For political systems to be representative, all parts of society must be included. When young people are disenfranchised or disengaged from political processes, a significant portion of the population has little or no voice or influence in decisions that directly affect their lives. As a result, young people are increasingly getting frustrated and turning away from formal political participation. In response to these trends, NDI supports youth-led partner organizations that promote the inclusion of young people, especially those on the margins, in policy-making processes through our Speak Youth to Power campaign. In support of NDI’s commitment to strengthening young people’s impact, influence and leadership, we spoke to some of our youth-led partners around the world to hear more about their work supporting young people’s political and civic participation. 

In Malaysia, NDI partners with Nyawa, a youth-led nonprofit focused on creating mental health-centric communities and spaces through advocacy, research and evidence-based interventions. Nyawa shared that in Malaysia, policymaking is largely top-down, so they work to open avenues for young people to meaningfully engage in the policymaking process. Through their partnership with NDI, Nyawa implemented a Mental Health Policy Case Competition (MHPCC), where young people develop policy-making knowledge and skills that help them understand the current mental health policy landscape. Through training and coaching, Nyawa helps young people prepare and present policy proposals to experts and civil society representatives. 

The program also works with government officials to increase their receptiveness to improving youth’s meaningful and inclusive engagement. Through a  combination of policy presentations and facilitated dialogue, the program challenges traditional assumptions in mental health policymaking. Nyawa sees the program as a pathway to formalize mechanisms for young people to contribute to mental health policies that directly impact them. Participants have also gained inspiration to fuel future endeavors in mental health policymaking, clinical practice or activism. This innovative approach fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility while bridging the gap between youth and policymakers. 

In Nigeria, NDI partners with the Fostering Achievement of Community Empowerment (FACE) Initiative, a youth-led nonprofit organization working to build the skills and capacity of young people from marginalized communities and increase their involvement in policymaking processes. The FACE Initiative facilitates training for young people, encouraging them to see themselves as leaders and key actors in the political process and moving them from passive to active participants.

With the support of NDI, the FACE Initiative provides platforms for young leaders to interact with established political leaders across generations. Through social media and community engagement forums, the FACE Initiative educates young people about the importance of participating in civic and political processes, providing them with the information, space and opportunities to actively participate. In addition, by creating opportunities for intergenerational dialogue, the FACE Initiative shows young people in Nigeria that they can shape the future of their nation. 

Youth Alive! Kenya (YAK), a youth-led, youth-serving nonprofit organization based in Nairobi, focuses on good governance, economic empowerment, social well-being and equity. YAK currently works in partnership with more than 84 youth organizations across Kenya, equipping them with the knowledge and enhancing their capacity to participate in evidence-based policymaking. YAK strengthens young people’s role in setting, prioritizing and influencing relevant policy changes by establishing strategic partnerships that champion youth priorities. YAK also supports and strengthens young people’s use of data to improve evidence-based policy interventions regarding youth development.

Through its youth engagement structure, YAK serves as a convener for the Youth Serving Consortium (YSO), a national network bringing together youth organizations to centralize youth voices and champion common causes important to young people. The YAK participants create new as well as strengthen existing platforms for young people to engage in dialogue about democratic changes, track the implementation of legal frameworks, identify opportunities for young people to participate in democracy and the policymaking process, and directly engage young people with disabilities and young women in political processes. YAK shared that all youth programs need to recognize the importance of political dynamics, power, and socio-cultural norms and address them in their programs. 

NDI’s partnerships with youth-led, youth-serving organizations demonstrate the transformative power of young people to shape the future of democracy and governance in their own countries. By engaging directly with policymakers and actively tackling governance issues, NDI supports our partners in envisioning a more just and inclusive world.

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.