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Can a global perspective help young people succeed?

As new research from the LSE finds that 25% of 16-17 year olds spend their time 'doing nothing,' the imperative to increase the skills and opportunities for young people around the UK becomes even more pressing.

According to new research from the educational charity DEA, 'global learning' could play a crucial role in helping realise young people’s potential. The survey, carried out by MORI, found that secondary school children who spend time discussing international issues and events are more receptive to people of different cultures; believe that their actions affect people in other countries; and perhaps more importantly, believe they have the power to make the world a better place.

However, most headlines focused on the survey's less optimistic findings: specifically, that one in five school children do not discuss world events at school, and therefore exhibit 'global illiteracy'. This news comes just as the selection process for the Prime Minister's Global Fellowship draws to a close. Designed to nurture young people’s talent and enterprise through a series of cultural experiences, the scheme offers 100 school and college leavers the chance to visit India, China or Brazil for six weeks.

These developments highlight the relevance of focused programming that encourages young leadership, and also the need to mainstream global opportunities into the fabric of the national youth education strategy. The dual challenge is hence for Government to create the conditions for young people to access opportunities to learn and contribute to the global agenda, and for young people themselves to respond proactively to the world in which they live by adopting a perspective that helps them to navigate both the local and the globalised landscape.

For more information on the DEA's report, click here

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The importance of cultural exchange and international dialogue

By Gordon Blakely, Youth Director, British Council

There can be no doubt that, as the barriers between countries and states, and between physical and virtual communities begin to blur, an understanding and appreciation of other cultures (and our own) is more relevant than ever.

Although, against the backdrop of climate and credit crises, maybe it's not the best of times to be travelling the world. So what are the alternatives?

Perhaps the answer lies in social media: in our efforts to embrace other cultures, and to adapt to the relentlessness of change, should we be investing in video-conferencing, rather than paying for air tickets? If more of the world could get online, could we bypass gestures like building half of a community centre in central Africa, and instead offer to do some internet based training and planning bids to donor agencies?

Or when you think of cultural exchange, do you image inviting people to your back garden first? Then maybe you're on the right track. As a society, we need to adjust to the unfamiliar, and view people not as migrants, foreign workers or as invaders – but as potential friends, by examining who we are and where we stand in the complexity of global dilemmas.

And there are lots of opportunities to do that, through the vast menu of agencies who believe in the value of transcultural experience – but also through simply meeting people as equals, and with a willingness to listen.

DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed in this article are solely the author's and not those of Corporate Culture.

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This month, we profile the outstanding work of the UK Youth Parliament, which enables young people to speak out on key issues that affect them and stimulates national debate on the rights of young people.

The UK Youth Parliament's eighth national sitting has just ended, bringing to a close three days of intense debate and discussion by young representatives from all over the country. The annual event is a key opportunity for young people’s voices to be heard on issues that matter to them, and this year was no exception with everything from Sex and Relationships Education and the Education Maintenance Allowance, to NHS funding priorities and terrorism being explored and disputed.

Tom Jardine, MYP for Staffordshire, said that the debate had been the best part of being involved in UKYP's work. Edward Halliday, MYP for Telford & Wrekin, added that the annual conference had enabled him to meet people from everywhere and yet find something in common with them all. Both debate and diversity are at the heart of the UKYP's commitment to empowerment, participation and social change by and for young people.

To learn more about UKYP's work and read their national manifesto for change, please click here.

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Last month, we raised the issue of staying safe and of the complexities of anti-knife crime communications, with Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker MP speaking of the importance of education and enforcement. Last week, the government launched its Youth Crime Action Plan, with commitments to help young people stay safe and to tackle the alarming problem. Read the YCAP report here.

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Corporate Culture is a specialist strategy and communications company with a focus on social change.