At present, digital technology has inevitably become an integral part of children’s and youth’s daily lives. While the online world offers opportunities to access learning resources and develop new skills, it also carries increasingly complex risks and threats. In particular, online child sexual exploitation has become a growing concern, with a continuous upward trend.
The World Vision Foundation of Thailand has therefore supported youth leaders from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces to participate in capacity-building activities on policy advocacy. The initiative aims to enhance the role of young people in engaging with public policy processes under the workshop program “Y Voice: Online Safety Advocacy Lab & Campaign.” This program focuses on strengthening the capacity of child and youth leaders to systematically drive online safety issues, in collaboration with the ECPAT Foundation (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking).
The activities are implemented using a participatory learning approach to help youth better understand government policy mechanisms and international child rights frameworks. At the same time, participants develop key skills in campaign communication, policy advocacy and persuasion, as well as in designing policy proposals and producing practical advocacy media. This approach enables a deeper and more concrete understanding of public policy processes.
This initiative reflects a significant shift in the role of young people—from being merely “awareness advocates” to becoming “policy change leaders.” Equipped with data, evidence, and multi-sectoral engagement, these youth leaders are empowered to effectively drive systemic change, contributing to sustainable development at the community level.
