Lifelines

Director's Welcome Other Articles in this Issue: Director's Welcome Interview: Fayneese Miller Conference Overview: "Fostering Youth's Civic Engagement and Participation in Free and Democratic Societies" Recommended Readings Francois Strydom, from Oxford University, quoted nineteenth-century statesman Benjamin Disraeli in describing the current times then as, "an age when to be young and to be indifferent can no longer be synonymous. We must prepare for the coming hour. The claims of the future are represented by suffering millions, and the youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity."

Youth civic engagement in free and democratic societies - what does that mean to us? What does that mean to the youth of today? Even as adults we have come to realize that our civic engagement has greatly diminished over the last 40 years. This has been the subject of many heated debates nationwide and was the focus of a three-day conference held at Brown University this summer. We at the Center for the Study of Human Development at Brown, along with the Stanford Center on Adolescence, and the Carnegie Corporation hosted the conference to examine these issues. Issues which affect people of all cultures and income levels, as well as the more general process of healthy personal growth and development of our youth. What is the role of politics in today's society? Who is responsible for fostering a genuine interest in who governs our democratic systems today and tomorrow? What roles do parents, teachers, schools, and current political leaders play? Are youth already much more politically involved than we think? Some of these questions remain unanswered, but many noted that new ways of becoming engaged in politics are emerging. Technology has provided ways for younger generations to be involved without parents and teachers knowing. These less obvious ways may none the less, reflect serious engagement and interest. If, as one young woman told us, we choose not to vote as a way of voicing our opinion does that mean we are less interested in the process or have little to say? On the contrary she argues, we have much to say, but are doing it in new ways. Matt Brown has closely examined the issue of youth civic engagement in Rhode Island. As Executive Director of The Democracy Compact his mission is to make Rhode Island the state with the highest voter turn out in the country, a model for democracy. At present, Rhode Island has 52% of its population voting while the national average is 49%. Maine has the highest percentage of voters at 72%. Brown and forty other leaders from the business, religious, community, and non-profit sectors know that fewer than half of those who can vote in the US today, do. A June 19th issue of the Providence Business News stated that only eleven percent of 18 and 19-year-olds voted in the 1996 presidential election. Conference participants stated that candidates must address relevant and tangible issues for our youth such as college tuition, healthcare, safety, wages, and jobs. Perhaps even more vital is that they share the love and passion they have for the work they do with adolescents. Brown ends his interview by saying that the basic structure of society is the relationship between the government and the people we elect and that "no matter how much community service we do, if we utterly abandon the democratic process, it's a dangerous road". Changing patterns of civic engagement are a global phenomenon. Conference attendees and panelists representing the US, Northern Ireland, the UK, Israel, and Russia found things to be surprisingly similar ­ though communism had given way to unique challenges for its Russian youth. Here in the third issue of Lifelines we share with you our findings realizing that volunteerism is no longer creating the link it once did between community service and civic participation. Home ownership we have seen, directly correlates to increased political participation. College presidents have said that it is their responsibility to educate youth about the importance of civic engagement. No doubt the role of education and educators is immensely important in promoting a healthy sense of civic duty, in providing guidance and support for meaningful political experiences, and in nurturing and encouraging risk taking and leadership abilities for our youth. It is clear parents and caregivers also have an important role to play. These are global issues that affect mankind's ability to govern the world in both peaceful and chaotic times. These are issues that affect our children as they grow into more responsible, empowered, engaged, and caring adults and become part of adult institutions. Sincerely,   Cynthia García Coll Mittlemann Family Director Center for the Study of Human Development