'The youth movement must have both breadth and depth.'

(Baonghean.vn) - Baonghean.vn had an interview with Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, about the youth union movement in general and summer volunteer activities in particular.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung - Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, speaks with a reporter from Nghe An Newspaper.

PV:How would you assess the youth union movement in your province during the first six months of 2016, and especially the recent summer volunteer campaign?

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung:With the theme "Youth taking the lead and being creative in building and defending the Fatherland," in the first six months of the year, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee focused on directing and implementing the Youth Union's work program and youth movement from the provincial to the grassroots level with many practical, widespread, and highly effective activities.

Regarding the 2016 summer youth volunteer campaign, it can be said that it has proceeded according to plan, achieving two main objectives.

Firstly, ensure innovation in the direction and implementation of the campaign, which means selecting the right locations, tasks, and content for execution.

Secondly, the objectives and criteria set out in the plan were ensured. 30 teams participating in the "Exam Support" program and 35 specialized teams operating in the poor mountainous communes of the province have implemented and completed many practical youth projects and activities, bringing benefits to society. It can be affirmed that no other activity has had such a widespread impact as volunteer work.

Leaders of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union visited and presented gifts to former youth volunteers from the period of the war against the US to save the country.

PV:Undeniably, volunteer activities have a widespread impact and immense significance for the community and society. However, in reality, some youth union members participate in these activities for personal gain. Especially recently, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 57/2015/QD-TTg on policies regarding youth volunteer activities. Therefore, in your opinion, will this diminish the practical significance of the youth union movement and volunteer activities?

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung:Decision No. 57/2015/QD-TTg on the Policy for Youth Volunteer Activities clearly states that young volunteers will be given priority in the selection process when applying for admission to college, university, and postgraduate programs.

In my opinion, policies regarding youth volunteer activities do not diminish the practical significance of the Youth Union movement and volunteer work. The pursuit of personal gain is limited to a very small percentage of young people in society today.

It does not fully reflect the spirit of the majority of young people nationwide in general and the youth of Nghe An in particular. The inherent goodness of youth in all periods remains the spirit of initiative and volunteerism. And reality shows that many young people have been and are contributing to society and the nation.

During summer break, students have many opportunities to work part-time or pursue their hobbies and interests. However, they are still willing to volunteer, even when organizations lack the resources to fully support volunteer activities. Young people still participate with a spirit of selfless service to the community, dedicating their time and money to volunteering.

Young volunteers help local people build rural roads.

It must be affirmed that the policy regarding youth volunteer activities is a correct and positive concern of the Party and the State for volunteer work, for young volunteers, and for those working in the Youth Union. Therefore, Youth Union members themselves will be aware of this, considering it a source of motivation to clearly see their responsibility, and thus strive to fulfill their role well in community life.

PV:Many people believe that the current youth union movement is still heavily focused on slogans and formality, only creating a superficial effect rather than a genuine one. What are your thoughts on this issue?

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung:In my opinion, this view is only partially correct. Because a movement, first and foremost, is about the surface; it must be programs and activities that spread widely, not confined to a small scale or targeting only one specific group.

Especially for the Youth Union movement, activities must attract and unite a large number of young people. This can only be achieved by selecting activities that have a wide reach and are in line with the psychology of young people. Therefore, this is an essential requirement.

Whether it is truly effective or not depends on the depth of the movement. Regarding this issue, the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union has always paid special attention to it, implementing many diverse activities in terms of form and rich in content to achieve the best possible results.

However, this is a requirement and a task that is constantly and continuously set for the youth union movement. How can the movement both spread widely and create real results, rather than just being slogans? How can the community have a more positive perception and evaluation of the youth union movement? That is what we are always pondering and seeking solutions to continue to achieve.

A moment of volunteering in a remote village.

PV:As the youth leader of the province, what solutions, along with the Standing Committee of the Provincial Youth Union, have you proposed to ensure that the youth movement has both breadth and depth?

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Hung:To create both a widespread impact and ensure effectiveness, the following four issues must be considered.

Firstly, the movement must truly originate from the practical realities of each locality and unit. The chosen movement must be effective, appropriate, and closely aligned with the local situation, considering factors such as target audience, timing, and available resources. Youth Union and Association branches at all levels need to closely adhere to the political tasks of their localities and units to provide thorough advice to the Party committees in developing plans and implementing programs and activities.

Secondly, close coordination and communication with relevant departments and agencies are essential to ensure unified direction from top to bottom, avoiding inconsistencies in guidance and implementation.

Thirdly, it is necessary to regularly conduct reviews and summaries to draw lessons learned, while simultaneously strengthening the innovation of organizational forms and activities so that the Youth Union movement is truly diverse, rich, and attracts a large number of young people and youth union members.

Another essential task is to promptly encourage and reward collectives and individuals who have excellently fulfilled their duties and responsibilities within the Youth Union.

By effectively implementing the above tasks and solutions, coupled with the proactive, voluntary, and creative spirit of young people, I believe that the youth union movement will become increasingly practical and effective.

PV:Thank you for the conversation.

Phuong Thao

(Perform)