By Solomon Gumah, GNA
Dalun (N/R), April 07, GNA – Young people from 13 communities across the Kumbungu, Tolon, Sagnarigu and Savelugu Districts in the Northern Region have been equipped with knowledge and practical skills in civic engagement and community action.
The two-day event dubbed “Youth ACTS Forum”, was held under the theme: “Our Voice, Our Action: Youth Leading Change”.
It was aimed at strengthening youth’s participation in community development and decision-making processes.
The Youth ACTS Forum formed part of the Active Citizenship for Transformation and Sports (ACTS) project being implemented by Youth Opportunity Partnership Programme (YOPP) in partnership with DGI-Midtjylland with funding support from CISU in Denmark.
Mr Abu Abubakri, Executive Director of YOPP, speaking during the event at Dalun, underscored the importance of active youth involvement in governance and development.
He said young people had a critical role in shaping their communities and encouraged them to use their voices responsibly to influence positive change.
Mr Shani Mahama of Tamale Technical University, who facilitated the forum, led sessions on civic engagement and civic action, with discussions conducted in Dagbanli to ensure inclusivity and effective participation.
He engaged participants in interactive discussions, sharing real-life challenges from their communities, and collectively exploring solutions.
Participants were grouped to identify key community issues, analyse their causes and effects, and propose actionable solutions. Unemployment emerged as a major concern across many communities.
The forum encouraged participants to move beyond discussions to practical action by setting clear goals, developing action plans, and engaging relevant stakeholders to address identified challenges.
Each community group was tasked to return home to identify a pressing local issue and develop concrete action plans to address it, with a requirement to report back to YOPP within one week.
Ms Luna Bille of REEP Ghana also made a presentation on the use of digital platforms for civic engagement and advocacy.
She equipped participants with skills on how voices could be amplified in society and how social media platforms could be leveraged to drive change.
Participants also explored power dynamics within their families and communities, identifying individuals, whose voices were often heard and discussed ways to build confidence to express their views while supporting others.
The sessions highlighted the responsible use of social media including the need to verify information before sharing and to create meaningful and impactful content on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
Participants were guided on content creation strategies including crafting clear messages, maintaining authenticity, using relevant hashtags, and engaging consistently with audiences.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade