7 key actions for youth leadership in knowledge management
By Paul Atsu and Gladys Kemboi.
For knowledge management (KM) to have a viable future, younger generations need to not only be involved to a much greater extent, but also increasingly encouraged and supported in taking on leadership roles in the KM community.
As part of the international Knowledge Management for Development (KM4Dev) community, we’re already leading the way with our Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). Please join the KM4Dev Forum to find out more about our YLF meetings.
Through the KM4Dev YLF, we have developed the 7 key actions for youth leadership in knowledge management listed below.
These key actions were recently advocated to the United Nations (UN) in the Summit of the Future. The UN Pact for the Future, released at the end of the Summit, identifies a significant role for youth in achieving a sustainable future for humanity and the planet (see in particular section IV). The Pact for the Future is the blueprint for the reinvigorated UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next six years.
7 key actions for youth leadership in knowledge management
- Support Inclusive Programs: Advocate for initiatives that engage diverse youth in knowledge management.
- Invest in Training: Promote the development of skills-focused training and mentorship programs for young people.
- Foster Collaboration: Encourage partnerships between governments, NGOs/CSOs, and the private sector to expand opportunities.
- Amplify Youth Voices: Ensure young people are represented in decision-making processes at all levels.
- Promote Innovation: Create platforms for youth to share innovative solutions addressing community challenges.
- Ensure Equal Access: Push for policies that guarantee all youth have access to knowledge management resources and opportunities.
- Creating Equal Opportunities: There’s need for systemic changes to ensure all young people have access to opportunities in knowledge management, contributing to a more equitable society.
Biographies:
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Paul Atsu is a member of KM4Dev Core Group and Team Leader for the Youth Leadership Forum of young people under KM4Dev and the Country Representative of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development YPARD – Ghana. Paul is a development communications practitioner with over 10 years of experience in rural and urban communities, has expertise in information sharing, documentation, and knowledge management for sustainable agri-food systems, assisting rural women and youth in agriculture in developing sustainable business models with indigenous knowledge systems approach. |
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Gladys Kemboi is a PhD Candidate in Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She leads knowledge cafes and the Youth Leadership Forum for the Knowledge Management for Development community (KM4Dev). Until 2023, Gladys was Global Learning and Knowledge Management Advisor at Jhpiego based in Baltimore, USA. She implemented the Global Coalition Knowledge Management Strategy on Youth, Peace and Security at UNDP. |
Header image source: UK Department For International Development (DFID) on Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
