Role of Youth in the Society
Youth are back bone to the nation. They can change the future of the society with their well being and courageous behavior. They are here to show us that which we have not been willing to look at within ourselves. Unfortunately today we find the youth those who are more interested in other places which are not useful to them as well as nation. They choose to spend their days doing drugs and playing video games. They spends their nights partying and living it up, so to speak more about young men of this age group are sitting at home in front of their televisions playing games all day instead of bettering themselves or going to work. They have no vision and if they do have dreams they do not have the drive to make any attempt at achieving them. We must get control of this. We must motivate our youth. We must teach responsibility and goal setting. I fear if we do not we will soon be supporting an entire generation of homeless and needlessly on welfare families. Things have to change, with our schools, with the older generation being good role models, with the older generation being mentors, and with the youth who are right now doing nothing.

For those of you are in age of teen, you have a choice. You can allow yourselves to stay your course and do nothing or you can rise above what the cynics around you expect and go get educated or get jobs. Show the older generation they are wrong about you. Let them know you have intelligence and skills. Show yourself what you are made of. You might be surprised at how proud of yourself you become with even the smallest of accomplishments. I can tell you that nothing can happen if you do not try bad or good. You will not become rich overnight either way but at least if you make an effort, then you have begun your journey to your dreams.

Challenges Facing the Youth in today’s Society
Most of the problems facing today’s youth are not restricted to any one ethnic or religious group but affect young people generally. Most discussions on youth have focused on issues such as drug abuse, crime, violence, sexuality and poverty. In addition to these, today’s youth are afflicted by new challenges.
These include:
(a). An Identity Crisis: Who am I?
(b). Lack of self confidence and low self esteem: I am worthless!
(c). A sense of hopelessness: Where am I going?
(d).Confusion and ambiguity concerning moral issues: What is right and wrong?
(f).The negative impact of highly advancement in technology like media: Entertainment?
(g). Competitiveness in education: the uneven playing field.
(h.) Excellence by whom? Not Me!

So let gets down to some point of today’s Youth and Society.

Dominant Culture:
Is Trinidad and Tobago a “Religious” Society in the truest sense? Is God’s help sought at all times or do we conveniently call on God on special occasions as a mere formality?

In my view, we are witnessing an erosion of traditional systems and institutions. As such the Family and religion now have a minimal impact on the average youngster. The values emphasized today include individualism, Godlessness, materialism, secularism and rationalism.

It is the youth who are encountering the most serious challenge to his/her faith under the impact of godless culture of modernity.

Best minds in our society are not socialized by religious institutions. The emphasis is on competitive, academic success, career goal, income and social mobility. Little or no attention is given to preparing tomorrows leadership. There is no emphasis is placed on critical thinking, problem solving. We are preparing followers, imitators, conformists, innovators or problem solvers and not leader. The youth is being asked to give up certain family and social values that were an integral part of their identity, and adopt in its place a sense of self-alienation, and become a self estranged imitator of everything "modern".

We need to pay close attention to the effects of secularism: confining the role of religion to the private domain of the individual and creating a dichotomy between "religious" and "worldly," between "private" and "public." It denies religion and its mediating institutions any public function and influence in shaping matters of public policy.

Technology and Gadgets:
We are witnessing a phenomenal advancement in technology over the last three decades, and our citizens are experiencing remarkable social and cultural change. This drastic change has generated psychological and social dislocations among many people. Moreover, technology has influenced the way we think about life in general and interpersonal human relations, primarily among the youth. Certainly, religion should influence all aspects of our life. It regulates our relationship to God and fellow human beings. When religion is made insignificant and is reduced to one among many other forms of cultural expressions, then meaningful existence and interpersonal relationships that are cultivated by its presence are threatened. In its place personal greed and intensified forms of individuation breed self-centered and "first me" individualism. If these tendencies are not kept in check by concern for the well being of others, as taught by religion, it could lead to a self-serving, ego-centered individual within our community.

Technology along with hi-fi gadgets has gone beyond its mandate to assist the family and the school in providing visual aid and education to the young. It has taken upon itself to appeal to the destructive and disintegrative instincts, to provoke greed, unlimited self gratification, and absence of moral restraint in its young audience.

Religious groups must create alternate avenues for recreation and social interaction. There should be avenues where spiritual and social activities combine to
make the average child a whole human being whose life is directed to God. Adults should ensure that he or she benefits and makes full use of the cultural resources of his or her society. This is a delicate task, and much research and brainstorming need to take place before we arrive at solutions.

Education System:
In order to grow, there is need for re-structuring of the education system, so as to minimize competition and rivalry and thereby reduce the feelings of marginalization and exclusion among low achievers. Also, there is need for reform of the curriculum so as to include universally desirable values that are necessary for producing well rounded, balanced and useful citizens. So in our present situation, educations play a major role along with religious devotion and relate moral commitment. Therefore, the youth of today does not have the moral guidance to be able to pursue the right course when faced with a moral dilemma.

Family:
The parents, consequently, have to assume an active role in the moral development of their children. They need to become fully involved at every stage in the child's mental growth until they attain maturity. This involvement includes learning to communicate with the younger generation through their books and reading materials. Also, there is need for constructive entertainment and personal involvement in the selection of the types of entertainment (whether at home or outside). This is very critical and almost inevitable since there is enormous pressure on the children from outside their home to participate in undesirable activities.

According to the Wall Street Journal (April 6, 1990), on the average American parents spend less than fifteen minutes a week in serious discussion with their children. American fathers spend an average of seventeen seconds per day of intimate contact with their children. In Trinidad and Tobago, the figures may not be significantly better. Let us ponder about the undesirable effects of this trend of parental non-involvement and the absence of suitable alternatives.
Hopefully, let us remember that we have a serious challenge on our hands: to ensure that today’s children (tomorrow’s adults) would experience a better world than we are living in today. We should all work towards this objective and not wait for a crisis to occur and then react, let us be prepared.