Are all of Bhutanese youths really problematic? Are they good-for-nothing, helpless drug addicts who refuse to take up blue collar jobs?<\/p>\n
No!<\/p>\n
The notion that youth can be a part of the solution was reiterated by the speakers who came and spoke on different topics during the two week training for the 20 member Youth Initiative for Debate, Deliberation and Development, a project of Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy<\/a>. Rather, they commended the potential of the youth if they were given the platform. Nurturing youth today is the area worth investing for it will usher us brighter future.<\/p>\n The Representatives were given training on Meditation and Mindfulness, and engaged in discussions on Constitution, democracy, governance, public policy, education, employment and youth, drugs and mental health. Elaborate and extensive training on debate, deliberation and democratic problem solving was provided where Representatives got to debate and come to consensus on the issue concerned.<\/p>\n A hike to Kuensel Phodrang provided the ideal opportunity for the group to solve problem democratically when we were stuck in the woods. Amid differing views on which way to take to return to our Camp, the group after discussion and decision, reached safely to the Camp. Yet, the task was far from being delivered for the Group had major task to be deliberated on the issues they were to raise on 17th<\/sup> January, 2014.<\/p>\n The group was divided into three Committees<\/a>, viz. Community Welfare, Education and Social Justice, each committee having one issue at hand. For three days, we did literature review, went to field \u2013 to interview, observe and collect resources.<\/p>\n