How to Involve Youth
in Democratic Participation

Dear colleagues:

Citizen polls in the region indicate that many youth do not believe they can influence political affairs (as definitions of “youth” vary , the term is used broadly in this bulletin). There may be several reasons for this perception of a lack of political efficacy, but researchers often point to the lack of structured opportunities for youth, both inside and outside of schools, to actually engage in democratic decision-making with adults. If these opportunities do exist, they are often decorative or tokenistic and thus do not provide youth with the authentic experience of exercising democratic rights and responsibilities.

Lenore Yaffee García
Director, Department of Education and Culture
Organization of American States

What is the Inter-American Program?

The Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices is an alliance officially adopted by the ministers of education of OAS member states through CIDI/RME/RES. 12 (IV-O/05) at the IV Meeting of the Ministers of Education held in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago on August 11th and 12th, 2005.

The Program has three components: • Research and analysis
• Professional development and educational resources, and
• Cooperation and information exchange.

Structure of the Program

An interdisciplinary, cross-national Advisory Board of 40 members provides guidance for the Program, as does the Coordinating Group of Countries which each of the 34 OAS member states is invited to join.

More information on the Program and its achievements is available at: www.educadem.oas.org

• Convention on the Rights of the Child >>

• Inter-American Democratic Charter >>

• Global Youth Service Policy Scan >>


• Schools for Solidarity in Argentina (Spanish only) >>

• X-Change: Non-violence in the Caribbean >>

• Children’s Participation Standards >>

• How to Involve Children in Research >>

• Project Citizen >>

• Lessons Learned: Youth Engagement Initiatives >>

• Model OAS for Universities, April 9 – 13, 2007, Washington, DC >>

• International Youth Volunteerism Summit, Feb. 22 – 25, 2007 >>

• UNICEF G8 Youth Event, 2007, Germany >>

• Other Events >>

. In Other Regions

• What Works: Youth Participation Around the World >>

• Participation in the UK Curriculum >>

What would you like to see in this bulletin? We welcome your suggestions and active participation in the construction of this publication. Contact us at: education@oas.org

Third edition: The theme of our third edition will be Promising Policies and Programs in the Hemisphere.

• Find details on how to contribute and themes of future issues

• Team >>

. Other Resources

Find other publications of interest and links to resources on how to involve youth in democratic participation, and other topics, at www.educadem.oas.org

Second edition Quote
"A complex aspect of youth participation proposals is the risk of simulation, constructing an apparent participation (Ball, S. 1989) which only accentuates the discrediting of school authority. How to differentiate between real participation and apparent participation? There are forms of participation which only serve to reinforce the status quo and make it more presentable. "Consultations", for instance, may become effective strategies of apparent participation."
Fernando Onetto, Ministry of Education of Argentina.

•  Other quotes >>

About the OAS
The Organization of American States (OAS) brings together the countries of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation and advance common interests. It is the region's premier forum for multilateral dialogue and concerted action. Although the idea of Inter-American cooperation dates back much further, the OAS came into being in 1948, evolving from the Pan American Union. Countries from all around the world are permanent observers , closely following the issues that are critical to the Americas.

• Find out more about the OAS>>