Youth Caucus - CSD-18

Last night, CSD-18 ended and now I am thinking about all the friends I made, experiences I would not exchange for anything and wondering how things can get back to normal....

The Youth Caucus are the driving force behind the Major Working Group of Children and Youth. Due to this, we drafted 23 oral interventions (most of any working group), we wrote statements, lobbied delegations, held bi-lateral meetings, discussed lobby strategies, discussed social outreach and organised sub working groups on regional / & thematic bases. Since, we were approximately 40 people in total. There was a lot of overlap, every individual has different strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I am great at editing or proof reading fast. I also am good and research. This was combined with the dynamic skills of the rest of the group so that we could even simultaneously edit interventions during sessions using pirate or ether pad. I learnt a huge amount about teamwork, the importance of clear "soft" leadership (aka facilitators) and about UN procedure & protocol.

Lessons Learnt!

1. Be yourself.

I found that I participated most effectively when I allowed myself to use my strengths constructively. I tend to be very organised, work fast, innovative, a perfectionist when it comes to editing documents and punctual. These qualities were an asset to me during the CSD-18. I love to meet new people, debate new ideas, learn and explore new concepts. This highly motivated and talented group of youth from all over the world allowed me to take my capacity and to exceed it. They challenged me to articulate my ideas, to reach consensus, to establish dialog and to network with delegates / trade unions / business representatives and NGOs. We worked long hours together on the same projects and yet we managed to do so with a strong spirit of friendship and understanding. They allowed me to be myself and yet motivated me to discover new skills (such as drafting statements and chairing meetings :P ).

2. Have Fun

While there was no shortage of work at the CSD-18 for the youth caucus. There was also no shortage of fun! Every morning we would begin at 7:30-8am. We then had a briefing (8-9am) followed by a mad rush into working groups / drafting process to have something ready (or at least mostly ready) by 10am. These working groups were conducted online and this allowed us to work in the Vienna Cafe while sipping hot chocolate or lattes.

We would usually alternate between the different session locations, escape briefly for side events or to hear the statements being read and the resume online with a section of the group. As we all alternated between the statements, there was a point person for each one so that at least someone would make sure it was completed.

Our days would generally end with another round of briefings. As I was in the European lobby group. We would usually finish at about 8pm. Then we would all wonder off and find somewhere to eat as a massive group (without a reservation). The evenings would then end at 11-1am. We would scurry off to where ever we happened to be living and sleep. To do it all again. After two weeks....I can really start to feel the tiredness. However, work is not over....Monday is Rio +20 prepcom (preparatory committee for those of us who don't get all the acronyms).

3. Express yourself


It is amazing how articulating your ideas, contributing your perspective or skills develops them. The more I expressed myself...the more I learnt about and from other people. The more contacts I made, the more opportunities I discovered and the better I established myself. I quickly found myself absorbed into a diverse group of wonderful people. I found myself leading the social media group or being encouraged to participate in other adventures. Expressing myself was such a tiny step that led to better things.


4. Advocate for change!


This was the essential reason that we were there. We were there to participate, identify gaps, identify needs and address it together in a spirit of consultation.