Youth as Educators: Cultivating Youth Digital Contribution to Community Education

Abstract

Frequently, youth is stigmatized as trouble makers and immature groups. Thus, they still need to be educated, nurtured and supervised, especially in this millennial era. In spite of negative label attributed to youth, youth is potential community educators, especially during this digital world. Their natural interest to social media and technology can be investment to engage them in community education through digital works. This study aims to explore educational aspects that several young students emphasize and educate to their online peers and digital community through their digital works creation which they upload at YouTube. The study adopts qualitative methods and employs thematic analysis to examine 50 uploaded videos. The study reveals that digital works can be media for youth to educate character, non-violence and environmental-health education to their peers and other communities. This also encourages youth to learn to be active and responsible citizens, undertake direct experiential learning process, enhance their social media responsibility, provide role models for others, promote community well being and alleviate negative youth stigma.