Today I took some time and browsed Unicef’s Voices of Youth website as part of my studies for YMIS. The idea was to explore and see how sites like this one challenge young people to get involved in issues.
Once I logged onto the Main page there was a feature profile of a young lady from the Philippines who asked the question, “Is there too much violence on TV nowadays?” She also asked “If so, what do you think should the people concerned to about this?” Just reading those questions made me want to share my opinions and so I hit the reply button.
However I was not allowed to reply without an account - so I signed up for one.
During the signup process, where I filled out a lot of information about myself, one question was if I was willing to allow my profile to be featured. I actually answered no, but at that point I realised, this was an opporunity for every young person to have their opinions about many issued profile in a major way for all to see.
The Unicef website has a lot of forums, and a lot of people sharing opinions. It is a participatory, non conventional place for young people to share their feelings and to be heard.
Sites like Unicef help the voice of young people to be heard more readily because it gives a place for that voice to speak. The Unicef website is significantly interesting because it has an international focus, and many young people who live under dictatorships, or repressive regimes have an opporunity to have a say despite their political boundaries.
However, being International may also limit the usefulness of a site like Unicef’s Voice of Youth. This is because Governments may not pay so much attention to the voices that seem to be coming from other places. It may seem watered down.
