There is a global call for resourcing youth movements ahead of the “Summit of the Future” set for September 2024. The annual summit organised by the United Nations, is focused on driving action and commitments to address key global issues. A significant part of the summit is dedicated to youth engagement, with initiatives to elevate youth voices and foster meaningful participation in global policy discussions.
Youth participation is a central theme, with various programs and consultations designed to gather input from young people worldwide. These efforts include online consultations and workshops, where young people are encouraged to contribute their ideas and solutions to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The insights gathered will shape discussions at the summit, particularly on how to create more inclusive and effective multilateralism that reflects the needs and aspirations of younger generations.
This call highlights the growing recognition of the critical role that youth play in addressing global challenges and the need for sustained investment in youth-led initiatives.
In line with this, we hosted a dialogue session in collaboration with the British Council, themed “Resourcing Youth Movements and Activists,” on the 16th of August 2024. This dialogue brought together selected young founders and change leaders in Lagos State to gather insights into the challenges, strategies, and needs related to accessing resources and funding for the work they do towards advancing sustainable development.
The event kicked off with a documentary screening of the Speak Up Stand Out (SUSO) Project, a project funded by VOICE through the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The documentary showcased the stories of activists involved in the SUSO project, implemented by NGYouthSDGs, which engaged 19 youth activists across Abuja, Enugu, and Lagos over 18 months to examine the priorities of youths in employment, education, peace and security, and active citizenship. Insights drawn from the documentary set the pace for the discussion.
Joshua Alade, the founder of NGYouthSDGs briefly shared the work of NGYouthSDGs over the past seven years and how we have been able to resource youth movements, reflecting on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ the International Youth Day events have been one of our initiatives in amplifying youth voices and calling for actions towards the meaningful engagement of youths in programs and policies.
The dialogue session, led by NGYouthSDGs founder, Joshua Alade, drove the conversation by asking these critical questions:
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced while accessing resources and funding for the work you do?
How have you approached the issues of resource mobilisation?
What type of resources do you need right now?
These questions sparked an in-depth session of information sharing, responses and experience sharing from young founders and change leaders.
Some of the responses and insights highlighted these critical statements as the issues that hinder resource mobilisation:
- Lack of sufficient funding to turn ideas into action.
- Unavailability of key stakeholders for the required engagement.
- Misappropriation of funds by authorities/signatories.
- Gatekeepers, stakeholders and beneficiaries requesting for stipends before cooperation.
- Age and selection barriers limit skilled and qualified individuals from accessing the right opportunities.
- The gap between the funding available to youths vs the funding for youths.
- Complex financing systems.
- Little or no commitment from volunteers when stipends are unavailable.
- Individualistic approach by young people.
The successful strategies employed by some participants in resource mobilisation for youth work include:
- Collaboration with private sectors through rendering services.
- Creating a social entrepreneur product that generates resources to drive the organisational vision.
- Mapping out capital providers, finding out where they are and joining the community.
- Reading directories and gaining insights from the lessons of others in the development space.
Some of the resources listed by the participants as urgent needs include:
- Mentorship and close guidance on funding.
- Creating platforms that bridge the gap between early organisations and international organisations. This is to increase information sharing, learning and development for young founders.
- Training elected lawmakers with digital skills so that they can be up to date with development issues, in turn, can understand and support youth-led organisations leading positive change.
Recommendations from the insights and responses emphasised the need for young people to equip themselves with the right information in their sectors of interest, engage in community building to establish relationships with local stakeholders and create solutions within their immediate environments. Instead of making monetary requests, seeking services from partners and organisations was recommended as a strategic approach to fostering collaboration and support from both local and international organisations.
The dialogue conducted in collaboration with the British Council, shed light on the critical challenges young founders and change leaders face in accessing resources and funding for their work towards sustainable development. This open discussion provided important insights and emphasised the need for platforms that foster close dialogue with young people, reinforcing their essential role in Nigeria’s development plan. Every one of our programmes and initiatives at NGYouthSDGs reflects our commitment to driving positive change and sustainable development.
