Young people today have tons of opportunities, but also a lot riding on their shoulders. The world’s dealing with some major stuff like climate change, tech messing things up, things not being fair, and people struggling mentally. It’s pretty clear that young people aren’t just waiting for the future – they’re already making waves. They’ve got the energy, ideas, and drive to seriously improve the country – making it not just richer, but smarter, kinder, and able to last. Getting them in the mix isn’t just a trend; it’s what we gotta do to make sure everyone’s involved and things are fair and can keep going, like the United Nations says with their goals.But to really change things, young people need to do a lot. Get educated, volunteer, think about the earth, build communities, be real, plan ahead, get how tech works, care about mental health, bring everyone in, and be good citizens. This article checks out ten ways young people can step up, using studies and stories that show how much they can change stuff when they get the power and a fair shot.
1. Get a Good Education and Keep Learning.
Education’s huge for everyone and the country. But to make the country better, school needs to teach more than just facts and getting good grades. A good education should help you think for yourself, get creative, make good choice, and know your way around computers – stuff you seriously need now.Recent studies say it’s important for young people to get AI. One study on young people testing AI shows when they learn how, they can see the problems in those set ups and give helpful suggestions from what they’ve been through. That means teaching young people to be good and know their tech is just as vital as what’s in their books, so they can help lead the country and dream up cool stuff.When young people get a well-rounded education, they can ask questions, be creative, and act like they should. If we push them to keep learning – at school and everywhere else – they’ll keep up with what’s changing and help the country pull forward for the rest of their lives.
2. Volunteer and Help Out.
Volunteering’s a great way for young people to learn to think about others, lead, and feel like they fit in somewhere. When they give their time and energy to something bigger than themselves, they see how we’re all tied together and what we can do when we team up.For example, the Youth WellTech project shows how young people who volunteer to come up with tech for mental health can fix things and learn to see things from different views, get tough, and step up. Volunteering shows you how to fix problems, work as a team, and handle projects – skills you can take back to help the country.Volunteering also makes helping others just a normal thing, so young people see themselves like they can make a difference in their neighborhoods. Whether they’re cleaning up, teaching kids, or talking about what’s important, volunteering shows them how to be good citizens and makes their place stronger.
3. Think About the Earth.
A country that’s improving protects its earth for now and later. Thinking about the environment isn’t just nice; it’s vital to keep things going. Young people, who will have to live with the trash, are really into climate action and making sure things can last.Studies of what they think about the goals show they see earth stuff – like climate change, losing animals, and making power clean – as what matters. By living green, joining groups, and making sure things can last, they can make others join in and get the government to act.Young people are also using tech to think up and share solutions, like power from the sun and farming that doesn’t hurt the ground. They’re ready for a change, which makes them great at leading the move to a greener way.
4. Build Communities Where Everyone Fits in.
A country’s only as strong as people living near each other. Young people can help bring people together and help those who are struggling, studies on youth subcultures show when young people build who they are and feel like they fit in, it can make good things happen and spark new ideas. By making places where everyone’s welcome – in real life and online – they can help people talk, be kind, and work together to fix problems.Projects like the Think of Us platform for young people in foster care show how tech, with young people in charge, can make ways to help those who need it. By fighting for everyone to be included, have access, and be treated fairly, This ensures progress is something we all get to share.
5. Be Real All the Time.
Realness is key for groups you can trust and societies that are good. If young people get being honest in their lives, they’ll be ready to be leaders who do the right thing, citizens who do what they should, and voices you can listen to in the community.In the world now, with fake stuff everywhere, being real also means checking stuff over and standing against lies. They understand these problems and want to help tech be fair and act like it should be, like by testing AI.When young people are honest in who they are, what they do at school, and what they do for the community, they set a good example for everyone. Being truthful builds trust, makes democracy stronger, and lays the ground for progress to last.
6. Plan for What’s Coming.
A country that is getting better can see what’s changing and get ready for it. Young people, who are into new ideas and get new tech fast, are set up to dream about and shape the future.Programs that use young people as thinkers and creators – like global mental health tech events – show how important their ideas are. By planning and getting ready, they can help everyone deal with big changes and use new chances.About the future also means being tough and being able to change. As the world deals with money moves, health scares, and tech changes, young people need to be ready to not just live, but to lead when things are not sure.
7. Use Tech to Make Things Better.
Tech is big now. It’s important to use it like you should to make things better. Young people are often the first ones to use new tech, using it for everything from school and taking action to starting businesses.Studies of what young people think about making things last show they see social media as key to make people come together, share stuff, and have their voices heard. Platforms like Think of Us use computers to give personal help to young people in foster care, showing how tech can help make up for places others aren’t.By designing tech, testing AI, and pushing for computers to be easier to understand, young people help tech grow everyone and keep away from the problems like being biased and leaving people out. Using tech like you should is a sign of a new group making things better.
8. Be There for Mental Health.
Mental health is getting seriously important for the country to do better. The stress of the world – made worse by social media, school, and problems around the globe – are causing more stress and sadness for young people. We’re even losing them.Young people are leading the way in helping with mental health, like in the Youth WellTech program, where they find and push solutions they can use. By talking, being there for friends, and teaming up, young people can cut down feelings and make it easier to get help.Thinking about how you’re doing also makes people tougher, able to get more done, and closer to others. When young people think about their heads, they help the country grow the right way.
9. Make Sure Everyone Is Included.
Progress isn’t just about cash; it’s about making sure everyone can join in and get something. Young people are key to pushing to include, fighting the wrongs, and acting fair.Research that checks what young people think about the goals shows what they think of what is being done to deal with poverty, access to education, equality, and fairness. I can see that they use online platforms to arrange and talk about these problems, reaching people that others miss.Programs that give young people from different places something to do show how much including people can make things different. By fighting for fairness, young people help break down walls and build a a society that’s better for anyone.
10. Be a Citizen Who Cares.
A country that is getting better needs people to join in. For young people, this means more than voting or protests, but keep being involved and knowing what’s going on.Studies show that young people want to say what’s up, especially for things about their future. When they show up at meetings, they give new ideas that make decisions better.Being a citizen who cares also means keeping up, being kind to other ideas, and standing by what democracy means. By talking to each other, asking for things to be clear, and making leaders answer, young people make democracy stronger.
In the end, young people today are building it. By getting a good education, volunteering, thinking about nature, building places for all, being real, planning, using tech, helping with mental health, including people, and acting like they should with the right the country is one to make. Research and stories from the globe show when young people get power, are included, and get the tools, they can make things different, tough, and just.To move forward, we need everyone, groups, and people’s backgrounds to team up. Grownups, teachers, government people, and towns need to help young people join in, listen, and cut out what’s stopping them. That’s the only way we’ll see how much this whole thing can make better.
By: Aradhya Srivastava
Write and Win: Participate in Creative writing Contest & International Essay Contest and win fabulous prizes.