30 > Next Generation Myanmar Social engagement example and for the issues in Chin State, youth organisations and the state government can now work together. A youth forum has been organised too, and the youth committee has been created. ‘In the past, there were not many trainings for young people. Now, we see more training organised. As organisations reached out to more young people with their training programmes and get better access to mobile phones, the interest in such organisations has grown larger. A lot of people despised organisations in the past. ‘But still, these concern few youth only. Young people have little interest in organisations.’ Member of Chin Youth Committee, male, age 27 ‘Now, some has shown the interest in them. Now the youth are more involved in civil society organisations and the work they are engaging in. There are some Kumi youth organisations for As restrictions on expression and association have loosened in Myanmar, political activity has expanded. Youth across the country have started student unions, joined civil society organisations and volunteered with ethnic interest groups. In interviews and group discussions, youth explained that while volunteering has always been important in Myanmar, such political activity would likely have been criminally punished in the past. Now, this political activity is common. Youth have largely welcomed the change: nine out of ten (90 per cent) survey respondents felt that making contributions to their societies or communities was important to them (see Figure 8), and 82.7 per cent of survey respondents agreed that youth see volunteering as a way of bringing about positive change in society (see Figure 9). Figure 8: How important is it to contribute to your society/community? Percentage 0 20 40 60 Neither important nor unimportant Do not know Important Very unimportant Very important Unimportant 80 100 Prefer not to say Figure 9: Youth contributions to society Youth are an untapped potential in Myanmar Young people in Myanmar see volunteering as a way of bringing about positive change in society Youth have a responsibility to involve themselves in addressing issues in their community 0 20 40 60 Neither agree nor disagree Do not know Agree Strongly disagree Strongly agree Disagree 80 Prefer not to say 100