Inspiring young Thais via Fb, SMS

The messages contain quotes from well-known people around the world, from successful businessmen and movie stars to scientists. Below are some examples:

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations,” Steve Jobs.

“The only wrong thing would be to deny what your heart truly feels,” The Mask of Zorro.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge,” Albert Einstein.

Translated into Thai, the messages focus on three elements: mental skills (life and happiness, attitude, work and learning); cognitive skills (our own strength and weakness, personal values, goals and leadership); and technical skills (communication and relationship). 

Unesco Bangkok has been implementing the “Youth Empowerment Through Mobile Learning Project” in collaboration with the Education Ministry’s Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education to encourage youth, especially students in non-formal education, to build self-motivation and essential life skills, find competencies, purpose in life and internal peace, and to introduce to them the concept of lifelong learning.

This project has started from the fact that Thai youth |and young adults with limited access to and opportunities |in formal education are vulnerable and at risk of dropping |out. 

They are prone to have low self-esteem and to get involved in drug abuse, gambling, alcohol and early pregnancy.

Unesco has been sending the messages in Thai to a participant group of over 100 non-formal education students in Bangkok and Chiang Rai following last year’s workshop on the Hopes and Needs of Youth in Thailand.

A youth network has also been created on a Facebook page. The fan page, called “Youth Empowerment in Thailand”, and the Youth Empowerment Group were built as a platform for youth to find useful information and clips on life skills and inspirational quotes, welcoming all comments and exchanges of ideas. The page is maintained in both Thai and English. There are now over 1,500 Youth Empowerment fan pages who receive the texts daily.

Unesco aims to interview Thai celebrities and influential persons on their life goals and career, self-motivation and on how they became successful. Motivating ideas and useful advice keeps inspiring youth. The interviews will be published on the project’s Facebook page and group, and on Unesco’s website.