‘Ghana Risks Its Future Without Professional Youth Work’—Peter Anum Warns

In a charged keynote address that struck both urgency and hope, Peter Anum, Coordinator of the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Workers’ Associations (CAYWA), issued a bold challenge to Ghana: recognize youth work as a national development priority—or risk sacrificing the future.

“If youth workers didn’t exist, what would Ghana lose? Are we indispensable?” he asked, pausing the room with the weight of the question.

Speaking at the National Stakeholders’ Consultative Dialogue on the Professionalization of Youth Work, held in Accra on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Anum called on practitioners and policymakers alike to move beyond piecemeal efforts and build a coherent, professionalized youth work sector that commands respect and policy support.

The event, convened under the theme “Growing the Profession of Youth Work in Ghana,” was organized by the Association of Youth Work Practitioners (AYWP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, the National Youth Authority (NYA), CAYWA, and the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

It brought together youth development professionals, government agencies, civil society actors, development partners, and international experts to shape a national roadmap for the sector.

Anum, one of the day’s most compelling voices, highlighted how far the global youth work movement has come—and what’s at stake if Ghana doesn’t act.

“When I began in this space, only about 15 Commonwealth countries had national youth worker associations. Today, we’re approaching 35. Ghana cannot afford to be left behind. We must move from intent to action,” he urged.

He outlined four foundational pillars for strengthening youth work in Ghana: clear national positioning, purpose-driven rationale, bold objectives, and well-defined practitioner responsibilities.

He called for concrete actions including national campaigns, university partnerships, recognition awards, and structured mentorship programs—all rooted in a regulated, professional framework.

Earlier in the program, Theodora Anti Williams, Co-Chair of the AYWP, delivered a powerful welcome address, describing the gathering as a turning point in Ghana’s youth development journey.

“Not just anybody should get up and say, ‘I work with the youth.’ It is a profession, and we must be professional about it,” she asserted. “Ghana’s young people deserve qualified, ethical, and empowered practitioners. Youth development is not a luxury—it is a national necessity.”

Anti Williams traced the AYWP’s growth from its founding in 2017 to its formal relaunch, commending the Commonwealth’s support and calling for the establishment of systems that protect, respect, and empower youth workers nationwide.

“This is more than a name change. It is a call to action.”

Representing the government, Alhaji Inusah Mahama, Deputy CEO of the National Youth Authority, delivered the keynote on behalf of Hon. George Opare Addo, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment. He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to building sustainable youth development infrastructure.

“Ghana has a youthful population, yet much of its potential remains untapped,” he said. “We need systems that professionalize youth work so practitioners are better trained, better resourced, and better positioned to make a real difference.”

Bringing in a global lens, Layne Robinson, Head of Social Policy Development at the Commonwealth Secretariat, reflected on the Commonwealth’s five-decade commitment to youth work.

He emphasized training, ethical standards, regional networks, and institutional frameworks as non-negotiables for any serious youth development agenda.

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

“If youth work disappeared today, what would happen? Our communities would be weaker. Our democracies would lose vibrancy. And our young people would be left without champions.”

Robinson invited Ghana to take a greater leadership role in global youth development and extended an invitation to participate in the 5th Global Commonwealth Youth Work Conference in Malaysia this November, where critical topics like artificial intelligence, mental health, and safeguarding will be on the agenda.

From the civil society space, Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, Convener of the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs (Youth) and Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana, added his voice in a solidarity message, highlighting the strategic link between youth work and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Youth are not just leaders of tomorrow—they are the changemakers of today,” he said. “If we want progress, youth work must be recognized, resourced, and strategically partnered across sectors. The vibrancy of our democracy and economy depends on it.”

Closing out the dialogue with powerful insights from the Caribbean and African diaspora, Tanya Merrick Powell, Co-Chair of CAYWA and Technical Director of the Jamaica Professional Youth Workers Association, called for a deeply rooted, Afrocentric approach to youth work.

“Youth workers are facilitators, mentors, and sometimes even surrogate parents. We’re underpaid, often excluded—but we keep going because that is what we do,” she said.
“Our work must go beyond policy papers and talk shops. It must reflect our history, our identity, and the lived realities of the youth we serve.”

Merrick Powell emphasized that in a time of political transitions and social change, the AYWP must remain a permanent anchor for youth development practice in Ghana, preserving knowledge, protecting standards, and guiding future generations.

As the dialogue concluded, a resounding message echoed from every corner of the room: youth work is not optional. It is essential. It must be recognized, resourced, and respected—because the cost of neglecting it is a lost generation, and with it, a lost future.

“This is Ghana’s moment,” Peter Anum declared. “Let’s not just talk about youth work. Let’s build it, professionalize it, and make it impossible to ignore.”