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APRIL, KUALA LUMPUR – Inspired by One Young World’s many key youth project areas, One Young World Malaysian Ambassador, Michael Teoh has embarked on preparing the 2nd One Young World Youth Report as a follow-up from last year’s highly successful MSC Malaysia – One Young World ‘Our Future Says’ Youth Report, which was presented to the delegation at last year’s London summit, and several copies of the report have reached the hands of prominent world figures, all vying to make the voices of the youths heard.
However, Michael promises that this year’s 2nd report would add a different spin towards the concept, adding that this year is dedicated towards highlighting youth projects which have been done successfully in Malaysia, to be taken as examples for youths to follow around the world.
The MSC Malaysia – One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ Report as it is currently named, would highlight inspirational stories of hundreds of Malaysian youths, who have volunteered and got involved in starting up their projects and campaigns to contribute towards creating positive impact to their communities.
“Last year, we wanted the concerns and ideas of the youths to be heard by global leaders. The One Young World youth ambassadors and myself have certainly took our stand and made our opinions heard by the veterans. But this year, lets drill down towards the implementation in realizing those ideas to solve our pressing global issues – Done by the youths, for the youths, via the youths. Lets not talk anymore. Lets just do it!” smiled Michael Teoh, echoing the call of his role-model, Sir Richard Branson on taking bold steps to achieve big results, as a calling for young people all around the world.
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The MSC Malaysia - One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ Report is the 2nd report produced by Malaysian youths, headed by a group of volunteers who have come together, to contribute their time, efforts and talents in reaching out to engage with different youth groups in Malaysia and sharing their stories and projects to the world.
The team this year is headed by Jonathan Chu, a 21 years old advertising strategist, who plays a huge role in coordinating efforts and online campaigns to reach out to youth groups addressing different issues in society in Malaysia. Interestingly also, Jonathan was involved as the lead editor for the 1st One Young World ‘Our Future Says’ Report last year, and he too promises that this year’s report would deliver something unique, which are both informational and inspiring for youths to read, replicate and emulate about best practices used to affect positive change, done by youths in Malaysia for their respective communities and countries.
Jonathan joined One Young World’s interview on the matter via online, where he gave a glimpse of the content of the 2nd report, to be presented at One Young World, Switzerland this year.
“We will be featuring 25 inspiring Malaysian youth personalities from different backgrounds, addressing different pressing issues around the globe and more importantly, presenting methods and best practices of real-life examples of projects that youths have done. We hope to empower the youths, starting with the young leaders at One Young World to realize their ideas and solutions for their communities, by learning from what our youths in Malaysia have done, through various mediums like social media platforms, to organizing campaigns, to managing a group of volunteers to meeting and getting support from the authorities – All those skills which would be needed for a youth leader to lead campaigns and movements,” said Jonathan, who is now also a hopeful candidate for the One Young World summit in Switzerland this year.
20 years old, award-winning youth designer and sought-after creative thinker, Bernie Quah, who is also a veteran for the One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ Report, contributes her design talents for the cover and the content’s layout for the 2nd edition of the youth report this year. Last year, Bernie too was involved as the designer for the 1st One Young World ‘Our Future Says’ Report, emphasizing on a more ‘Calm and Cooler’ design art for last year’s report. However, this year, the designs tend to be more ‘Provocative and Challenging’ as the intention is to challenge youths around the world to learn from best practices done by other youths and start bringing on efforts to assist pressing issues within their communities with references to projects featured in this year’s report.
“Knowledge is Power! We hope that the designs for the report this year would not only showcase a truly Malaysian-feel for our global friends, but also to ignite a new spirit among youths, wanting to get involved, realistically in solving world issues through their own efforts and projects,” said Bernie, who has carved her name locally as one of the country’s emerging young designers, after her involvements with the 1st One Young World Youth Report.
The Youth ‘Impact’ report team this year also welcomed two new volunteers who have contributed towards shaping the content of report. The One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ report this year was not an ‘Easy’ project, living up to the expectations set by its predecessor last year.
“Last year, we had 32,000 young Malaysians who shared with the world, their concerns about issues faced by the global communities, and a glimpse of their suggestions and solutions to solve them. To top that mark this year, we aimed to feature 100 Youth Projects and Initiatives, done by youths for the youths around the world, from Malaysia. Of course, we needed more help then!” smiled Michael, who conceived the idea of recruiting only the most talented and courageous young Malaysians to help him on the project this year.
Lionel Ngion is a mass communications student in Malaysia, and an active youth advocate in his services, leading youth movements to serve the needs of his neighbourhood. Coming from a mass communications background was a great addition to the team, however, it was Lionel’s passion to get involved with One Young World and this year’s Youth ‘Impact’ report that drew the team to him. Lionel believes that his involvement with the project this year, meant more than a ‘Cool’ portfolio for his CV. Rather he was sure that it brought along an entirely bigger meaning, as he could imagine, hundreds and thousands of youths, industry leaders, NGOs and government authorities may be reading his work and learning on how to bring amazing efforts to reality, just by empowering the youths with the confidence to participate in solving world issues.
“This is my first of many more projects to come, where I would like to use my skills, talents and knowledge in communications to help the youths. Youths these days need not be hand-held and be told what to do anymore. They just need to be inspired, have a following and a reference source for them to refer their actions and plans to. I hope to be the one who communicates that out to them, through this report,” said Lionel, who is well regarded in Malaysia as a young writer and an opinion leader in local issues and youth movements.
Lastly, the team welcomed Mohammed Mushamir, a respected young Malaysian leader, who is a student at world renowned university, Nottingham University in their Malaysian campus. Having already organized and participated in several international level youth gatherings and conferences, Mushamir brings his knowledge and insights about current issues to the team, and has been tasked to crowd-source and uncover youth leaders with inspirational stories to share in the community.
“This research report has definitely presented me with a great experience to connect with others and to learn about their struggles and successes as well, in championing the participation of youths in solving local issues. What is even more inspiring to me, would be the final product – A Youth ‘Impact’ report created to unveil what others have done right and wrong, so that more youths can follow and do something to solve the problems faced by our society. It is really a very fulfilling experience!” said Mushamir, who aspires to develop his leadership skills and one day become an ambassador for the world.
The four volunteers who have contributed their time, effort and ideas in realizing the MSC Malaysia – One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ Report have certainly gone a long way. An idea of reviving and improving the 1st report from last year ignited discussions between youth groups in Malaysia last December, and these four youth leaders have stepped up to take the lead, in representing the voices of their peers in this grand summit to champion the voices of youths in Switzerland this year.
Aside from the youths, the industry and government agencies have also been playing an active role in engaging the youths. For the proud sponsor of the One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ report this year – MSC Malaysia, the organization has stepped up to support the theme of empowering youths around the world, through the realization of such a report. Last year, MSC Malaysia co-funded One Young World Malaysian Ambassador, Michael Teoh’s trip to London for the inaugural summit and also supported him for the first MSC Malaysia – One Young World ‘Our Future Says’ Youth report. This year, their support has remained strong, with plans of distributing the report to more schools, universities and public outlets so that the general public could also learn about the inspirational stories behind different youth leaders in Malaysia.
“I would like to thank MSC Malaysia for giving us yet another opportunity to express our ‘Voices’ as youths this year. Only this time, it is not about our concerns, complains or merely ideas for solutions. It would be about What We Have Done, and What Others Can Learn From Us. It is about implementation and action this year, and I am glad that MSC Malaysia has the foresight to partake in supporting a national movement of youth engagement!” said a confident, Michael Teoh who hopes MSC Malaysia will support more youth initiatives in the future.
On the home front in Malaysia, Michael also admitted that the inspirations behind the report were drawn from various organizations who support youth development and engagement. One in particular is myHarapan, the Malaysian Youth Trust Foundation, a foundation which Michael personally supports. myHarapan has provided him with platforms to connect and work with various youth groups in learning about their struggles, getting insights about public policies and plans set for the youths and to assist them, through the various training schemes and networking opportunities that the foundation has presented.
“The team at myHarapan has been instrumental in inspiring me to design the concept of the report this year. It was more like a challenge, to inspire other youths about what their peers are doing, and how they too can learn from them,” added Michael.
On a larger picture, Michael admitted that Malaysian youths are rising up to participate in projects that bring great social impact to society, as shown through the examples led by iconic figures locally, to have motivated such movements to go active. The lead in Malaysia was taken by the Prime Minister himself, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, where the Premiere promoted Youth Empowerment and rallied up the government to play a role in listening, understanding and empowering young Malaysians with trust and responsibilities to contribute towards the growth of the country.
Admiration towards leading Malaysian entrepreneur and one of One Young World’s advisor in the 2010 London summit, Founder of Air Asia, Dato’ Seri Tony Fernandes had also inspired more youths to be enterprising and proactive in coming up with projects and movements that contribute towards the betterment of the country.
The MSC Malaysia – One Young World Youth ‘Impact’ Report will be launched during the 2nd One Young World summit, in September in Switzerland this year. The report will then be circulated among youth leaders who have gathered at the summit, and then a worldwide distribution, starting with Malaysia is also in the plans.
‘We hope that this report will make an even bigger impact and ignite the interest of youths to participate collectively in brainstorming for ideas, rallying up support and talents among their peers and putting their good work into practice! Everyone has a role to play, no matter big or small. It all boils down to us taking action! We, Malaysian youths have initiated this movement. Are you all ready around the world?” said Michael, who sees One Young World as the best platform for engage, inspire and lead youths to do great things for our world.
Living up towards President Obama’s Can Do Attitude, is phrase that has moved many to contribute their efforts to change our world – Yes We Can!