Supported by: Erasmus + programme
Period: 01-02-2018 – 31-07-2019

Coordinator: DYPALL

Project number: 2017-3-PT02-KA205-004702

Partners: Stowarzyszenie Europe 4 Youth, Poland; Forum Regionale Dei Giovani – Campania, Italy; Ars For Progress Of People, Belgium; Association Center For Intercultural Dialogue, Macedonia.

Description:

Youth Participation Matters is an 18 months long project implemented by DYPALL Network that will bring together various non-governmental organisations, local authority representatives, researchers, youth workers, youth leaders and young people to discuss the importance and models of local youth participation in Europe. The participating organisations from Portugal, Belgium, Macedonia, Poland and Italy will engage in the process of mapping and sharing best practices and mechanisms of youth participation at the local level.

Main goals of the project are: 
– To identify and promote projects and models of structures and mechanisms that allow a sustainable and quality youth participation in decision-making processes at local level;
– To identify and promote innovative practices of youth participation in decision-making processes at local level
– To further develop competences of youth workers to foster participation of young people at local level
– To promote dialogue among youth organisations, civil society and local authorities’ officers;
– To train youth organizations, youth workers and local authorities on how to develop quality democracy projects, as well as models for youth participation in decision making at local level;
– To feflect about key concepts (such as advocacy, policy making, partnership, participative and representative democracy) of youth participation in decision making processes and to develop a common understanding;
– To develop a publication that will collect best practices of youth participation projects and will highlight quality indicators;
– To contribute to mainstreaming youth participation practices that promote democracy at local level, at European level

The objectives will be met through the implementation of the following activities:

1) Seminar – “Models of youth participation at the local level in Europe”

2) Training course on the development of participatory based projects

3) Conference – “Youth Participation Matters”

The activities will be accompanied by a Mapping exercise (research) on models, instruments and best practices of youth participation on national level conducted by each of the partner organisations in their respective countries.