment, the gender perspective, and environmental care. It will be important for them to maintain these efforts to make their concerns and worries visible.
- Promoting the youth agenda: After designing the agenda, it is important that young people continue to seek to open communication channels with decision-makers to present their agendas and collaborate in various activities to address their concerns, for example the design of public policies.
- Monitoring proposals from decision-makers: Promote collaboration among young people to participate in monitoring and following up on the campaigns of people who have been elected to public office.
- Organize in-person and digital meeting spaces for young people: It will be important for young people to continue using information and communication technologies to organize campaigns, disseminate relevant information, mobilize the community and raise awareness on issues of interest to young people.
- In addition to maintaining their face-to-face activities and different public spaces where they can continue to organize.
In summary, it is important to mention that the participation of young people before, during and after the electoral context is fundamental for the promotion of their advocacy agendas. From the actions they carry out locally and collectively, to the work together with select authorities.
Did you know us yet? Youth Services is a civil society organization specialized in designing and implementing comprehensive models aimed at young people aged 12 to 29, especially young people of opportunity.
Our programs have local and national scope, and focus on five main areas: education, work, health, citizen security and citizen participation.
We work with the aim of promoting school coexistence, reducing school dropouts, developing employability skills, encouraging healthy lifestyles, preventing violence and promoting social inclusion. From the perspectives of Rights, Youth, Inclusion and the Gender approach, adapting our interventions to the specific needs of population groups and promoting equality between men and women.
We invite you to learn more about our work at: www.seraj.org.mx