Issue 3: Process of Leadership Renewal
Issue 3: Process of Leadership Renewal
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Pre-Panel Discussion
1. What is relationship between Youths and Tamil community leaders?
• There is a generation gap between the leaders and youths. Many of us are not aware of our Tamil community leaders.
• We can see the outcome due to the efforts of organisations, but the hard work and effort put in by the leaders are not visible enough.
• Youths should be part of the planning. When youth and important people work together, the generation gap is bridged. Without leadership renewal, there will be a lack of new ideas. Leaders will stick to the old way of doing things, leading to stagnation and lack of innovation.
• Our community tends to look at someone differently when they are in power. There is too much hierarchy in our community.
• All the interactions are too formal. There is a lack of trust and only politically correct content is discussed during interaction. This results in youths not opening up.
• Opportunities are there. It’ s the matter of whether we want to take it up or not.
2. Do you think youths are ready to be leaders?
• They are not ready to represent the community at the moment. There was more community involvement by youths in the past. Now, they are more self-centred and have a different mindset. They look at organizations as something not very beneficial in joining.
• The current cabinet is receptive of feedback and hence the youths do not see the urge to step up to become community leaders.
• There are not many leadership opportunities in Tamil organizations. Since Tamil organizations in schools are limited, e. g. Indian Cultural Societies and Tamil Language Societies, opportunities to serve as a leader in these organizations are also limited. Hence, some of the students move on to be part of the exco in other non-Indian organizations.
• Some youths feel that it works both ways, i. e. both the organization and the youth have to reach out. Organizations have to reach out to youth to spread more awareness about their programs and leadership opportunities. Similarly, students also have to actively participate in community activities and seek opportunities for themselves.
• There are unequal opportunities. Some Tamil and Indian societies are smaller and have fewer resources as compared to others. Therefore, students in these societies have even fewer opportunities as compared to those in well-connected societies.
• Students also face commitment issues. Tamil youths prioritize academic work and social life more than community work. Hence, even if Indian organizations reach out to youths, one cannot guarantee that they will make full use the opportunities given to them.