The Power of Youth: Why the future of democracy depends on us?

Young people have always been at the forefront of change, from human rights protests to social media campaigns. They have effectively used their voices to spread awareness and challenge outdated systems, leveraging digital platforms to reach a global audience. Their passion for justice, equality, and the future of their world is undeniable. However, when it comes to formal political activities—such as voting, policymaking, or engaging with the government—many young people feel disconnected and disengaged. Despite constantly being told that their voices matter, they often find the political system unrelatable, overly complex, and unresponsive to their concerns.

So why does this occur?, the issue isn’t due to apathy, but instead a lack of preparation and accessiblity. Schools frequently fail to provide students with the information they need to engage in politics, political language can seem alienating, and also political organisations fail to connect and relate to younger generations. To address this, we must make politics more approachable, pertinent, and interesting for young people so they can actively influence legislation in addition to having a voice.

One perfect way to exemplify why it is imperative for young people to have a voice in politics is through this Ted talk in which it explains the indifferences and the differences in youth engagement.

The lack of political education in schools

The absence of political education in schools is one of the main causes of young people’s disengagement from politics. Many students leave school knowing very little about how governments work, how to vote, or how to change policy. They are frequently forced to memorise historical events that have no bearing on contemporary governance, rather than being taught how democracy pertains to their everyday lives.

Further research supports the significance of civic education in enabling youth engagement. According to Bryony Hoskins and Jan Germen Janmaat, in Education, Democracy and Inequality, countries with strong citzenship education programmes tend to have remarkably higher youth political participation rates. This can be shown through Sweden and Germany who had an outstanding 81% and 76% in youth voter turnouts ,through implementing political literacy into their curriculum such as mock elections,debates and real life applications. In contrast , the United Kingdom and the United States who have very minimal civic education had 50% and 47% youth voter turnouts.Young individuals who get little political education frequently feel disengaged from their civic responsibilities. We must adequately prepare them if we want them to participate.

Structural Barries to engagement

Political disengagement can be explained by the absence of the factors that contribute to engagement, including motivations, capabilities, and opportunities (Verba et al., 1995). 18% of youth cited said they were too busy to register not important. This can be due to the economic pressure, some students prioritise financial survival over political  engagement because of rising student debt or high living costs, this will then lead to students seeing voting as a luxury rather than a civic duty. Another factor could be lack of information, 11% of all young people didn’t know how to register as there many first-time voters in which they found the voting process perplexed. Complicated registration rules, unclear polling locations, and a lack of civic education make participation difficult. 36% of all youth cited voting was “not important ” to them. Young voters often feel that politicians fail to represent their interests. A growing sense of frustration with political leadership further contributes to voter apathy.

The Double-edged sword of Social Media

For many young people, social media has taken over as their main source of political information. Digital networks and social media add new dynamics to social movements and activism (Bennett and Segerberg, 2012; Dencik and Leistert, 2015).Instant access to political conversations, activism, and breaking news is provided by platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Younger generations may be interested in this, but there are a number of drawbacks.

(Source: Ofcom News Consumption Survey 2022 – COMBINED F2F & ONLINE sample)

Social media can be an effective tool for raising awareness, but it can also lead to performative activism, in which people participate superficially by like, sharing, or commenting on political content without actually doing anything about it. Another significant issue is the quick circulation of incorrect information, since many young people find it difficult to distinguish between reliable sources and misleading stories. The critical thinking abilities required for navigating digital arenas are still lacking in those without a political education base.Furthermore, the fast-paced nature of social media might result in short-term engagement rather than prolonged, meaningful action, stifling real-world progress.

Now the question is? Why does this Gap exist? And what can be done to fill it?

Bridging the Gap: Encouraging Political Engagement

For democracy to excel, young people must actively participate in politics. However to make this possible , here are some key steps they can take.

• Political education in schools – schools should teach more than just history , they should provide practical lessons on voting as well as civic responsilibility to prepare students for real world engagement.
• Supporting student activism – youth led movements should be encouraged and education curriculums should offer platforms such as school council and advocacy groups to validate their political participation
• Transforming online activism into action – Social Media is vital for spreading awareness, however young people should be as determined to take action in real world such as voting and attending local meetings.

Young people’s lack of political engagement is caused by institutional issues that make participation challenging, not by a lack of interest.The future belongs to them—it is time to ensure they have the tools to shape it. 

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