Challenges
Youth Engagement Services (YES) Network Pakistan/PNYS has played a playing a pioneer role in starting a National Youth Service Program and advocating with parliamentarians and senior civil servants for the creation of a Youth Service Policy in Pakistan. The concept of Youth Service is very new in Pakistan. The mass media like TV, radio and newspaper are silent on this issue. The majority of the Parliamentarians are still unaware about the concept of Youth Service. The high ranking civil servants and bureaucrats have never expressed any priority for this important issue. The civil society Organizations at all levels are naive about this vitally important concept for National Development. Youth Engagement Services (YES) Network Pakistan/PNYS is acting as the advocacy catalyst to create advocacy opportunities and coordinate activities to sensitize these groups. Every two citizens out of three in Pakistan are young people. This is a massive untapped human capital which has not been harnessed for the development of the Country. Their potential is not recognized; instead they are considered as a problem. Youth Engagement Services (YES) Network Pakistan/PNYS has taken the lead responsibility to initiate an extensive process of consultation with Youth Organizations, Parliamentarians and senior civil servants, Media, Donor's communities and Chamber of Commerce. It has introduced the concept of National Youth Service to parliamentarians, NGOs and Media to lay the foundation for a new perspective which will enable them to develop a new understanding of the role of youth in reconstruction and development of their communities, country and their personal development. It has also shared with them successful Service Programs overseas. Our past efforts have succeeded in breaking the ice. It has created awareness among key players in policy making and sensitized them regarding the importance of a National Youth Service Policy in Pakistan. Not only parliamentarians from the present government, but opposition leaders such as Mr. Aitazaz Ahsan and Mr. Liaquat Baloch have also sent us messages in support of National Youth Service Policy. Our current efforts are aiming at establishment of Provincial Advocacy Units in the country to build up the momentum and effectively communicate the relevance, priority and urgency for the development of National Youth Service Policy and Programs.
It is true that there is no Youth Service Program of the government of Pakistan. Rather most government authorities confuse youth service with the welfare services needed and desired by the youth. One of our major tasks is to clarify and remove the misconceptions about the concept of Youth Service. For this purpose our volunteers are advocating and working closely with the government and trying to obtain political commitment. Our relationship with the various ministries so far has been very smooth and encouraging. In this context we are aiming to introduce National Youth Service as an integral component of the National Youth Policy. We hope to vigorously advocate it in view of its relevance and importance for a developing country like Pakistan. Our past efforts have succeeded in breaking the ice. It has created awareness among key players in policy making and sensitized them regarding the importance of a National Youth Service Policy in Pakistan. Not only parliamentarians from the present government but opposition leaders such as Mr. Aitazaz Ahsan and Mr. Liaquat Baloch have also sent us messages in support of National Youth Service Policy.
Since the launching of the Pakistan National Youth Service program in Pakistan, its volunteers have been working tirelessly for the promotion of the concept of Service as well as to demonstrate the positive impact of the program on them and the communities where they are serving. PNYS is getting tremendous feedback from the youth of other provinces who are so excited and offering themselves to become part of it. In a short span its volunteers have demonstrated the value and worth of involving youth into community building activities.