Youth Participation in the Caribbean

Critically examining narratives of participation in governance and development, this volume adds Caribbean voices and experiences to the global discourse on youth participation. The essays provide empirical case studies of institutions, practices and processes of youth engagement in the politics of Caribbean development, orienting the reader to the political culture of the Caribbean and the position of youth within small societies. Covering experiences at intergovernmental, national and local levels, as well as formal and informal modes of participation, it examines how young people have organised themselves or have been organised to engage with the state and with community agents in politics, public policy and activism. It illustrates the heterogeneity of youth political participation, employing multi- disciplinary, multi- level and mixed- method analyses from the fields of demography, political science, social policy, development studies and youth development. Critical themes addressed include regional governance, democratic representation, online engagement, local governance and community development. In exploring these themes, the book discusses the legitimacy and inclusiveness of governance in relation to age, gender, race, geography and socio-economic status. The findings will be useful to students, researchers and policymakers alike who are keen to improve governance and contribute to inclusive sustainable development in the Caribbean.

Dr Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts is a Jamaican who writes about the politics of development with special attention to Caribbean experiences of governance, regionalism and youth development. She explores these themes in her book and edited collections including The Politics of Integration: Caribbean Sovereignty Revisited (2013), 'Youthscapes' of Development in the Caribbean and Latin America (2014) and Pan- Caribbean Integration: Beyond CARICOM (2018). She founded the SALISES "50/50 Youth" Research Cluster at the University of the West Indies and now serves as Research Manager in the Economics, Youth and Sustainable Development Directorate of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Part I: Contextualising Youth Participation in the Caribbean 1. Introducing Youth Participation as a Political Imperative for Caribbean Development 2. A Review of the Socio-Political Context of Youth Participation in the Caribbean 3. Understanding the Demographic Imperative: Implications of Historical and Projected Population Dynamics for Youth Policy Part II: (Trans)National Participation and Representation4. Rethinking Youth Participation in CARICOM Regional Governance 5. Reflections on National Youth Organization and Representation: Lessons from Saint Lucia 6. Like Walking a Tight Rope: Leadership, Youth Empowerment and Organisational Culture in Political Youth Wings in Trinidad and Tobago 7. Aspirations of Young Female Leaders in Transitioning to Elective Politics in Barbados 8. Youth Mobilising Youth to Vote: An Examination of a Youth-Led Voter Education Initiative in Guyana Part III: Participation in Local Governance 9. The Political Nature of Informal Youth Participation: Paint Jamaica in Downtown Kingston 10. Transparency and Accountability: Capacity-B\uilding for Young Social Auditors in Belize