Youth influence develops society

Youth Participation is one of the most important issues in the European youth field. It is both recognised as an important principle in European Youth Policy and also seen as a challenging aspect to be further developed and promoted in the local community.

Young people are a resource in our society. Their knowledge, experiences and values are precious. In recent years a growing number of European, national, regional and local initiatives strengthening young people’s participation have emerged. Meetings between decision-makers and young people can be one stage of creating growth, survival and development in a municipality or organisation.

The Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs have published two booklets to provide information on youth influence, and to give inspiration for creating meetings between young people and decicion-makers.

Youth Influence – The Real Deal
is a booklet that contains a list of different methods used to get young people to participate in local society, information about the European structures linked to national conditions in youth work, and success factors for youth influence. The booklet is published by the Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs in cooperation with the SALTO – YOUTH Participation Resource Centre.

Creating meetings – Inspiring resources for meetings between young people and decision makers
is a compendium which provides ideas for methods of creating meetings where the participants really do meet. The methods can be used by young people, youth leaders, decision-makers, and anyone else who works with youth issues.