What Youth Want

In this review of 25 statements from youth summits and consultations globally, as well as 11 national and regional youth polls, we hear some priorities we expect: youth want jobs, the chance to start their own businesses, and high-quality relevant education.

But we also see that young people everywhere are increasingly concerned about issues of governance, corruption, and both regional and national security.

In a world where prosperity and opportunity are routinely swept away in a torrent of civil strife or regional conflict, millions of young people ardently want to be part of the solution, rather than the source of the problem. And indeed many young people already are bringing forward the kinds of nontraditional and innovative solutions that help create a safer and more prosperous world for all of us.

This guide builds upon the groundbreaking Global Youth Wellbeing Index, published jointly by CSIS and IYF in 2014. The insights from the Index, combined with this lucid articulation of what young people themselves are saying, give us unambiguous direction for our investments.