‘Youth Work Must Be Driven by Policy, Not Passion’ — Youth Minister

In a compelling call to action, Ghana’s Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon. George Opare Addo, has emphasized the urgent need to transition youth work from being passion-led to policy-driven.

Addressing stakeholders through Alhaji Inusah Mahama, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), the Minister made this statement during the official relaunch of the Association of Youth Work Practitioners (AYWP) on September 30 in Accra.

According to the Minister, while passion has fuelled youth work for years, it is not enough to drive sustainable, national development. He stated emphatically,

“Youth work must be built on policy, not passion. We cannot continue to let good intentions guide our work with young people. If youth development is to be sustainable and impactful, it must be structured, professionalized, and policy-driven.”

Alhaji Inusah Mahama, who delivered the Minister’s remarks, echoed these concerns, highlighting the fragmented nature of youth development efforts in Ghana. He pointed to the lack of standardized training and formal frameworks as critical weaknesses in the current system.

“Without clear policies and professional standards, youth work risks being reduced to fragmented passion projects instead of becoming a strategic force for national development,” he said.

He added that the Minister’s vision is anchored on transforming youth development through good governance, structured systems, and long-term policy integration.

“The future of Ghana depends on how well we prepare our youth today. It is time to move from good intentions to good governance in youth work.”

Adding her voice to the conversation, Theodora Anti Williams, Co-Chair of the AYWP, stressed the importance of professionalism in the youth development sector. She passionately advocated for a shift from volunteerism to a formalized profession that commands respect, accountability, and expertise.

“Our young people deserve nothing less than professional dedication, backed by robust policies that protect their interests and harness their potential,” she noted, calling for certification systems and accredited training programs to legitimize and empower youth workers across the country.

The conversation also drew global insights, with Layne Robinson, Head of Social Policy Development at the Commonwealth Secretariat, offering an international perspective. Reflecting on the Commonwealth’s 50-year legacy in youth work, he stated,

“We want the very best for young people. Just as we expect doctors and teachers to be trained professionals, we must demand the same of youth workers.”

He underscored training, ethical standards, and global partnerships as key pillars for professionalizing the field, while challenging the audience with a striking question:

“If youth work disappeared from your country today, what would happen?”

Robinson also extended a special invitation to Ghana to participate in the upcoming 5th Global Youth Work Conference in Malaysia this November, encouraging the nation to take a more prominent role in global youth development discourse.

Also lending his support, Dr. Joseph Wemakor, Convener of the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs (Youth) and Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), positioned youth work as a vital tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Youth are not just leaders of tomorrow—they are the changemakers of today,” he declared. He emphasized that youth work must be recognized, adequately resourced, and strategically positioned to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“The vibrancy of our democracy and the strength of our economy depend on it.”

From a Pan-African and Caribbean viewpoint, Tanya Merrick Powell, Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Workers’ Associations (CAYWA) and Technical Director of the Jamaica Professional Youth Workers Association, brought attention to the lived experiences of youth workers across the continent. She noted that youth workers often face the same marginalization as the young people they serve.

“We are facilitators, mentors, and sometimes even surrogate parents. We’re underpaid, often excluded, but we keep going because that’s what we do,” she said.

She urged Ghanaian youth practitioners to ground their work in local culture and Afrocentric realities to make youth work not just professional—but deeply relevant and sustainable.

“Youth work must go beyond policy papers and talk shops. It must reflect our history, our identity, and the real needs on the ground.”

Finally, Peter Anum, Coordinator of CAYWA, called for renewed efforts to strengthen the youth development ecosystem by investing in youth workers themselves.

“To truly effect change, youth workers must be equipped with the right tools, knowledge, and policies,” he said, emphasizing the importance of innovation, continuous professional development, and collaboration as drivers of transformation.

The relaunch of the Association of Youth Work Practitioners (AYWP) marks more than just a milestone event—it signals a national awakening to the need for policy-based, professional youth work. From the voices of government, civil society, international agencies, and grassroots practitioners, the message was resoundingly clear:
Ghana must institutionalize youth work—not just as an act of goodwill, but as a critical, structured, and strategic pillar of national development. The time to move from passion to policy is now.