Introduction
Many people believe that tomorrow’s leaders are the youth. However, they are the leaders of today, and their experiences should be shaped to ensure they have positive political attitudes toward leadership. The opportunities for the youth to participate in politics and decision-making largely depend on cultural, political, and socioeconomic contexts since multiple forms of discrimination against the youth, especially women, still occur. Unfortunately, the recent decades have been characterised by a lack of political engagement among young people due to the belief that politics is complex, lacks relevance, and they are preoccupied with other interests. A survey in 14 countries showed a worrying trend among youths in relation to political engagement as shown.
The graph indicates a high level of disinterest among young people in learning political engagement. Youths are not interested in voting, participating in a volunteer organisation, posting political comments on social media, or donating money to a political organisation. As a result, spaces built for young people to develop their feelings of belonging to a large group and exercise their political skills and behaviours are no longer being effectively utilised. Within classrooms where most young people begin their political engagement journeys, many teachers are avoiding them to sidestep controversy, unlike previous generations. The presentation explores how learning political engagement takes place inside and outside school.
How Learning Political Engagement Occurs Inside of School
School has proved to be a major agent of political learning and engagement over the years. Learning institutions offers students a chance to build their democratic values, a sense of democratic worth, political skills and knowledge. Discussions of political and social issues in the classroom predict youth engagement, political interest, knowledge, efficacy, and commitment to future political engagement. Similarly, participation in school elections has a positive association with students being prepared to vote, and the commitment participate in the voting process when they reach 18. Running for a student leadership position is also positively associated with increased political skills and knowledge and participation in activism. For example, Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic Party presidential nominee, former senator, and U.S secretary of state, ran for the president of Young Republicans at Wellesley College and won during her first year in 1965. Her position helped her learn political engagement since she supported the elections of moderate Republicans. She was also elected president of Wellesley College Government Association in 1968, where she worked with black students to improve their recruitment rate. Her position in these leadership roles helped her develop her political knowledge and skills, political behaviour, and attitude to an extent fellow students began thinking she might become the first female president of the United States in future.
Learning Political Engagement Outside of School
Other than schools, community organisations, religious activities, extracurricular activities, and cultural groups operate as platforms for learning political engagement among the youth. In most cases, community organisations are characterised by social capital that include reciprocal relationships among members and a climate where young people feel heard and respected, offer entry into political life by creating a space for membership and belonging. These conditions lead to high rates of youth political action, voting, and political efficacy. For example, the movement to fight for women’s suffrage to vote in the UK began as a community organisation but helped its members learn political engagement through pressure and militant campaigns that resulted in women taking up prominent roles in national politics and enactment of the representation of People Act 1918 and the Equal Franchise Act 1928. Other ways of learning political engagement include historic events such as elections and national disasters. During political crises, political engagement and response is garnered. In the UK, Brexit led to a high political engagement among millennials. Despite the high political apathy by millennials, Brexit and the political climate it created coupled with the 2017 election, millennials became more interested in politics due to the impact it had on their future. Brexit made them more likely to vote and sign petitions as shown in the graph.
Conclusion
A growing body of research indicates that today’s youth have lost interest in politics, and this should be a worrying trend for countries’ democracies. Different parts of the society must be involved in politics for representation to be adequate. When young people are disengaged or disenfranchised from political engagement, a large portion of citizens either have little or no voice regarding the issues affecting them. To ensure such occurrences do not become a reality, it is essential that youths are engaged in political processes and contribute in the formulation of the political agenda. Inclusive political participation should begin within the community. Community groups, churches, and even clubs should be at the forefront of teaching the youth about political engagement, their rights, political knowledge, and positive political behaviours. Schools should focus on integrating political education into their curriculum and embrace political processes such as elections. Through these platforms, students can engage one another regarding political issues affecting them, practice civic duties such as voting and gain knowledge and skills that are vital in peaceful and successful politics. Involving young people in learning political engagement motivates them to make active contributions that achieve democratic values to life and gives voice to the voiceless, particularly in authoritarian regimes.