SOME MISCONCEPTIONS THAT HINDER THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR FULL AND MEANINGFUL YOUTH PARTICIPATION

Abstract

The article is dedicated to some misconceptions that modern society and its systems create among young people and how this affects their active and meaningful participation. The research interest was provoked by a series of observations while the author works with young people as a youth worker, researcher and lecturer in the field of youth policy. This experience outlined the mix use of certain notions that are indicative about confusions either at the level of the terminology or rather is a manifestation of deficit of knowledge of youth policies as public policies. The study takes active and meaningful youth participation as its object, and the various contemporary misconceptions of the mentioned below aspects and their respective impact as its subject of study. Its main goal is to clarify and harmonize the understanding of key issues that today's society constantly raises and to discuss how misconceptions directly affect and influence, most negatively, active and meaningful youth participation. This will improve the understanding of the role of the younger generation in various processes, as well as improve intergenerational dialogue and create a better environment for the development of teams, organizations and communities and their management.