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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ICT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARTS & CREATIVE INDUSTRY
Image credit: http://http://ow.ly/gI53I 3ddock / 123RF Stock Photo
5/31/2014 West Africa Regional Workshop on Youth,
ICTs & Global Challenges
“Too much agreement kills a chat.” Eldridge Cleaver
5/31/2014 West Africa Regional Workshop on Youth,
ICTs & Global Challenges
Why do the youth need ICT?
Increased participation in
political process
Training needed to pursue a career or studies
For young people, access to info means
better access to capital & markets
Recognition of the youth as responsible
citizens
ITU research has shown benefits of
ICT across all major sectors
ICT & THE YOUTH (COTD.)
Youth entrepreneurship is facilitated by access to technology, the internet and information.
Good news is that the youth are using ICT – the challenge is to inspire them to use it to change their world in a positive way.
National and international policy and regulatory bodies – governments, civil society and the UN have a role to play in encouraging the accelerated use of ICTs for the development of the youth
POTENTIAL OF ICTs IN YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Source: Adapted from Haddad (2007)
The United Nations, Youth & ICT • The United Nations recognizes young people as avid and creative
users of ICTs, and as key contributors to building an inclusive Information Society and bridging the Digital Divide.
• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) produced goals with respect to the development and expansion of access to ICT globally
• The WSIS Geneva Plan of Action included goals to connect educational institutions with ICT by 2015 and to adapt school curricula to meet the challenges of the Information Society. The importance of capacity building and ICT literacy is also highlighted.
• The World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) also highlights the importance of improving access to the Internet and to increase information technology literacy at large.
Ghana Youth & ICT
Ghana’s ICT4AD policy recognizes the need to
Develop the nation’s human resource in critical skill areas in all sectors of the economy
Promote basic ICT training in all schools and colleges
Transform Ghana into information and knowledge-driven ICT literate nation
YOUTH, ICT & CREATIVE INDUSTRY
The arts & creative industry embraces a wide spectrum of modern economic endeavours such as design, fashion, screenwriting, music, film and television
The creative industry is part of the new knowledge economy (Addy, 2013). Creativity is in fact the key to all forms of development and progress – economic , technological social – for any country or society.
THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY: GHANAIAN CONTEXT
Creativity is at the heart of Ghanaian culture – a defining feature of our national identity. Ghana is a creative country. You can feel it everywhere – in our music, film, fashion and architecture.
OPPORTUNITIES: In the transition to knowledge-based economies, the creative or cultural industries have emerged as the most rapidly growing sector.
CHALLENGES: From discussions with Creative Industries ( CI ) businesses and personalities within Ghana, it appears that the key issues facing CI entrepreneurs in Ghana can be summarized as:
CHALLENGES (CONTD.)
Networking – Limited informal and formal networks, national, regional and international, personal and virtual
Lack of business support - business advice, specific business skills, liaison with organisations and professionals for this purpose
Limited use of ICT, e-commerce, professional software (graphics, administrative systems) i.e. training needs
How can ICT Empower the Youth in the Creative Industry
Equal, global opportunity for the youth in the arts.
Can be used as a marketing tool. Promotional Presentations such as;
PowerPoint presentations, video presentations and animation software are used to promote DVD and CD products, usually new releases.
Sony promote new music releases through YouTube, sonymusic SME's Channel.
Sony also promotes its music CDs through the Twitter website (twitter.com/SONYMUSICGLOBAL).
POLICY CONCLUSIONS
It appears that access and use of ICTs can be a powerful tool to:
Spread knowledge and information;
Provide employment; and
Increase participation among young people (Kenny, 2006)
As such, the general policy prescriptions that apply to access and use of ICT among the youth in general, and particularly youth in the arts are relevant.
Education (introduction of computers to the youth the arts)
Working with stakeholders to prevent access to harmful content
Providing business support
Encouraging networking
SOURCES CITED
Addy Nii-Okai, G. (2013). A New Agenda for Arts, Culture, Heritage and the Creative Industries: http://www.aaaccra.org/
Haddad, W (2007) ICTs for Education: A Reference Handbook. Retrieved on May 15, 2014 from http://www.ictinedtoolkit.org/
Kenny, C. (2006)Overselling the Web? Development and the Internet Boulder: Lynne Reienner
UNESCO (2011). Promoting Arts and Creativity. Available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/hiv-and-aids/
Kirstie V. Angstman
Arts Administrator & Executive Director of Kianda Consult
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +233 (0) 50 680 8929
Freeman W.K Homatekpor (BBA, ABE)
Project Coordinator, Kianda Consult
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +233 (0) 54 675 9925