Photo Credit:
CYSED
Introduction
Youth are often hailed as the drivers of innovation, possessing the zeal, creativity, and resilience to drive societal progress. However, when young people divert their talents toward cybercrime, it not only undermines their potential for greatness but also weakens society’s capacity for progress. The time and skills that could be channeled into creating solutions are instead wasted on fraudulent activities. This reality confirms the urgent need for preventive measures like resilience building, which help young people to resist the lure of cybercrime and contribute positively to their communities.
The Importance of a Preventive Approach
Cybercrime is not a vocation that a young person adopts overnight. Much like the cultivation of discipline, the journey into cybercrime involves a gradual process. The seeds are often sown through exposure to negative influences, societal pressures, and a lack of opportunities or values. Resilience building, therefore, becomes the backbone of preventing cybercrime among youth, as it addresses these vulnerabilities early on.
As Mr. Ola Olukoyede, the Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), aptly noted,
“The allure of easy money is drawing young people into the vortex of criminality. Any young person that is tainted with cybercrime faces a grim future. There is no sustainable success in internet fraud.”
Cybercrime, like all criminal activities, offers no lasting reward. The illusion of unlimited stolen wealth is quickly dispelled by the constant fear of being caught and the ultimate realization that such gains are unsustainable. Preventive strategies, particularly those rooted in resilience, emphasize the development of values such as honesty, integrity, contentment, and self-discipline, which equip young people to resist the temptation of quick but harmful gains.
Vulnerability Pillars Among Youth
Young people often face challenges that make them susceptible to engaging in cybercrime. These vulnerabilities can be categorized into four key pillars:
- Economic Vulnerabilities: Many young people lack access to stable job opportunities or viable income sources. Cybercrime can appear as an attractive alternative to address immediate financial needs. Building economic resilience through skill development, entrepreneurship training, and creating access to legitimate work opportunities reduces this vulnerability.
- Social Pressures: Peer influence and societal expectations of wealth and success can drive young people to engage in cybercrime. Encouraging positive peer relationships and providing mentorship programs that emphasize ethical behavior and the value of hard work can counteract these pressures.
- Educational Gaps: A lack of awareness about the consequences of cybercrime and insufficient digital literacy contribute to its prevalence. Education that incorporates digital safety, ethics, and critical thinking can empower youth to make informed decisions and avoid criminal activities.
- Psychological Challenges: Low self-esteem, frustration, or a sense of disillusionment can push youth toward criminal activities as a form of rebellion or escape. Promoting mental health support, fostering self-confidence, and teaching coping strategies can help mitigate these risks.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) noted,
“Although youth face many challenges that make them particularly vulnerable to crime, violence and victimization, it is important to remember that, by virtue of their age, energies and learning abilities, young people are key agents of change in creating a better future and have great potential to advocate on behalf of themselves and their communities.”
Resilience as a Path to Innovation
The time and resources youth dedicate to cybercrime represent a significant loss of potential. These young people, who could be the architects of groundbreaking innovations, are instead trapped in a cycle of deceit and fear. Their energy can be redirected toward productive and innovative pursuits, promoting an environment where solutions are created and significant progress are made to real world issues.
When young people are equipped with the skills to overcome economic challenges, resist social pressures, and maintain psychological well-being, they are more likely to channel their talents into meaningful endeavors. Resilience is not just about avoiding crime—it is about empowering youth to fulfill their role as drivers of progress and builders of a better future.
Building Resilience as a Process
Fighting cybercrime requires a process-oriented approach. Resilience cannot be built overnight, just as indiscipline does not arise suddenly. It involves consistent efforts to inculcate values, develop life skills, and create supportive environments. Encouraging young people to adopt positive habits, associate with like-minded peers, and strive for sustainable greatness through legitimate means is a deliberate action that must be nurtured over time.
For instance, young people should be taught the importance of living by principles such as honesty and integrity, starting from their households. Simple actions, like parents instructing children to lie to visitors by saying they are not at home, leave a lasting impression and can instill a mindset of deceit as they grow. It is crucial to teach values that lay the foundation for a crime-free life. Moreover, the awareness that greatness is achieved gradually, through effort and perseverance, rather than through shortcuts, builds a mindset of delayed gratification and ethical behavior.
Addressing Peer Pressure and Ignorance
Youth often engage in cybercrime due to ignorance of its consequences—not just for themselves, but for their generation as a whole. Criminal activities erode opportunities for self-actualization and limit the collective potential of youth. Educating young people about these effects is essential to building resilience.
Peer pressure is another critical factor. Teaching young people to critically assess the actions of their peers, resist negative influences, and seek out positive role models can help them avoid falling into the trap of criminality. Resilience also involves helping them to recognize that staying away from crime is a deliberate disposition and a path to sustainable greatness.
Innovative Initiatives Promoting Resilience Against Cybercrime
The Cybersecurity Education Initiative (CYSED), a youth-led non-profit organization, exemplifies efforts to prevent cybercrime and advance cybersecurity in Africa through sustainable education and advocacy. One of its flagship projects, the Building Youth Resilience Against Cybercrime (BYRAC), tackles the rising involvement of youths in cybercrime in Lagos State, Nigeria. Targeting at-risk communities such as Ajeromi Ifelodun, Ifako-Ijaiye, and Ikorodu, the project focuses on addressing the root causes of vulnerability to cybercrime by equipping participants with resilience, digital literacy, and ethical values. Through innovative approaches like resilience-building workshops, digital skills training, themed movie screenings, and the creation of a virtual safe space, BYRAC empowers young people to resist the allure of cybercrime and choose legitimate, sustainable paths to success.
Final Thoughts
Resilience building provides a sustainable foundation for reducing youth involvement in cybercrime by addressing the underlying vulnerabilities that lead young people astray. Focusing on preventive measures can assist the youth to resist criminal influences and take their rightful place as innovators and change-makers.