I was active in the youth organization of our village when I was young. I was an officer of the organization all throughout my high school and college years. And during our term as officers, we made it a point that our summers would be filled with activities. After all, summer is the best time of the year to go out and have fun when you are young.
Sportsfests, fund-raising projects, fiesta preparations, and even out-of-town excursions. The fun we got from organizing these activities was reward in itself. The camaraderie cultivated the friendships. And the responsibilities consequently prepared us for bigger roles in our adult lives.
We have passed the torch of leadership about two generations ago. After all, we cannot remain in the Youth Club all our lives. Some of us now are even elevated to the Homeowners’ Association. But we have remained the kuya’s and ate’s for these young people, guiding them along the way.
But somehow it pains for us to see the organization we once loved so much being disregarded by apathetic members of the youth.
But it still puzzles me why. What? Have they become so busy with their household chores that they now cannot find time for extra-curricular activities anymore? Remember, these kids belong to families with at least one maid to perform the household work for them. Does cleaning your own bedroom now constitute a whole day activity? Or could it be that Playstation games now take much longer to finish that they are willing to sacrifice the fun of real sports competitions for the ultimate thrill of exercising your thumbs? Or have their virtual lives in the internet totally replaced their social lives?
Hay naku! Times are indeed changing. Tumatanda na talaga ako.
2 comments:
hi kulotski.
your post on youth apathy piqued my interest. i was hoping i could return the favor by inviting you to my blog -- http://comelec-ako.blogspot.com
its not much, and you probably will agree with a lot of wht i have to say, but your input will be much appreciated.
cheers
John Maxwell said that if the leaders you train are failures or if you cannot train leaders in three years, you as a leader has failed.
Getting the youth of today involved in social activities is really challenging. I founded a community-based youth-oriented theater group in Silang, Cavite. I'm currently the Chairman and the group has just reached it's 5th year of existence.
Members come and go, there is nothing we could do about it, but the important thing is to care and focus on the ones who so stay on and keep returning. One way of keeping them and enticing others to come back is to come up with something new and serving a worthy cause, of course it all depends on the vission and mission and goals and principles of the club or organisation.
If it's just your average neighborhood club, it won't last long, but if it serves a higher purpose, people will keep coming in to take the place of those who has lost interest or those who has lost faith in the group's beliefs and goals.
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