Bridging the gap between marginalized youth and decision-makers : Interpeace

Initiatives

Bridging the gap between marginalized youth and decision-makers

In 2017, Interpeace launched the project “Hear me out! – A platform for young voices”. The project entailed a workshop series focusing on democratic participation and engagement, effective communication and dialogue between youth, the police, local authorities and influencers. Following the first capacity building workshops and dialogue session between youth and decision-makers and authorities, 75% of youth reported being more comfortable in presenting their ideas and opinions and 44% of youth reported increased trust engaging with the police as a result of the workshops. These results are highly encouraging in a context where youth often feel mistrust towards state authorities and excluded from constructive decision-making processes.