Introduction ¹

While it is important to pay attention to the conditions for young people in the formal school system and at the universities through policies of formal education, the cornerstone for a ‘youth policy’ is its focus on how young people can become active citizens and positive contributors to society. This implies a much wider perspective, and an emphasis on non‑formal education.

How can government policy encourage and promote an active learning process of young people outside the formal school system? Youth initiatives, youth clubs and non-governmental youth organisations, which are actively involving young people at all levels, and where young people themselves decide upon activities, play a central role in developing young people as active citizens in society.

Governments should see it as an important task to promote the development of active and strong non-governmental youth sector, composed of democratic, open and inclusive youth

associations that involve young people.

The government should promote the development of good trainers in the youth sector, so that these trainers again can act as multipliers in raising awareness on diverse issues. These trainers can also better facilitate the development of the non-governmental structures in the youth field. A training policy is a prerequisite for better structuring the non-governmental sector.

There needs to be a youth legislation that corresponds to the other dimensions of a proactive youth policy. Such legislation should acknowledge the involvement of young people and youth NGOs in policy decision-making, and make the legislative framework for an efficient government administration to work with youth issues.

In line with the strong recognition for associative life and non-governmental youth organisations outlined in INDICATOR 1, there needs to be a budget for promoting the development of youth initiatives and youth organizations. There also needs to be a state budget allocated for the realisation of activities to be carried out by the youth NGO sector, meaning that the government should allocate project grants for youth activities.

A youth information strategy should ensure transparency of government policy towards young people. Such a strategy should also inform young people about different opportunities that exist for them. Different initiatives that can be elements of a youth information strategy can be the publishing of a youth magazine and other information material and ensure open communication channels with networks of all major stakeholders for youth policy.

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A national youth policy should outline steps to be taken and policies to be implemented not only at the national level, but at all levels of government administration. A national youth policy cannot become a reality without focusing on what needs to be done at the local level, and with the active involvement of local government authorities.

A youth policy should be based on research about young people. A policy should not be based on assumptions and speculations, but rather on facts and research on young people. This should help to determine what should be the focus of government policy.

The cornerstone of a youth policy should be the active involvement and participation of young people in society. A youth policy must address how young people can be included in decision-making processes. How will government officials involve young people when making decisions that affect young people? Furthermore, how can a youth policy facilitate a process where young people participate and contribute actively to society?

Youth organisations also play an important role in involving young people, making them active citizens in their own society. Encouraging and facilitating the active participation of young people in non-governmental youth organisations should be a central element of a youth policy.

A dynamic and comprehensive youth policy needs to address the diverse needs of young people in all sectors of society. A cross-sectoral approach is needed in youth policy development, meaning that it should be the joint responsibility and depend on the joint co-operation between a range of ministries with different portfolios such as youth, sport, education, culture, defence, health, transport, labour, agriculture etc. etc.

One possible way of assuring cross-ministerial co-operation is to establish an inter‑governmental committee to work on the development, implementation and monitoring of a youth policy.

A youth policy should promote innovation, by thinking creatively how to solve challenges, and to stimulate young people to be creative and innovative.

In order to assure the consultation and partnership between the government on one side and young people and youth organisations on the other, a structure should be established (such as a consultative committee) which is consulted and given the mandate to influence government on issues regarding young people. Not only should such a structure exist at the national level, it should also be developed at all different levels of government administration.