Surabaya (ANTARA) \u2014 Amid the growth of digital technology, social\nmedia is one of the spaces closest to young people\u2019s everyday lives.<\/p>\n
Platforms long used for communication, entertainment and networking\nhave greater potential. Social media can serve as a shared creative\nspace where young people develop ideas, build collaborations and find\nsolutions to community problems.<\/p>\n
That potential will not develop on its own. When youth participation\nis measured mainly by follower counts, likes and whether content goes\nviral, creativity risks becoming a digital activity with little\nmeaningful social impact.<\/p>\n
The challenge is not simply to encourage young people to be active on\nsocial media, but to build an ecosystem that connects digital activity\nwith development needs.<\/p>\n
The spirit of the Youth Pledge teaches that change can begin with the\ninitiative of the younger generation. This principle remains relevant to\ndevelopment today.<\/p>\n
Young people should not be merely targets of government programmes or\nbeneficiaries of policies. They need to be involved in identifying\nproblems, formulating solutions and evaluating development outcomes.<\/p>\n
Social media provides communications infrastructure that can make\nthis process more open. Young people from different regions can exchange\nideas, map local issues, share knowledge and mobilise support for social\ninitiatives.<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence (AI) can also be used to assist with\npreliminary research, process information, draft programme plans and\nproduce educational materials.<\/p>\n
Imagine a group of young people in one region developing a campaign\nto reduce waste through short videos, then linking it to an\nenvironmental reporting system and local waste-bank activities.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, a youth community could create educational content to help\nmicro-business owners market their products, improve packaging and reach\nnew customers.<\/p>\n
These examples show that digital creativity can be a gateway to\ncommunity participation. Success should not be measured solely by how\nwidely content is shared, but by whether it encourages behavioural\nchange, strengthens residents\u2019 capabilities or helps solve shared\nproblems.<\/p>\n
Creative spaces on social media therefore need to be designed as more\nthan publication channels. They should be places to learn, experiment\nand collaborate, and to connect ideas with action.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/engaging-young-people-in-development-through-creative-social-media-spaces-1793335965", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }