50 policy recommendations for enhancing civic engagement and social inclusion of youth
The CIVIC-EU project aims to foster youth participation in policymaking at local, national, and European levels. It was initiated to address the increasing disconnect between young people and governmental institutions, providing them with opportunities to express their concerns and directly impact their communities and policies.
This report outlines 50 policy recommendations co-developed by youth, local authorities, NGOs, and policymakers. These recommendations are intended to boost civic engagement, strengthen social inclusion, and tackle significant societal challenges faced by youth today. The recommendations were prepared with input from young people and representatives of relevant NGOs in local authorities, focusing on effectively integrating youth into local decision-making processes. The recommendations result from a series of preparatory events and youth dialogues held in Romania, Latvia, Slovenia, Italy, and Greece from December 2023 to June 2024.
Young people often face criticism for perceived inactivity and disinterest in political issues and community development. However, during our engagement with them, we noticed a strong desire to influence their local environments, alongside feelings of powerlessness and lack of knowledge.
These recommendations aim to align these perspectives by facilitating closer interactions between local authorities and young people. By providing opportunities for participation, we seek to empower youth to play an active role in shaping their communities. It is crucial to disseminate these recommendations among municipal representatives, local policymakers, youth leaders, youth workers, and youth. Our goal is to encourage decision-makers that adopting such an approach will promote more inclusive municipal development while encouraging young people to initiate discussions with local authorities about improving their circumstances, emphasizing the importance of their voices. Only through fostering quality dialogue characterized by mutual listening, trust, and appreciation can we achieve better inclusion in a democratic society that genuinely serves its citizens.
Key Findings and Recommendations
- Development of programmes to promote civic engagement: to bridge the gap between youth and government, it is crucial to create support structures for youth civic engagement. This includes allocating budgets for youth-led initiatives, ensuring cross-sectoral policy design that combines youth perspectives, improving access to cross-border opportunities, and engaging marginalized youth through educational and entrepreneurial resources. Enhancing transparency through digital governance, providing paid internships, mentoring programs, coworking spaces, and autonomous youth spaces will also promote active participation in civic life.
- Enhance awareness of civic engagement opportunities: municipalities must adopt communication strategies to ensure young people are informed about civic opportunities. This involves improving digital communication tools, creating informative online platforms, and providing accessible information through both online and physical spaces. Additionally, education on the significance of voting, EU policies, and career orientation will help cultivate informed and engaged citizenship.
- Encourage volunteering as a gateway to civic engagement by involving young people in social action and public security. This can be supported through legislation, NGO initiatives, educational promotion, the establishment of volunteer portals, recognition of volunteers, and training programs that enhance responsibility and community involvement.
- Engage youth from rural and inner areas: providing increased funding for essential needs, improved public transportation, discounted travel, and inclusive youth spaces are necessary to enable young people from rural areas to participate in civic activities without leaving their communities.
- Foster a more inclusive community: municipalities should promote peaceful coexistence by combating racism, organizing informative events on migration, supporting joint cultural initiatives, facilitating language learning, and creating integration opportunities for migrants and local populations through shared spaces and activities.
- Address societal challenges for young people: municipalities need to address societal challenges by providing mental health support, combating ageism through intergenerational centres, promoting non-formal education, supporting poverty reduction initiatives, subsidizing student meals, creating recreational sports spaces, and prioritizing affordable housing for youth.
The recommendations aim to reshape how local authorities and policymakers interact with youth, fostering trust and creating opportunities for young people to actively participate in their communities. By encouraging a youth-centred approach to governance, the CIVIC EU project seeks to strengthen democracy and create more inclusive societies. The recommendations highlight the need for youth empowerment, dialogue between generations, and collaborative decision-making, ensuring that young voices are heard and integrated into the fabric of civic life.
This report serves as a valuable resource for municipalities, youth leaders, and NGOs, providing practical tools and strategies to enhance youth civic engagement and social inclusion across Europe.
The full report in English is available here.
The report is part of the project “Civic-EU:Young Civic Monitors for the Future”. The project is implemented with co-financing from the European Union. The content of the project activities is the responsibility of the Romanian Center for European Policies (CRPE) and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union or the Education and Culture Executive Agency of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
