Young people as protagonists against social exclusion and poverty
In a globalized world, where the gap between rich and poor is constantly increasing, the issue of inequality is more relevant than ever. The problem - which does not only concern the economic sphere but also has direct effects on society as a whole - mainly affects young people and their expectations for the future. In collaboration with Oxfam Italia, we want to illustrate to the new generations the underlying causes of inequalities, to encourage active participation in countering those phenomena that make societies even more divided.
Betting on education is not always easy: the results are built over time and the solution is not immediate, but it is the only way that can lead to a profound and lasting change. Issues as complex as they currently are, such as social tensions, the extremes of poverty and racism can only be countered by having a clear understanding of how they are generated and how they influence each other. Not only that: exploring the dimensions and the underlying causes of these phenomena is the first step to provide adequate activation tools. In this process, we want to involve young people above all. Why?
The survey conducted by Demopolis for Oxfam on the perception of inequality in Italy shows that poverty has a greater incidence "especially among families with 3 or more minor children and among those with heads of families under 35". Adolescents and young adults are the categories most affected not only by poverty but also by the perception of the inequality increase, which leads them to experience feelings of negativity and mistrust both in the present and in the future.
With the People Have the Power project, hand in hand with young people, we want to deepen the reasons behind the increasingly widespread and transversal inequality, to encourage them, firsthand, to take action in countering this phenomenon. To do this, we work on the level of formal education, promoting classroom workshops and teacher training courses, with the support of an ad hoc didactic kit. That is not all, again the active involvement of young people is fundamental for us, and that is why we have started a training course for "young leaders", which will then follow the day-long youth forums. With one specific goal, which is to define territorial manifestos to present to regional entities, to ask for a concrete commitment in the fight against inequality. The elements that will emerge will also be collected in a wide national awareness campaign on the need to adopt policies aimed at reducing extreme inequality at the local, national and international level. The hope is to actively involve not only schools but also youth associations, local and national political decision-makers and all the people who can play an active role in promoting a real change.