Youth inclusion & involvement: top priorities for Europe
Today, 26 November 2018, the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS Council), met to discuss key portfolios for youth in Europe that will shape the future of volunteering, youth work and education for the coming decade.
The European Youth Forum is excited about the positive outcomes of these discussions. We are looking forward to working with young people and Member States to make sure that these priorities translate into action.
EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027
The resolution on the new EU Youth Strategy, adopted by Ministers today, marks an important step towards recognising the specific challenges faced by young people. The Strategy promises to create more opportunities for young people, reach out to more diverse young people and work towards youth social inclusion and the eradication of youth poverty. It is crucial that the implementation of this Strategy involves young people and youth organisations, working closely with Member States and EU institutions.
The European Youth Forum started to work on the new EU Youth Strategy more than two years ago. We have actively participated in all stages of the process leading to the Strategy adoption. During the Policy Debate held at the EYCS Council today the EU Youth Ministers recognised the important contribution of youth organisations, young Structured Dialogue ambassadors and the European Youth Forum to development of the new EU Youth Strategy.
Read the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 here.
Erasmus+ programme
We also call for Erasmus+, the EU’s most successful programme, to receive the proper funding needed to match the political ambition that the Ministers have shown today. Investing more in youth and raising the percentage allocated to the youth chapter to 15% would allow youth organisations to go further in achieving the policy objective to reach out to more young people and bring more young people to the European project.
Youth Work for Young Refugees
The EYCS Council also adopted Conclusions on youth work in the context of migration and refugee matters. Member States must ensure that youth workers have the appropriate knowledge and training to support the inclusion of young refugees from the first day of arrival. The Council Conclusions are a positive step forward, however the European Youth Forum encourage the Member States to take the diversity of migrants and their legal status into consideration when implementing the recommendations.
European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027
We are pleased to see that the value of volunteering and solidarity projects in Europe is being truly recognised. However, while the European Solidarity Corps programme is moving in the right direction, it must be brought closer to the young people and youth organisations who are the prime participants in the programme. Their needs and realities must be reflected.
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