ABOUT YVP

My name is Liban Mohamed, and I am the founder of the Youth Voices Project (YVP). Having amassed over eight years of work experience in both the public and private sector in the fields of civil and transportation engineering, and as a planner since 2018, I have not only observed the limitations of the participatory methods, but seen the social element of urban planning absent in projects. 

In a Major Research Paper titled Youth Participation in Transportation Planning: The City of Toronto’s Youth Engagement Strategy (see below) I submitted to the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the degree of Masters in Environmental Studies, I argued the misconception that youth of today are not concerned with transportation planning. I stated that the traditional adult-oriented method to transportation planning have served the youth by default, and this is very concerning. I noted that the youth deserve to be invited into the decision-making process as well as informed as to the impact of their participation. To conclude, I made known that we cannot call for youth participation if that participation does not have meaning. Youth participation is a promise we make to young people. Their idealism, strength, and creativity are a gift to us, and we need to treat it as such.

To augment the Youth Engagement Strategy done by the City of Toronto in 2015, I have redesigned the study to apply the recommendations I suggested on the Major Research Paper. In this manner, YVP will offer an annual scholarship award to five students attending any school in Mogadishu, Somalia. Through this scholarship award, Somali youths will be given a platform to have their voices heard on city planning. Elicited submissions received from Somali youth’s may be used to write yearly independent academic papers and book to allow city planners, government agencies, youth-led organizations and scholars to understand Somali youth concerns and barriers when it comes to city planning.

The main objective of YVP is to provide not only support but provide essential city planning knowledge and skills to encourage positive civic engagement in Somali city planning.