Survey: Caribbean youth want greater role in shaping regional policies

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Young people across the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are calling for greater involvement in shaping regional policies and programmes, according to findings from the 2026 CARICOM Regional Youth Survey.

The survey, which attracted responses from more than 550 young people across the Community, revealed strong support for mechanisms that would give youth a more meaningful role in regional governance and development.

“The findings will help inform ongoing efforts to strengthen youth engagement within CARICOM and ensure that regional policies and programmes are shaped by the voices, experiences, and priorities of young people,” said Michele Small-Bartley, Youth Development Programme Manager at the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat.

The Secretariat said the findings will inform discussions at the upcoming meeting of senior officials and the Regional Youth Dialogue on Youth Development, scheduled for Wednesday at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda.

An overwhelming 95 per cent of respondents said a regional youth governance structure is important, while 92 per cent supported the development of a CARICOM Youth Development Index.

Respondents said these initiatives could strengthen youth representation, improve decision-making and ensure that policies better reflect the realities of young people.

The Secretariat said the findings suggest that CARICOM youth want to move beyond being consulted and become active partners in decision-making. Young people expressed a desire to help identify priorities, contribute to programme design and participate more directly in developing solutions to regional challenges.

The survey also highlighted significant barriers to participation. Seven in 10 respondents cited a lack of information as a major obstacle to engagement, while 67 per cent said they were often unaware of available opportunities. Notably, only 17 per cent described information on youth policies and opportunities as very accessible.

At least 80 per cent of respondents identified training and capacity-building opportunities as important to strengthening youth engagement, while 51 per cent called for increased funding for youth-led organisations and 42 per cent identified mentorship from leaders and decision-makers as a key measure.

The survey also raised concerns about inclusivity, with respondents identifying young people with disabilities, those from rural and remote communities, and out-of-school youth as the groups most likely to be excluded from participation opportunities.

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