International Youth Day 2011
“Walking early one morning into my Indonesian school, a 5-year-old boy looks up from where he is playing and greets me with enthusiasm, a wave and a big smile; ‘Good morning Frances!”
This was the moment that marked the beginning of feeling part of the school community for Frances Oakley, a volunteer Youth Development Officer with Sanggar Anak Alam (SALAM), a non-profit, self-funded schooling facility in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Frances is an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development, one of hundreds of passionate young Australians (18-30) making a difference in developing countries around the world.
Funded by AusAID as part of Australian Volunteers for International Development, Youth Ambassadors strengthen mutual understanding between Australia and Asia, the Pacific and Africa by making a positive contribution to development.
Frances, 23, grew up in Papua New Guinea, an experience which influenced the rest of her life and inspired her to become a volunteer.
“I lived close to a rural hospital where my father was working as a doctor. Seeing his work, in particular the passion he had for training Papua New Guinean health workers convinced me of the value of grass-roots capacity building,” Frances says.
“I still keep in touch with the Papua New Guinean friends I grew up with and they are an incredible source of inspiration.”
On August 12 the United Nations celebrates International Youth Day, an annual event to recognise the efforts of the world’s youth in enhancing global society. “Change Our World” has been chosen as the IYD 2011 theme, a call to action with the idea that local efforts can have a global impact – an idea demonstrated in developing countries across the world by Youth Ambassadors.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says ‘Youth should be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making at local, national and global levels’, a call to action that Frances feels could make a real difference to communities such as the one in which SALAM is based.
“Ensuring young people have an active and not merely token part in decision-making at local, national and global levels is to not only shape the leaders of tomorrow but to enrich our communities today,” Frances says.
“In Indonesia, I am working with a non-formal school which has integrated important issues such as environmental awareness, health and community studies into its curriculum.
“Enabling these young people with the chance to advocate and be involved in local, national and global levels of decision making could generate significant and positive change for the individuals involved and their communities.”
To view a printable pdf media release of this article, please click here. For more information about Australian Volunteers for International Development, visit www.ausaid.gov.au/volunteers