Nothing is impossible

Ranulph Fienne’s conquering of Everest should demonstrate to us that nothing is impossible. It may be that we feel helpless, oppressed, overwhelmed or scared at the prospect of action or inaction. But these are emotions that can be overcome with the right approach.

Youth disengagement is one of the issues that people increasingly wring their hands over. But it does not need to be like this. People often say that the young are not engaged in politics enough, or at all.

Yet is political participation the only way to engage the young? Of course not. We need to move away from this view and embrace civic participation wholeheartedly. What happens to those young who are not involved in politics, but at the same time are not roaming the streets? Do they disappear into a black hole? No. They are playing sports, learning to play a musical instrument, attending a youth club, doing charity work or some other commendable activity.

We need to get away from expecting all young people to be the same. It is this enforcement of our expectations rather than other’s aspirations which leads government to introduce absurd and unworkable policies such as 50% of young people going to university.

Yet government should not take all the flack. Society needs to value every individual contribution made.

Only after realising that we all have a shared role to play can we start to progress. The government’s closure of playing fields was lamentable but what was more lamentable was their failure to introduce a replacement. Education should not just be seen as an exercise in the art of the academic but as an emotional enlightenment.

For this reason let us take steps to implement a full civic participation programme and turn the page on the hand wringing.