The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) held a workshop in Astana to teach officials and young people how to use social media to prevent youth crime and drug use, according to a press release. The event brought together law enforcement officers, social workers, youth representatives, and people aged 18-25 from across Kazakhstan.
The attendances learned about creating awareness campaigns, picking the right online platforms for different audiences, and working with role models to reach young people. An 18-year-old participant from Kazakhstan’s Youth Information Service said “being part of this workshop meant that our voices were included in shaping the national social media strategy.” The workshop was organized by OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department and other OSCE offices.
Kazakhstan faces growing problems with youth involvement in crime, corruption, and drug use, especially as more young people spend time online. Social media can spread harmful messages but also offers a way to reach youth with positive alternatives. Traditional crime prevention methods often don’t connect with young people who get most of their information from Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms. The OSCE wants to help Kazakhstan build campaigns that actually speak to youth in their own language and spaces. Many countries struggle to make effective anti-crime messages that don’t sound preachy or out of touch.
Workshop participants did group exercises on effective messaging and discussed which platforms work best for different types of content. They talked about how to work with influencers and role models that young people actually follow and trust. The training covered ways to build resilience against corruption and promote integrity without being heavy-handed. Law enforcement officials got to hear directly from young people about what kinds of messages would actually influence their peers. This type of direct input helps make campaigns more realistic and effective.
The workshop results will help OSCE develop a national social media campaign for youth crime prevention that’s expected to launch in 2026. The work is part of a multi-year project called “Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns.” Germany funds the main project with additional support from Andorra, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Thailand. The campaign will support Kazakhstan’s broader efforts against organized crime and corruption by focusing on prevention rather than just punishment.
