Latin America Youth: Leaders and Entrepreneurs

From a passive role, when they expected everything to come to them, young people in Latin America have now become decisive and active players in their countries. They have the will to thrive, to grow, to improve and be decisive stakeholders in society. But to turn will into facts, they need a little push.

For Carlos Heredia, professor and researcher at Mexico’s Center for Economic Research and Teaching, we must support entrepreneurial efforts of this age group. The goal is not the success of their personal ventures, but for other kinds of social, cultural initiatives to thrive, and thus create more opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Increasing public investment in education, high-quality jobs, participation and entrepreneurship for diversity is the most feasible path to attain this goal, according to Alejo Ramírez, Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Youth Organization (Argentina).

Undoubtedly, a specific set of measures can create the necessary conditions for young Latin Americans to thrive. In the field of education, an important step may be to distinguish between the formal education system and the real economy. “Students are prepared for everything, except for work. 40% does not finish high school,” said Eugenio Ravinet, a public affairs consultant in Chile. Education must include opportunities to build entrepreneurship capacities, and support towards success, as well as to ensure spaces for innovation.

Regional integration with Erasmus-style student exchange programs, or devising public policies aimed at promoting youth leadership, is the main challenge for Latin America. We must also understand that creating high-quality jobs today will help make social security systems sustainable within a few years. Helping our young people today is helping everyone’s future.