Harvesting Summary EU Youth Conference 02 – 05 October 2020 Imprint

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Published by: German Federal Youth Council (Deutscher Bundesjugendring) Mühlendamm 3 DE-10178 Berlin www.dbjr.de [email protected]

Edited by: German Federal Youth Council (Deutscher Bundesjugendring)

Credits: Visuals: Anja Riese | anjariese.com, 2020 (pages 4, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 26, 31, 34, 35, 36, 40, 42, 44, 50, 82–88) picture credits: Aaron Remus, DBJR: title graphic, pages 4 // Sharon Maple, DBJR: page 6 // Michael Scholl, DBJR: pages 12, 19, 21, 24, 30, 37, 39, graphic on the back // Jens Ahner, BMFSFJ: pages 7, 14, 41,43 Element of Youth Goals logo: Mireille van Bremen Using an adaption of the Youth Goals logo for the visual identity of the EU Youth Conference in Germany has been exceptionally permitted by its originator. Please note that when using the European Youth Goals logo and icons you must follow the guidelines described in detail in the Youth Goals Design Manual (http://www.youthconf.at/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/BJV_Youth-Goals_ DesignManual.pdf).

Berlin, December 2020

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EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 1 Content

Content

Preamble 3 Context and Conference Format 6 EU Youth Dialogue 7 Outcomes of the EU Youth Conference 8 Programme and Methodological Process of the Conference 10 Harvest of the Conference 14 Day 1 14 Day 2 19 World Café 21 Workshops and Open Sessions 23 Day 3 24 Method: BarCamp 25 Day 4 30 Political Dialogues 31 Political Dialogue Outcomes 31 Working Groups on Targets 34 Closing Panel Discussion 37 Closing of the EU Youth Conference 39 Wrap-Up 41 Acknowledgements 43 Annex 46 Annex 1 – Programme 46 Annex 2 – World Café Outcomes 50 Annex 3 – Reporting on BarCamp Sessions 57 Annex 4 – Working Groups on Targets & Political Demands 83

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 2 Preamble

Preamble

The EU Youth Conference as a participatory process

The title „Europe for YOUth – YOUth for Europe: planning process of the EU Youth Conference. Space for Democracy and Participation” set They strived to make the German EU Youth the framework not only for the content of the Conference a best practice example of mean first EU Youth Conference of the 8th cycle of the ingful youth participation in the digital envi EU Youth Dialogue but also for its planning, ronment and to create a space for meaningful methodology and practical implementation. youth participation, ensuring possibilities for interaction and discussion among young peo As the first conference of the 8th cycle of the EU ple and between young people and political Youth Dialogue, the event focused on Youth decision-makers. Goal #9 and the topics of youth and democracy. Youth Goal #9: “Space and Participation for All” is Drawing on experiences from EU Youth Dele one of the 11 European Youth Goals1 which were gates and National Youth Councils as former developed by young people from all over Europe conference organisers, the concept of the EU in the Structured Dialogue process in 2017/2018. Youth Conference allowed for participants Its aim to “Strengthen young people’s democratic participation and autonomy as well as provide ● to talk about the topics in which they dedicated youth spaces in all areas of society” were most interested, was set as the guideline for the entire confer ● to become hosts of the conference ence. The conference aimed to strengthen demo themselves (e.g. BarCamp and World Café) cracy in Europe by exploring how the European ● to discuss their ideas with political Youth Goal #9 (Space and Participation for All) decision-makers on an eye level can be achieved, in particular at European level. ● to develop and prioritise the outcomes and findings of the conference themselves The German Federal Youth Council and the Ger man Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior When creating the EU Youth Conference as a Citizens, Women and Youth worked together space for participation for all, standards of as partners in order to ensure that the voices meaningful participation were key to its design, of young people were already heard during the methodology and implementation.

1 The European Youth Goals can be found in the Annex of the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 (https://ec.europa.eu/youth/policy/youth-strategy_en), pages 11 ff.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 3 Preamble

Harvesting Approach

One important aspect of meaningful participa In light of the topic of the EU Youth Conference, tion is to ensure proper documentation of the a new harvesting approach was developed to outcomes. It is equally important to make the make the process as transparent as possible. documentation accessible to everyone so it can be worked with further. In order to ensure that Harvesting Team the outcomes are documented, a harvesting 1 The harvesters were chosen from the respond concept was developed on the basis of which ents to an open call. Apart from expertise in 10 harvesters (the harvesting team) summarised documentation, the harvesters had to be no the outcomes of the conference. The harvest older than 29 and experienced in the field of ing team itself consisted of young people only. participation of young people. This enabled young people to be involved in all levels of the process: harvesting, clustering and summarising the outcomes. 2 Harvesting Procedure For the harvesting team it was important to col lect as much information as possible throughout the entire conference. The harvesters took notes and observed the conference at all times. Wher ever possible, the participants were supported by a harvester in documenting the outcome of their discussions. The harvesting team documented the information by taking notes and collecting information from the tools (Mentimeter, Padlet, Yopad) which were used during the discussions. Where it was not possible to have a harvesting team member present in a discussion because there were too many discussion groups taking place simultaneously, the participants were asked to independently document the outcomes using templates and guiding questions. For example, The harvesting team was highly motivated and enjoyed their work, although gathering information required the hosts of the BarCamp sessions on Day 3 pro high concentration. vided a summary of the outcomes of their specific session by submitting a form which included guiding questions they had answered themselves (see: Annex 3 – Reporting on BarCamp Sessions).

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 4 Preamble

3 Clustering & Summarising 5 Harvesting Summary To cluster and summarise the outcomes of the The Harvesting Summary is structured in ac discussions and the different methodologi cordance with the conference programme. It in cal parts of the conference, daily harvesting cludes the harvesting summaries for each day of meetings were held. All written outcomes were the conference and a wrap-up of the outcomes. worked through and discussed by the harvest In addition, it contains detailed overviews of the ers in order to include them in the Harvesting outcomes in the various methodological parts Summary. In order to adapt to the programme and participation processes of the conference. and the topics covered on each day, the form Furthermore, the Harvesting Summary includes clustering was allowed to differ from day to day information on the context of the conference in order to accommodate different types of out and provides an overview of how the outcomes comes produced through different types of par and findings of the EU Youth Conference can and ticipatory processes and methodological parts. will be further processed and used. This approach was chosen to incorporate all the ideas and topics raised by participants while It is, however, important to note that not every remaining as flexible as possible. In addition to single idea mentioned or discussed through taking into account ideas that were brought up out the conference appears in the Harvesting several times, in their harvesting summary the Summary. As implied by the title of this docu harvesters also emphasised ideas which re ment and made transparent in the explanation ceived special attention. An evaluation or rating about the harvesting procedure, the harvest of the outcomes was not a part of the clustering ing process included moments of clustering and summarising process. and summarising. This means that some ideas and outcomes may have been paraphrased and summarised or may not have been harvested Counter-Checking by the harvesting team. A summary always also 4 means that some details have been taken out On the last day, two harvesters presented the and some details may be emphasised. Overall, clustering and the outcomes from the preceding however, the harvesting team collected as many three days of the conference to the participants. results as possible. The entire harvest and har Additionally, the harvesters clustered the ideas vesting process relating to the methodologi and demands according to the Targets of Youth cal structure of the conference are shown and Goal #9. All participants were thus given the op made transparent in the Harvesting Summary. portunity to add to and correct the clustering if deemed necessary.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 5 Context and Conference Format

Context and Conference Format

ference were national Youth Delegates, youth representatives of international youth organi sations, representatives from national youth ministries and representatives from European institutions. All in all, around 200 people from all over Europe took part in the EUYC, about 130 of which were Youth Delegates.

The main challenges of the digital conference were to keep the participatory and dialogue for mats as a place where participants were able to exchange, listen and learn from one another and to shape the event in the most interactive way possible. A range of tools, such as Mentim How to make a digital conference interactive? eter, Padlet, BarCamp, several Webex meeting Facilitators off-stage, various tools and a lot of rooms and even a digital café was used to fa technical equipment. cilitate (informal) dialogue and exchange among The EU Youth Conference takes place every six participants online. This made it possible for months in the EU Member State currently hold Youth Delegates to discuss issues, develop ide ing the presidency of the Council of the EU. This as, formulate demands and engage in dialogues year the EU Youth Conference was supposed to with political decision-makers during the course take place as a live event in Germany because of of the first digital EU Youth Conference. Playing the German Presidency of the Council of the EU. a major role in the EU Youth Dialogue, EU Youth The conference was scheduled to take place in Conferences are the platforms where ideas and Berlin in July 2020. Owing to the COVID-19 pan demands are gathered at European level, best demic, the conference was held online from 2 to practices and advice are exchanged, outcomes 5 October 2020 in order to protect the partici of consultations are collected, and concrete po pants. The participants in the EU Youth Con litical demands are formulated.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 6 Context and Conference Format | EU Youth Dialogue

EU Youth Dialogue

The EU Youth Conference in Germany is not a one-off event of the German EU Presidency, but forms part of the EU Youth Dialogue. The EU Youth Dialogue is a European youth partic ipatory process. Through 18-month cycles on a priority topic, the Youth Dialogue supports the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019- 2027. 2 It ensures the involvement of young peo ple in the decision-making process in (youth) politics. This is done through a dialogue be tween young people and decision-makers in The trio presidency at work: Representatives from the Ger- Europe. man, Portuguese and Slovenian National Youth Councils and the German Youth Minister in front of the Berlin Wall.

The 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue runs from Guided by the Targets of the Youth Goal #9 as 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2021 under the Trio its framework, this cycle will focus on improving Presidency of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia3. mechanisms for youth participation and creat The topic of the 8th EU Youth Dialogue cycle is ing (new) spaces for young people’s participation Youth Goal #9: “Space and Participation for All” in all areas of society. The 8th cycle starts with a under the title of “Europe for YOUth – YOUth for qualitative consultation and dialogue phase, ex Europe: Space for Democracy and Participation”. ploring Youth Goal #9 and its Targets and discuss Youth Goal #9: “Space and Participation for All” ing how Youth Goal #9 can be put into practice on is one of the eleven European Youth Goals which local, regional, national and European levels. The were developed by young people from all over first EU Youth Conference of the 8th cycle was an Europe in the Structured Dialogue in 2017/2018. important part of this first phase. Its focus was to The European Youth Goals now form part of the explore how the Youth Goal #9 could be put into EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027. practice on the European level. It also aimed to familiarise the participants with the topic and to Throughout this 18-month long process, con collect questions and thoughts. The participants crete recommendations on how to implement explored and discussed various aspects of Youth this Youth Goal at the European, national, re Goal #9 and its Targets. In the upcoming phase of gional and local levels will be developed and the cycle, the Implementation Phase, demands, implemented. plans and ideas will be put into action. That is how Youth Goal #9 is turned into Youth Actions.

2 The EU Youth Strategy can be found here (https://ec.europa.eu/youth/policy/youth-strategy_en).

3 Further information on the 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue can be found in the Explanatory Note (https://jugenddialog.de/wp-content/ uploads/2020/12/EXPLANATORY-NOTE_EUYD_-8th-cycle-3.pdf), 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue, Trio Presidency Germany-Portugal- Slovenia. It is also the source of information provided in this chapter.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 7 Outcomes of the EU Youth Conference

Outcomes of the EU Youth Conference

The 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue focuses on Actions. The first EU Youth Conference in Germa effective and sustainable youth participation. ny in the 8th cycle was integrated into the dia The focus lies on implementing the consultation logue phase as the main European level consul and dialogue outcomes and bringing about pos tation event. Now that this first step has been itive change. It is all about putting Youth Goal taken, it is time to put the findings to work. #9 into practice, i.e. Youth Goals become Youth

The outcomes of the EU Youth Conference in Germany will be utilised and will influence processes in various ways:

Outcomes1 will be fed into the overall They4 will be put forward as political de- findings of the qualitative consultation mands to decision-makers both in the EU phase of the 8th cycle of the EU Youth and in the Member States in the form of Dialogue. Youth Actions defining how to implement the European Youth Goals.4

They2 will form the basis of the online consultation process of the 8th cycle. The5 outcomes of the 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue will shape the resolution to be adopted by the Council of the Youth They3 will be incorporated into the Ger- Ministers under the Slovenian Presidency man Council Conclusions on “Youth and in autumn 2021. Democracy”.

4 An overview of the EU Youth Dialogue process and its outcomes can be found in the Explanatory Note of the 8th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue (https://jugenddialog.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EXPLANATORY-NOTE_EUYD_-8th-cycle-3.pdf).

Use the outcomes! In addition to pre-structured and pre-determined al, national, European and international context. follow-up, the outcomes of the EU Youth Confer They can be used as political demands and can ence gathered in this Harvesting Summary can be serve as groundwork and inspiration. They can be used by everyone to help achieve the aims of the disseminated to, put into practice by and provide 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue. The outcomes guidelines for political decision-makers, experts, of the EU Youth Conference and the EU Youth Di youth organisations and all (young) people inter alogue in general can be used in the local, region ested in creating space and participation for all.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 8 Outcomes of the EU Youth Conference

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 9 Programme and Methodological Process of the Conference

Programme and Methodological Process of the Conference

The EU Youth Conference under the German from different angles and looked at which issues presidency took place digitally from 2–5 October were important and currently relevant to young 2020. Over four days, the participants discussed people. As part of the 8th cycle of the EU Youth various questions and topics around Youth Dialogue, ideas and demands were developed Goal #9. It was a time of dialogue at European as to how Youth Goal #9 can be implemented in level between young people and policy-makers particular at European level. and for discussion and working on Youth Goal #9 „Spaces and participation for all“. Under the ti The topics of the conference were jointly ex tle „Europe for YOUth – YOUth for Europe. Space plored, viewed from different perspectives, dis for democracy and participation“, the partici cussed and worked on. This was followed by the pants discussed the key topics of the EU Youth participants working together and formulating Conference: youth, democracy, spaces and concrete ideas and demands. The conference participation. was therefore a process. It began with „Blue Sky Thinking“, then moved into a phase of elabora As the EU Youth Conference took place at the tion and discussion, and, through dialogue with beginning of the 8th EU Youth Dialogue cycle, it political decision-makers, underwent concreti was not yet at the stage when collected out sation and a form of „reality check“, culminating comes from structured dialogues in the member in the formulation of concrete political demands states were evaluated. Rather, it was a moment by young people. Thus, the process of the EU when the EU Youth Delegates and all other par Youth Conference met the quality standards of ticipants explored Youth Goal #9 and the overall effective youth participation. topics of the conference, approached the topics

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 10 Programme and Methodological Process of the Conference

Overview of the programme

Friday, 02.10. Saturday, 03.10. Sunday, 04.10. Monday, 05.10.

Overview of youth Dialogue with participation political

Morning decision-makers World Café BarCamp Open sessions sessions Summarising and workshops outcomes Opening and introduction

Afternoon BarCamp session Official closing planning

The conference began with phases of open In the next phase, political decision-makers and brainstorming and discovery. These phases young people discussed the conference topics were reflected in the opening speeches, the in the political decision-makers’ respective ar joint „brainstorming moments“, input by a re eas of competence and worked on identifying searcher on the topics of the conference and how the participation of young people can be the World Café method used. strengthened in these areas. During this phase, broad ideas and themes were narrowed down In the next phase of the conference, different and concrete ideas for implementation were facets were explored, various perspectives were formulated. By connecting this with the respec considered and the broad themes of the confer tive working areas of politicians, a form of „real ence were put into concrete terms. The partic ity check“ was provided. ipants set their own focuses within the overall topics using the BarCamp method. This enabled the topics that are important to young people to be brought into focus and framed the content of the conference.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 11 Programme and Methodological Process of the Conference

Following the dialogues, the participants worked in small groups on each of the seven Targets of Youth Goal #9. The basis for discussion was a summary of the discussion outcomes from the entire conference with regard to the respective Target. The Target summary was prepared by the harvesting team. For each Target a guiding ques tion was asked. These guiding questions were not specifically formulated for the conference but were taken from the consultation pack At the Postbahnhof in Berlin, all teams are working age for the National Working Groups, which the together behind the scenes for the successful running groups can use as a guide for their Youth Dia of the digital EU Youth Conference. logue events within the 8th cycle of the EU Youth Lastly, three of these demands were discussed Dialogue. With the help of the harvesting team’s with politicians in a panel. The three demands summaries and drawing on the impressions and were selected by the conference participants knowledge gained in the different conference themselves in a democratic and youth-friendly phases, each working group developed a polit way. ical demand relating to the respective Target of Youth Goal #9. The process thus culminated in The conference was a methodical process in the interactive method of the working groups which the participants went through different and their outcomes. phases. The Target summaries and the politi cal demands resulting from the working groups took place at the end of this process (see: Day 4 and Annex 4 - Youth Goal #9 Target Summaries) and can, therefore, be considered as part of the main results of the EU Youth Conference.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 12 EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 13 Harvest of the Conference | Day 1

Harvest of the Conference

Moderation off stage: chat moderator and co-facilitator at work.

Day 1

The first day marked the start of the conference. The conference began with words of welcome, an introduction to the programme, an overview of the context of the conference and an interac tive part to get to know each other a little. This was followed by the official opening and a panel discussion. In the evening plenary session, the participants received further details about dif ferent parts of the programme and the proce Day 1 dure at the digital conference. EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 14 Harvest of the Conference | Day 1

During the introduction, the wishes and expec After the warm-up session, the conference was tations of the participants were gathered using officially opened with a speech by the German the tool Mentimeter. Furthermore, participants Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citi were asked what impact the COVID-19 pandemic zens, Women and Youth, Dr Franziska Giffey. This is having on spaces and participation for young was followed by video messages from the Ger people and what young people need for their man Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the Pres civic and democratic engagement. These two ident of the European Commission, Ursula von questions were later discussed in the panel and der Leyen. Afterwards, the presidents of the the answers of the participants were used as a German Federal Youth Council, Tobias Köck and starting point. Lisi Maier, finished the introduction with their joint speech. The participants stated that the pandemic is affecting issues of mental health and that they The statements referred to the conference’s fo are experiencing feelings of isolation, exclusion, cus on the need for space for youth participa limitation and fear. Challenging communica tion. It was pointed out that, while progress has tion in general was seen as a restricting factor. been made and freedom has been expanded, Furthermore, words such as inequality and re many young people still do not have the same strictions were used to describe the impact, to opportunities. Young people have to be enabled mention only a few of the points raised by the to formulate political demands. participants. Nevertheless, for some of the par ticipants, the pandemic has also opened up op Particular emphasis was placed on the con portunities and increased responsibilities, es sequences of the pandemic. The digital imple pecially with regard to the use of digital spaces. mentation of the conference was mentioned as a good example for overcoming these obstacles To encourage more civic and democratic en and creating new spaces. gagement, participants felt the need for oppor tunities, (safe) spaces, information, knowledge A third theme revolved around the threats to and education as well as financial support and which liberal democracy in Europe is exposed. representation. They also stated that motiva The speakers stated that there is a need for tion, support and encouragement are key fac committed democrats and contributions to tors in their engagement. wards a European society. The need to uphold values and standing up for the rule of law were emphasised.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 15 Harvest of the Conference | Day 1

Speakers pledged that the ideas of the confer ● Acknowledging the prerequisites for young ence would be passed on to the Council and fed people’s involvement as mentioned in the into the Council Conclusions planned by the Mentimeter and recognising that there is a German Presidency and into the EU Youth Dia need to open up further meaningful formal logue. In addition, efforts to enhance other in and informal ways for young people to get struments such as the EU Youth Dialogue, the engaged politically both in the national and Youth Guarantee, the Erasmus+ Program and EU context the Solidarity Corps were considered necessary. ● Considering youth participation as a cross -sectoral approach After the speeches, Youth Minister, Dr Franziska ● Working on structural changes such as Giffey, engaged in a panel discussion with Euro lowering the voting age pean Youth Forum board member, Silja Markku ● Implementing participation already in early la, and the Vice-President of the German Feder childhood education and day care al Youth Council, Marius Schlageter. Participants ● Respecting self-organised civil society took part in the debate through the chat and by safeguarding it from governmental video conference tool. The main topics of dis interference, thus aiming for independently cussions were as follows: organised national youth councils

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 16 Harvest of the Conference | Day 1

● Connecting EU funding for Member States to ● Acknowledging that young people were spe the rule of law cifically hit by the pandemic as their spaces ● Providing youth organisations with support, such as schools, kindergartens and youth funding and infrastructure as they are very centres were closed and youth programmes effective in engaging young people could not take place ● Establishing international dialogue between ● Preventing further shutdowns, destabilisa partners from different countries in order to tion of social environments and shrinking of support each other spaces for participation ● Realising the basic rights and needs of young ● Making young people’s voices count just as people, since a lack thereof prevents them much as those of other age groups who might from participating and taking part in society have (more) access to networks, financial re ● Urging the Member States to play their part sources, etc. This phenomenon has worsened in implementing the formal UN rights and during the pandemic and those with issues contributing to EU social funding efforts experienced even more deteriorations in rights during the crisis

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 17 Harvest of the Conference | Day 1

● Exploring the effect that the pandemic had are many old issues to tackle and that there is a on the mental health of young people lot of work left to do. ● Taking budgetary decisions while keeping young people and youth organisations in The first conference day laid the foundation for mind since projects like Erasmus+ have a high the following days to dive deeper into the top relevance for the volunteering sector ic of “Space and Participation for all”. It was es tablished that the participants would discuss The survey during the evening plenary session the basic prerequisites for implementing Youth illustrated the feelings and first impressions of Goal #9, ideas and best practices and formulate the participants. The participants looked for concrete political demands to be passed on to ward to the conference, feeling excitement, am political decision-makers in interactive formats. bition and clarity. They mentioned that there

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 18 Harvest of the Conference | Day 2

The facilitators welcomed the participants every morning with high spirits.

Day 2

The second day was dedicated to exploring Youth Goal #9: “Space and Participation for all”, focussing on the key conditions for successful youth participation. In the morning plenary ses sion, Dan Moxon, a researcher and practitioner in the field of youth participation, gave a short presentation on the current situation of youth participation in Europe. The participants then explored different aspects of Youth Goal #9 in Day 2 a World Café, concentrating on the key condi EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 19 Harvest of the Conference | Day 2

tions for successful youth participation. In the Operating as an interactive space where partic afternoon, the participants could choose to take ipants could discuss and contribute, the World part in one of several different workshops and Café produced outcomes that were then har open sessions offered by youth organisations to vested by the harvesting team. The workshops further explore various aspects and angles of and open sessions in the afternoon provided Youth Goal #9. inputs and food for thought which the partici pants could further work with at the confer ence, for example in the BarCamp sessions on Sunday. As the outcomes of the workshops and open sessions influenced the setting of the con ference content only indirectly, these were not harvested.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 20 Harvest of the Conference | Day 2

World Café

General impressions

All participants discussed the following ques tions in three rounds of World Cafés:

Round 1: “Democracy means participation for all. Young people don’t need special treatment.” What is your opinion about that provocative statement?

Round 2: What are the prerequisites for imple- Behind the scenes: The technical team is checking in on menting Youth Goal #9 at European the BarCamp sessions. level? What are the key conditions for effective participation of young people in political decision-making processes? Implementing Youth Goal #9 will lead to a strengthening of the democratic values of the European Union by involving all citizens, includ Round 3: ing young people. Fully achieving Youth Goal #9 How will the full realisation of Youth will also partly implement every other Youth Goal #9 influence the future of the Goal, as “Space and Participation for all” is the European Union? key to inclusive politics on all other topics. The future of the EU depends on the inclusion of young people. Specifically, the current situation of COVID-19 imposed significant restrictions on youth participation in politics in 2020. This issue The discussions took part in 15 small groups needs to be prioritised in EU politics. All of the and were held in parallel. After each round, participants agreed that EU politics need to fo the groups mixed again. The conclusions of cus further on including young people’s opinions the World Café sessions can be summarised as in policy-making because young people want to follows: be heard and taken seriously by politicians.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 21 Harvest of the Conference | Day 2

Outcomes of the World Café rounds, clustered by topic5

Education Inclusiveness ● Education about democratic participation ● Need to include minorities and EU institutions as a necessary ● Provide information in a simple language prerequisite for youth participation to reach a wide range of young people ● Need for different educational formats: non- ● Need for youth representation in politics formal, academic, practice-based learning that reflects all social backgrounds ● Start political education at a young age Values of youth participation Information flow ● Appreciation of young people’s opinions, ● Inform young people of the process of independent of gender and age policy-making in a youth-friendly manner ● Recommend a voting age of 16 years in ● Provide feedback and evaluation, for example all EU Member States on the implementation of Youth Goals ● Equal representation of young people ● Make the importance of meaningful compared to other social groups in all participation visible so that a good political institutions information loop can be established ● Spread awareness of available platforms Space and resources for participation to young people ● Access to funding for participation tools ● Foster regular meetings, dialogues and ● Need for spaces of participation interactions between politicians (e.g. Youth Parliament) and young people ● Strongly support already existing youth programmes as well as the establishment Structural issues of new ones ● Need for more transparency ● Need to restore trust in institutions Youth organisations and the EU as a whole ● Are a relevant space to empower youth ● Establish youth quotas for elections ● Provide non-formal education with lower access barriers Empowerment ● Important role in advocating for the rights of ● Provide safe spaces for youth participation young people ● Accountability: Reflect the possibilities of youth participation in EU policy-making For each round of the World Café, the hosts of the groups reported on what the main state ment, most discussed idea, topic or their group’s strongest demand was to the panel (see: An- nex 2 – World Café Outcomes).

5 Note: Outcomes presented in this overview might partly reflect the view of some but not all participants due to the overall harvesting approach (see: Harvesting approach, p. 4)

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 22 Harvest of the Conference | Day 2

Workshops and Open Sessions

In the afternoon, nine workshops and open ses The following workshops and open sessions sions were offered. The workshops were most took place: ly organised by member youth organisations of ● Ask your researchers the German Federal Youth Council. In addition, ● Experiences of young people from Berlin with the European Youth Forum and the research democracy ers of the 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue ● Q&A on the BarCamp also offered workshops. The aim was to explore ● Safeguarding civic space for young people aspects and various angles of Youth Goal #9 in Europe by connecting young people, exchanging best ● Schools of democracy? Youth participation practices, gaining insights into other topics in religious organisations and showing examples of youth work and youth ● Scouting in Berlin participation. ● The future of Belarus – A democratic nation or an oppressive autocracy? ● YOUth ACTivity: EU and YOU!

In the evening, the participants who proposed a BarCamp session and any other participants who were interested met at the BarCamp Ses sions on Sunday (Day3).

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 23 Harvest of the Conference | Day 3

Young people at work: The harvesting team is explaining their approach to the participants and sharing their impressions.

Day 3

The EU Youth conference served as a space for youth participation. In the BarCamp sessions on day 3, the participants defined their own topics and priorities for discussion, thus setting the agenda for the day. In 25 session slots, lasting 45 mins each, 18 proposed topics were discussed.

The harvest of these discussions, the chal lenges and possible solutions are summarised Day 3 under the following clustered subtopics. The EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 24 Harvest of the Conference | Day 3

breakdown of this harvesting summary does cussed. This summary gives an overview of the not correspond with the names of the individu relevant points by summarising obstacles and al BarCamp sessions. The structure here corre possible solutions. However, you can find the sponds with a thematic subdivision of the top detailed reports of the hosts of the BarCamp ics discussed. During the BarCamp sessions, a sessions in Annex 3 (see: Annex 3 Reporting on wide range of topics and perspectives were dis BarCamp Sessions).

Method: BarCamp

Minorities Obstacles Possible solutions ● Missing: representation of minorities in ● Including minorities in decision-making politics, among teachers, scientists and processes as leaders/Youth Delegates/ administration. Older people form the ma representatives, having them as a channel. jority and are in charge of politics, but do not Consultations with people from minority always recognize the issues of minorities, backgrounds have to be obligatory in political ● There are no common and well-known processes spaces, where people from of different ● Ensuring equal access for all within politics, backgrounds can meet up, discuss structural society and laws problems and discrimination, learn from each ● Equal representation of young people from other and spread awareness, knowledge and all backgrounds at the government level information ● Raising awareness of the inclusion of minorities through laws and education ● Stop thinking that quotas might be the an swer to representing minorities throughout society. ● Focus on providing equal opportunities ● National Youth Councils and Governments can help organisations of minorities to build their own structures. They can also generate funds for them to create their own spaces. ● Encouraging people to share immigrant stories via their immediate environment and social media. ● Whether you just talk with your white friends or people identifying as BIPoC/Non-BIPoC, everyone has the right to belong, thrive and be heard wherever they live.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 25 Harvest of the Conference | Day 3

COVID-19 Obstacles Possible solutions ● Young people are not having much interac ● Creating special programmes for rural areas tion with youth from minority backgrounds so young people can benefit from resources owing to COVID-19 because of the lack of and funding and be equally included (also in physical spaces for young people to meet times of crises) ● EU Youth Conference in Germany: A challenge ● Seeing COVID-19 as a source of impetus that but also an opportunity to show how a digital can create special opportunities conference works. There are opportunities for ● Offering support such as orientation, training synergies and we have to work with a certain and education in different formats of digital pragmatism on the challenge learning for young people in different con ● Owing to COVID-19 many young people are texts who are suffering from unemployment facing unemployment and difficulties apply owing to COVID-19 ing for jobs. Spaces are needed where they can be supported and educated during their unemployment

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 26 Harvest of the Conference | Day 3

Education Obstacles Possible solutions ● Formal education is often isolated and not ● Participation must and can be learned at open enough to cooperation, self-manage school. For example, by adapting and chang ment and providing spaces, especially for ing existing school models, promoting the youth from all backgrounds learning of soft skills, encouraging students ● The information provided is often too to pay attention to their own happiness and complicated and not in a suitable language not only focussing on grading for young people, which makes access to ● Empowering individuals through education information more difficult. to navigate the political space, i.e. developing ● Accessibility is a huge issue, especially look knowledge and skills that will boost people’s ing at the urban-rural cleavage. Many young confidence to participate people or organisations do not have access ● Formal education should cooperate with to the tools for digital meetings or the neces youth work and volunteering to strengthen sary financial means. the links between non-formal and formal ● At a young age, people are sometimes not education aware of opportunities for non-formal ● Young people have the right to political edu education cation they need to enable them to think crit ● Safe spaces for young people are need ically and take ownership by educating others ed to develop their identity. Government ● Going into schools to educate about youth power over the school curriculum can be participation programmes and integrating problematic. programmes into the curriculum

Voting age Obstacles Possible solutions ● In almost no country in Europe it is possible ● Throughout Europe the voting age should to vote under the age of 18 be 16 → Lowering the voting age ● Young people are not able to vote for the politicians who take action to protect the environment and climate

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 27 Harvest of the Conference | Day 3

Youth organisations Obstacles Possible solutions ● Desire for more exchange and continuous ● Organising regular meetings in between the collaboration between youth organisations EU Youth Conferences and more intensive use and young people in Europe of existing communication and collaboration ● Support is needed at the local level (munic platforms ipalities) for the creation of spaces, but also ● Increase youth mobility and dialogue be dissemination of their activities among young tween young people from different back people grounds through financial resources and ● Youth-led and youth-run places and facilities funding programmes such as Erasmus or are rare other programmes for young people to join and reach youth organisations ● Exchange opportunities not only target university students, but also high school students, e.g. through exchange programmes ● Some grass roots initiatives and universities have created their own spaces and run them. These centres are very close to the needs of young people ● Co-leading of youth spaces to ensure maturity and functioning of the space, but still giving independence to youth ● Making it clear that youth participation is not always only political, it can be community or interest-based ● More “mature/ non-youth” organisations could share their physical spaces and offer facilities, not only in urban areas

Volunteering Obstacles Possible solutions ● Socio-economic barriers, for example ex ● Jointly defining the personal interests of vol plored by asking the question: “Is it common unteering for young people, going into their to volunteer in your environment or might spaces/local communities and informing you have to work at an early age to make your ● Communication about volunteering oppor living?” tunities: Creating open calls on social media, ● Lack of knowledge on how to get involved visiting schools, “face-to-face” dialogues locally or at the EU level ● Needs to be strengthened through youth organisations and funded by Member States: networking, more teaching about the EU, enhanced internet activity

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 28 Harvest of the Conference | Day 3

Communication between government authorities and young people Obstacles Possible solutions ● Complex governance system: this means that ● Including young people more in political the individual responsibilities are not directly structures to help them understand the visible and communication is more difficult complexity ● Our society lacks awareness of structural ● When establishing local youth councils in racism and the discrimination of minorities. every local institution one person should be Minorities are often not included in deci responsible for youth participation sion-making processes because there is no → Talking to your city council and mayor and space for them to participate and discuss advocating for participation their needs. → Showing best practice from other cities or ● Regarding youth participation and its effects: communities lack of feedback → Involving youth organisations from your city ● Encouraging young people to enter polit ical structures by involving them in deci sion-making processes ● Creating a handbook on politics → With contact persons from politics (for young people) → Guide for politicians so they can effectively communicate their knowledge ● Teaching students about cultural communi cation in formal and non-formal education. Education must react to the diversity of our society and create spaces for exchange and discussion.

In the evening plenary, the BarCamp sessions were asked which topics they would like to were briefly reflected upon and the participants bring into the dialogue with the political deci shared which topics they had taken with them sion-makers, thus building a bridge to the pro from the BarCamp. In addition, the participants gramme for the next day.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 29 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Various video conference rooms were used for dialogues between participants and political decision-makers. This enabled digital exchange in small groups. Day 4

On Monday morning, the fourth and last day of the conference, the Youth Delegates had the op portunity to engage in dialogues with political decision-makers. After the dialogues, the partic ipants came together in working groups where they reviewed and added to the outcomes of the conference which were clustered according to the seven Targets of Youth Goal #9. Day 4 EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 30 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

During the following panel discussion, the re sults and political demands formulated in the working groups were presented. Three out of seven demands were then voted on by the par ticipants and discussed in the closing panel dis cussion. Finally, a handover to the Portuguese Presidency took place and the conference was officially closed. Small groups of around 6-8 participants al lowed for the dialogues to develop and offered a space where the Youth Delegates and politi Political Dialogues cal decision-maker were free to explain ideas On the morning of 5 October several political di and opinions and share mutual feedback. At the alogues took place in small groups, giving Youth same time, this setting ensured the possibility Delegates the exclusive opportunity to directly for reaching a common understanding of dif address topics raised during the conference and ferent positions and perspectives. At the end of to discuss them with political decision-makers. the session, each group developed one concrete The central question in these dialogues was how implementation idea in collaboration with the the political decision-makers could implement political decision-maker. Youth Goal #9 in their respective policy area. The political dialogues were moderated by one The aim of the political dialogues was to cre of the facilitators, a representative of the Fed ate an open exchange between political deci eral German Youth Council and a representative sion-makers and young people in order to of the European Youth Forum. The youth dele ● make youth participation tangible for the gates and youth representatives were split up in participants and to set an example of real groups according to their preferences. youth participation ● discuss ideas and demands of young peo Political Dialogue Outcomes ple with regard to the topic of “Space and Participation for All” with reference to the In each of the groups, an intensive dialogue took policy area of each respective political place which was shaped and guided by the ques decision-maker tions and demands of the Youth Delegates. Due ● jointly develop ideas on how “Space and to the diversity of the questions and policy areas, participation for all” could be put into prac a wide range of topics, ideas, political demands tice/made possible within their area of and best practices were discussed. Each group responsibility formulated one main outcome of their dialogue.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 31 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Dialogue Group with Sophia Eriksson Waterschoot

Director for Youth, Education and Erasmus+ at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture Main Outcome: Let’s put a focus on programmes – for example, by making them operational in the digital area so they don’t lose their relevance (e.g. exchange programmes). Use the Conference on the Future of Europe by creating a Youth Agora at the conference.

Dialogue Group with Dr Franziska Giffey

German Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Main Outcome: We should integrate the Youth Check even further into the political sys tem. Direct exchange at eye level between political decision-makers should be promoted in the context of formal education.

Dialogue Group with Dr Simona Kustec

Minister for Education, Science, and Sport, Slovenia Main Outcome: ● Minister’s main outcome: A structured dialogue with equal access for young people is needed in political decision-making processes. ● Youth Delegates’ main outcome: Youth-friendly communication to and with young people as well as equal opportunities are needed. It is also necessary to support youth NGOs that are working for and with young people.

Dialogue Group with Stefan Olsson

Director for Employment at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Main Outcome: We should design a (virtual) platform that is accessible to all young peo ple to make consultations (on local, regional and national level) easier and more direct. Young people should be able to give direct input on issues and have the platform to express how they want political decision-makers to deal with them. We need experts to create this kind of tool which would open up access to consultation and political deci sion-making for young people on all levels.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 32 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Dialogue Group with João Paulo Rebelo

Portuguese Secretary of State for Youth and Sport Main Outcome: Policies should be created in cooperation with young people. A discussion about the voting age is also necessary as well as quotas, which should be taken to a concrete level.

Dialogue Group with Evelyn Regner

Chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament Main Outcome: Women should be financially and economically independent. Different steps need to be taken to implement these goals: It is necessary to get women into top positions. The gender pay gap must be closed and there needs to be more equal sharing of unpaid care work. Raising and developing criteria for minimum salary is spe cifically helping women to generate a fair income. Good education is the basis for wom en to achieve independence.

Dialogue Group with Adrián Vázquez Lázara

Chair of the Committee in Legal Affairs of the European Parliament Main Outcome: It is necessary to put the focus on media, news and digital literacy (not only for young people but for all).

Dialogue Group with Sabine Verheyen

Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament Main Outcome: We should ensure that young people are being heard by the European Parliament in the process of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) / #NextGenera tionEU and convince other committees within the European Parliament to include young people and youth organisations in their discussions, also in regard to the RRF.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 33 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Working Groups on Targets

In the final participatory format of the confer Target Summary containing all the main con ence, the participants had the opportunity to clusions of the conference clustered by the review and add to the gathered outcomes of Targets. Based on these discussions, each Tar the conference. The findings were structured get group formulated one concrete political and divided according to the 7 Targets of Youth demand which can contribute towards imple Goal #9, which were then discussed in small menting Youth Goal #9 at European level and in groups. The participants were free to assign the Member States. themselves to their preferred Target. For each Target, a member of the harvesting team pre All detailed outcomes can be found in the sented the collected outcomes, which could above-mentioned Youth Goal #9 Target Summa then be reviewed together. The reviewed out ry in Annex 4 (see: Annex 4 - Youth Goal #9 Tar- comes were summarised in the Youth Goal #9 get Summaries).

The political demands on the seven targets were formulated as follows:

Target #1 We demand co-decision-making processes on all levels with young people and youth organisations, implemented through a rights-based approach.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 34 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Target #2 Decision-makers should encourage and invest in dedicated processes which amplify young minority voices and ensure their direct engagement.

Target #3 Ensure young people’s access to formal decision-making by lowering the age of voting and political candidacy to 16 in all elections, while ensuring all youths have the opportunity to gain sufficient skills and motivation to participate actively and passively in elections, as well as removing all barriers to voting.

Target #4 We demand a new EU Fund to set up and sustain youth spaces.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 35 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Target #5 We request that the European Commission puts the creation of safe digital spaces for young people, along with the support and funding of developing digital literacy activities, as one of the top priorities in all programmes along prioritising it horizontally at European level.

Target #6 We demand funds to be made available for permanent structures of participation.

Target #7 We demand critical thinking to become a part of the obligatory private and public school curriculum for at least one hour a week from the ages 10-16 in order to fight fake news and disinformation with media and information literacy and to encourage youth participation and motivation to be a part of the debate.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 36 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

During the closing panel discussion of the con Target # 1 – Ensure young people can ade ference, the participants were given the op quately influence all areas of society and all portunity to debate three of these political parts of the decision-making processes, from demands with the panel guests and to receive agenda setting to implementation, monitor comments and feedback. The participants de ing and evaluation through youth-friendly and cided democratically that the political demands accessible mechanisms and structures, ensur of Targets 1, 3, and 7 should be presented and ing that policies respond to the needs of young discussed during the closing panel discussion. people.

Closing Panel Discussion Demand: We demand co-decision-making processes on all levels with young people and The conference ended with a panel discussion youth organisations, implemented through a on the outcomes of the conference. The discus rights-based approach. sion was attended by the German Youth Minis ter Dr Franziska Giffey, the President of the Por When presenting the demand, the Youth Delegate tuguese National Youth Council Rita Saias, the Mila Lukic stressed the need to integrate a rights- board member of the YFJ Benjamin Günther and based approach for involving young people and three Youth Delegates who joined the discus youth organisations via organised and non-or sion consecutively to present three of the for ganised participation. Minister Giffey agreed and mulated political demands: Mila Lukic, Simon added it should not only be about youth topics. Lindkær Andersen and Leverne Nijman. Germany, for example, introduced a youth strat egy with all ministries. In the future, youth rights The panel discussion was divided into three need to be guaranteed in the constitution. Rita rounds. In each round, one of the three previ Saias proposed widening the perspective. For ex ously nominated Youth Delegates first present ample, strategies from different countries could ed the political demand which had been formu be compared. She stressed the necessity to look lated in the previous Working Group on Targets at youth in a broader way and not only talk about on the basis of the outcomes of the conference. youth topics specifically. Another point of discus This was followed by a joint discussion with the sion was the special focus on local youth move panellists and the respective youth delegate. ments which should be supported.

The German Youth Minister, the President of the Portuguese National Youth Council and a board member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ) talk about the conference-outcomes. The official parts were translated into sign language.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 37 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Target #3 – Increase youth participation and Target #7 – Provide youth-friendly, relevant, thus equal representation in the electoral pro comprehensive information, also developed by cess as well as in elected bodies and other deci and with young people, in order to enable youth sion-making organs at all levels of society. participation.

Demand: Ensure young people’s access to for- Demand: We demand critical thinking to be- mal decision-making by lowering the age of come a part of the obligatory private and public voting and political candidacy to 16 in all elec- school curriculum for at least one hour a week tions, while ensuring all youths have the oppor- from the ages 10-16 in order to fight fake news tunity to gain sufficient skills and motivation to and disinformation with media and information participate actively and passively in elections, literacy and to encourage youth participation as well as removing all barriers to voting. and motivation to be a part of the debate.

The demand was presented by youth delegate Youth delegate Leverne Nijman further stated Simon Lindkær Andersen. He emphasised the that young people get most of their information need for structures to support young people online. She emphasised that instead of provid and the need to remove all kinds of barriers ing young people with increasing amounts of that prevent young people from participating information, it is essential to provide them with in the electoral process. Opening the debate, the skills for effective filtering and reflection at Benjamin Günther stressed that the YFJ has long an early age. The Minister agreed with Leverne been working on promoting a lower voting age Nijman and acknowledged that it is particularly at both European and national level. It is impor important to teach media skills in school con tant to recognise that lowering the voting age texts, preferably in various subjects from dif goes hand in hand with quality (political) edu ferent perspectives. Beyond that it is also im cation. Minister Giffey confirmed that the issue portant to address the topic in the non-formal needs to be discussed publicly and that it is education sector. In addition, the topic would particularly important to support young people also relate to protecting young people in the in their political participation and provide them digital space, e.g. with regard to cyber mobbing with the necessary skills. During the discussion or fraud. Benjamin Günther underlined that it it emerged that the outcomes of the confer was particularly important to promote the topic ence show that many young people are calling at national level. He observed that for success for a lower voting age and that this should be ful cooperation between formal and non-formal taken into account in further political process education, it is necessary for schools to open up es. Equally important is the continued support to youth organisations and that more sustain of youth organisations, which play an impor able funding for the organisations is needed to tant role in the political participation of young fulfil their educational purpose. people.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 38 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

Closing of the EU Youth Conference

The closing of the conference started with a speech by Themis Christophidou, Director-Gen eral at the European Commission for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, who underlined the importance of the EU Youth Dialogue and the achievements of the last 10 years.

Her speech was followed by Tobias Köck, Presi dent of the German Federal Youth Council, who emphasised the importance of young people for our democracy and emphasised that it is impor tant to implement sustainable co-decision-mak ing processes which could lead by example at all German Youth Minister Franziska Giffey promises to levels, including the European level. discuss the demands and proposals of the EU Youth Conference with her colleagues in Europe.

Dr Franziska Giffey, German Federal Minister for Rita Saias and Marius Schlageter as the repre Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth sentatives of the National Youth Councils of the as well as Dr Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, Portu current and the upcoming EU presidency did a guese Minister of Education, agreed with the ceremonial handover, emphasising the rele previous speakers and highlighted the impor vance of the Trio Presidency and highlighting tance of human rights and democracy in the EU the cooperation between the three National and how participation for all is an integral part Youth Councils of Germany, Portugal and Slo of this at all levels. They were very pleased to venia as a good example of fruitful cooperation receive the outcomes of the conference on be which is contributing towards implementing half of their governments and the presidencies the European Youth Goals. They stated that in giving their assurance that they would incorpo a globalised world we need European solutions rate them into Council conclusions under the and that strong cooperation in the EU and a Trio German Presidency. Presidency can make this possible if the ideas and demands of young people are taken into ac count and young people can participate in the decision-making processes.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 39 Harvest of the Conference | Day 4

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 40 Wrap-Up

Wrap-Up

The DBJR President emphasizes the importance of The EU Youth Conference under the German strong and independent youth organisations and youth Council Presidency aimed to contribute to councils, especially in the view of shrinking spaces for civil society. strengthening democracy in Europe by explor ing how the European Youth Goal #9: “Space and Participation for All” can be achieved, in particu lar at European level. Under the title „Europe for YOUth – YOUth for Europe. Space for democra cy and participation“, the topics of the EU Youth Conference were youth, democracy, space and participation for all. As the conference took place in the digital space, the organisers tried to set a best practice example of meaningful youth

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 41 Wrap-Up

participation in the digital environment and to The topics of the conference were jointly ex create a space for meaningful youth partici plored, viewed from different perspectives, pation. Hence, the conference was designed in discussed and worked on. The conference was such a way that young people had many oppor therefore a process. It began with „Blue Sky tunities to get involved and discuss the issues Thinking“, then moved into a phase of elabo that are important to them. Various opportuni ration and discussion. Through dialogue with ties for interaction and discussion among young political decision-makers, it was put into more people and between young people and political concrete terms and underwent a form of „re decision-makers were offered. In addition to be ality check“ before culminating in the formu ing participants in the conference, young people lation of specific political demands by young also facilitated different programme points and people. However, it is impossible for the polit took part in the harvesting of the outcomes. ical demands formulated for each of the sev en Targets of Youth Goal #9 to fully reflect the wide range of topics, ideas and discussions that arose during the conference. They should there fore be seen as the condensed outcome of all the discussions and ideas over the course of the conference.

This Harvesting Summary aims to give a deep er insight into the topics and ideas that were discussed during the four days. The harvest ing team observed and took notes of as many outcomes as possible and clustered the find ings. Additionally, the participants themselves reported on the sessions they had personally hosted. This summary provides an overview of the range of topics and ideas. However, it is un able to reflect and report on every single point raised due to nature of the harvesting process, as made transparent in the Summary.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 42 Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

Is it going to work out in the way we planned it?” Members of the conference team at work.

As the EU Youth Conference took place at the this 8th EU Youth Dialogue Cycle and was aimed beginning of the 8th cycle of the EU Youth Dia at getting to know the topic, collecting ques logue, the collected outcomes from structured tions and thoughts, and raising ideas that need dialogues in the Member States had not yet to be further discussed and developed within been evaluated. Rather, it was a time when the this cycle. Furthermore, concrete demands were EU Youth Delegates and all other participants produced that need to be implemented. This explored Youth Goal #9 and the overall topics, Harvesting Summary will hopefully contribute approached different angles of the topics and to this further process and provide valuable in looked at which issues were important and cur put on what matters to young people and what rently relevant to young people. The conference needs to be worked on in order to truly create was therefore only one of the starting points of spaces and participation for all.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 43 Acknowledgements

Harvesting Team The organisers of the EU Youth Conference would like to sincerely thank the harvesting team who put a lot of effort and dedication into processing the outcomes of the conference in order to enable meaningful follow-up. Abdul-Samet, Anastasia, Anna, Blanca, Janine, Janis, Katja, Leonie, Paula, and Selina

Tech Team The organisers also want to thank the tech team who provided great support, not only to the participants, and quickly solved any technical issues. Alina and Paul

Awareness Person Furthermore, a big thank you to our chat modera tion and awareness person who quickly answered all of the participants’ questions and made sure that there was an atmosphere in which everyone could feel comfortable. Özge

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 44 Acknowledgements

Facilitator Team The facilitators who lead us through the con ference also deserve a huge thank you. It was only thanks to their tireless efforts during the preparation stages, their tips and ideas for the programme and their fabulous moderation that the conference was so successful. Clara, Martin, and Milosh

Conference Team No conference is able to take place without the “team behind the scenes”. Therefore, the Ger man Federal Youth Council (DBJR) expresses its most sincere gratitude to a fantastic and always committed organisational team. Thank you for having worked so hard with such determination to make the EU Youth Conference a success. Not even a global pandemic could stop them from setting up a meaningful and youth-friendly EU Youth Conference that, hopefully, others will refer to in the future. Ann-Kathrin and Linda from BMFSFJ; Josephine from BAFzA; Aaron, Anastasiia, Anna, Dominik, Hannah, Jochen, Linda, Michael and Sharon from DBJR

Last but not least, many thanks to the European to the positive cooperation and constructive at Steering Group who supported the conference mosphere that prevails in ESG, the organisers are organisers with tips for ensuring a successful sure that this cycle will contribute to meaningful and coherent conference and for embedding it youth participation, strengthening EU Youth Dia into the overall EU Youth Dialogue process. Due logue and therefore democracy in Europe.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 45 Annex 1 | Programme

Annex 1 Programme 2 – 5 October 2020 All times are in Central European Summer Time (CEST).

Friday, 2 October 2020

14.30 Uhr Registration/Arrival

15.00 Uhr Welcome & Introduction

16.30 Uhr Break

Official Opening

Welcoming Speeches

Dr Franziska Giffey Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Germany

Dr Angela Merkel (video address) Federal Chancellor, Germany

Dr Ursula von der Leyen (video address) President of the European Commission

Lisi Maier & Tobias Köck 17.00 Uhr Presidents of the German Federal Youth Council

Interactive Panel Discussion “Youth and Democracy in Europe”

Dr Franziska Giffey Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Germany

Silja Markkula Board Member of the European Youth Forum EU Youth Conference – Annex 1 | 3

Marius Schlageter Vice-President of the German Federal Youth Council

18.00 Uhr Outlook on the Next Days

18.45 Uhr End of Day 1 Friday, 2 October2 2020 Friday,

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 46 Annex 1 | Programme

Saturday, 3 October 2020

09.30 Uhr Morning Plenary

Input: “Youth Participation: What’s the current situation?”

Dan Moxon Director of People Dialogue and Change, Member of the Researcher Team for the 8th Cycle of EU Youth Dialogue

10.00 Uhr World Café: Exploring Youth Goal # 9 3 rounds à 25 minutes

12.15 Uhr Wrap-up Plenary

13.00 Uhr Lunch Break

14.00 Uhr Open Sessions and Workshops for Interested Participants 17.00 Uhr BarCamp Session Planning for Participants who proposed a session and all others interested 18.00 Uhr Saturday, 3 October3 2020 Saturday, End of Day 2

Sunday, 4 October 2020

09.30 Uhr BarCamp: Introduction & Presentation of Session Plan I

10.30 Uhr Break

10.45 Uhr BarCamp: Session 1

11.30 Uhr Break

11.45 Uhr BarCamp: Session 2

12.30 Uhr Lunch Break

14.00 Uhr BarCamp: Presentation of Session Plan II

14.30 Uhr Break

14.45 Uhr BarCamp: Session 3

15.30 Uhr Break

15.45 Uhr BarCamp: Session 4

16.30 Uhr Break

16.45 Uhr Evening Plenary

17.30 Uhr End of Day 3 Sunday, 4 October4 2020 Sunday,

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 47 Annex 1 | Programme

Monday, 5 October 2020

09.00 Uhr Morning Plenary 09.15 Uhr Preparation of Dialogues 10.00 Uhr Dialogue with Political Decision-Makers (This Part of the Programme is reserved for Youth Delegates.)

Dialogue Partners (in alphabetical order):

Mariya Gabriel European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

Dr Franziska Giffey Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Germany

Dr Simona Kustec Minister for Education, Science, and Sport, Slovenia

João Paulo Rebelo Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, Portugal

Evelyn Regner Chair of the Committee on Women‘s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) of the European Parliament

Stefan Olsson Director for Employment at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Adrián Vázquez Lázara Chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) of the European Parliament

Sabine Verheyen Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) of the European Parliament

11.00 Uhr Wrap up of Dialogues 11.30 Uhr Lunch Break 13.00 Uhr Introduction of Working Groups

Monday, 5 October5 2020 Monday, 13.15 Uhr Working Groups on the Targets of Youth Goal #9

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 48 Annex 1 | Programme

14.30 Uhr Break

14.45 Uhr Presentation of Results

15.30 Uhr Break

16.00 Uhr Official Closing

Strengthening Democracy in Europe by Promoting Space and Participation for All: Results from the EU Youth Conference

Dr Franziska Giffey Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Germany

Rita Saias President of the Portuguese National Youth Council

Benjamin Günther Board Member of the European Youth Forum

Closing Speeches and Handover to the upcoming Portuguese EU Presidency

Themis Christophidou Director-General at the European Commission for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture

Tobias Köck President of the German Federal Youth Council

Dr Franziska Giffey Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Germany

Dr Tiago Brandão Rodrigues Minister of Education, Portugal

Rita Saias & Marius Schlageter Representatives of the National Youth Councils of the current and the upcoming EU Presidency

17.30 Uhr End of Day 4 Monday, 5 October5 2020 Monday,

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 49 Annex 2 | Results of World Café

Annex 2 World Café Outcomes

On the second day of the EU Youth Confer At the EUYC, the World Café proceeded in three ence, the participants explored different as rounds. Instead of sitting at different tables, pects of Youth Goal #9 in a World Café, focus the participants discussed with each other sing on the key conditions for successful youth in 15 different virtual rooms. To ensure a good participation. mix of groups, the participants were divided into groups in advance. Furthermore, the par The World Café methodology is a format for ticipants had the chance to sign up as a “table hosting dialogue within a large group. It consists host”. of several rounds of conversation between small groups of people seated around a table. After At the end of the World Café, every table host each round, each member of the group moves was asked to report on the discussions by for to a different new table. One person stays as the mulating one main statement/the most dis “table host” to welcome the next participants cussed topic or idea/the strongest demand for and briefly fills them in on what happened in the each round. The reports in the following are previous round. Each round is prefaced with a sorted according to the respective rounds. guiding question that is discussed at all tables in parallel.

EU Youth Conference – Harvesting Summary 50 Annex 2 | Results of World Café

Round 1

Guiding question

„Democracy means participation for all. Young people don‘t need special treatment.“ What is your opinion about that provocative statement?

Main statements/most discussed topics or ideas/ strongest demands of each World Café table

Including1 those with fewer opportunities. What3 is special treatment? How do we de- fine it? As young people demanding their rights is usually considered „special treat- Infrastructures2 are crucial but it is not ment“, this is a problem which needs to be enough that they exist; they should be discussed. used effectively and we should pay special attention to informal, digital ways of participating.

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Agree4 with statement but does not re- It10 all starts with young people. Being po- flect society; must ensure all voices are litically active from a young age will have included and it is safe for everyone to a positive effect in the long-term because participate. they will be more likely to keep participating throughout their lifetime (Dan‘s statis- tic during the morning plenary). Youth5 needs “tailor-made” solutions for communication and representation when participating in the decision-making Special11 treatment is necessary due to process. unequal possibilities and rights. Education and empowerment from an early age is key. Beneficial consequences for society (new Democracy6 includes us ALL – young peo- views, active and informed citizens etc.). ple need youth-friendly information to make mindful decisions. Education12 is the key.

Special7 treatment is needed such as information, however not as a condition for It13 is crucial not only to encourage but to being granted a right, but to use that right actually enable young people. Only then meaningfully. will special treatment no longer be necessary anymore in the long run.

We8 only ask whether young people are educated enough to vote, but why does no Democracies14 impose structural barriers one ask whether older people are educat- which are a hinderance to offering equal ed enough to vote? opportunities for participation between adults and young people.

We9 are not asking for special treatment – we are just closing the gap! Special15 treatment is not the right wording. Support, space, knowledge/education and tools should be provided to enable constructive participation because it is the right of young people.

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Round 2

Guiding question

What are the prerequisites for implementing Youth Goal #9 at European level? What are the key conditions for effective participation of young people in political decision-making processes?

Main statements/most discussed topics or ideas/ strongest demands of each World Café table

1 3 Youth quotas for elections. The two dimensions of how we can support participation: the physical dimension (laptops, strong wifi connection, commu- For2 participation we should already start nity places) and opportunities. at the local level (e.g. through municipalities, political education) and the EU should make sure they are targeting Ensuring4 communication back and forth minorities and young people with fewer between politicians and young people; opportunities. ephebiphobia (fear of youth) exists.

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5 12 Key conditions to be provided to support Don‘t only talk at the EUYC – friendly youth participation: space for both young communication goes hand in hand with people and decision-makers and clear this issue because we need the space to communication. participate in all parts of politics – not only about youth problems.

Young6 people’s voices have an impact! Together with INGYOs and (non-)formal Society’s13 vision of how young people’s education. interest in participation needs to be chal- lenged: Young people need to be seen as legitimated to shape policy. All (!) young Strengthen7 independent youth organisa- people need to be listened to and feed- tions as the voice of youth in politics and back is very relevant to ensure constant society. motivation.

Understand8 the system and push each Politicians14 need to adjust their attitude other. by actually taking young people seriously since young people’s opinions are equally as valuable as other stakeholders’ input. We9 need youth-friendly information, representative youth participation and impactful youth participation. We15 should have a rights-based approach to implementing Youth Goal #9. Further- more, education is crucial to enable young Very10 difficult bureaucratic structures people to participate successfully. It is (difficulty in understanding how they also pointed out that the right to vote work, young people lose interest). gives you more influence.

Key11 factors are education and knowledge, transparency, stronger representation and representativity and youth-friendly spaces.

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Round 3

Guiding question

How will the full realisation of Youth Goal #9 influence the future of the European Union?

Main statements/most discussed topics or ideas/ strongest demands of each World Café table

1 3 Cooperation between youth organisations Age gap, aging society, which make the and informal groups situation of younger people more difficult.

By2 reaching full youth participation by Better4 trust in institution and communi- also making use of digitalisation, we could cations in open spaces and voting; Youth make the EU more inclusive and ensure Check is a great way to do that. that not only the „usual suspects“ are included in decision-making.

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5 11 The future will look brilliant: with efficient A more democratic and youth-friendly EU and accepting institutions and organi- in general. Would lead to a change in pri- sations, better integration of youth and orities as well as the image and standing better funding (financial independence of the EU. and transparency and equal chances for obtaining funds). Youth12 participation is different in every country - the politics and programmes EU6 will become youth-friendly, youth-led should consider this. and inclusive. Youthless policy is useless policy :P Future-oriented13 topics (e.g. sustainability, spaces for young people, reproductive Implementation7 of Youth Goal #9 would health) that young people can relate strengthen Europe and cohesion in socie- to and that affect them would be more ty in general and lead to better politics. discussed and tackled, for instance ultimately leading to a more environmen- tally-friendly Europe Information8 on how to tell everybody what is already there and including young people in all the stages of decision-making. The14 achievement of full youth participation will lead to a better democracy, abandoning the perception of being A9 fully implemented Youth Goal #9 will obligated to include young people but lead to more influence and ownership for rather welcoming their input. young people as well as better policies.

The15 implementation of Youth Goal #9 will Have10 a correct balance between quantity lead to a more enlightened EU, as young and quality of youth participation to make people usually have more innovative it meaningful. Disseminate at a local level ideas and more people are involved in and have meaningful feedback from all decision-making, so they will probably be sides (create a dialogue). more satisfied with the results.

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Annex 3 Reporting on BarCamp Sessions

BarCamp Session Title:

On the third day of the EU Youth Conference, Finland involving the youth in imple- the participants were able to set the agenda menting the UN resolution 2250 themselves in a BarCamp. During the BarCamp, the participants suggested content, decided Please give a brief general description of the on what content to include and were respon things your group talked about. sible for implementing and documenting the I gave an overview of the process with which sessions. Unlike in classical conferences, the Finland has formulated a national action plan BarCamp programme was not fixed in terms of for 2250. Then we discussed different issues re specific topics and speakers. Instead, all of the lating to young people‘s involvement in peace participants decided together on the topics dur processes. Many of the participants came from ing the session planning. Every participant was areas in Europe where there is some kind of ac able to propose one or more sessions and con tive or frozen conflict and talked about their ex tributed to creating the conference programme. periences and the issues they have faced. Some important themes were how to fight disinfor The hosts of the BarCamp sessions were asked mation, how to involve young people in com to take notes during their sessions so that the mittees in peace negotiations, how to motivate discussion and outcomes of their conversations governments to involve young people and that could be fed into the harvesting process. In ad we should bring young people together from dition, they were asked to fill in a short report around Europe to talk about these issues. form after their Barcamp session. The reports were then used by the harvesting team to in What were the three most important things to corporate the outcomes into the conference your group in this discussion? findings. 1. The youth organisations and governments should work together to implement the Youth, The reports can be found below. In total, Peace and Security resolution. Governments 15 hosts filled in a report. They were not re should be motivated to do this. quired to answer all of the questions but only 2. We should bring together young people from those they considered to be important in rela around Europe to discuss peace and conflict tion to their session. As the hosts filled in the prevention (for example a youth conference reports on their own, some of the points might for peace and security.) reflect the perspective of the session host rath 3. In areas where peace negotiations are being er than representing all of the perspectives of carried out, young people should be involved the participants in the respective session. in these negotiations.

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What are the current challenges young people Does your group think young people have dif- face (relating to your session topic) that your ferent experiences of your theme in different group identified? parts of Europe? 1. Trolls and disinformation campaigns which Yes, absolutely. Some parts of Europe are very aim to promote extremism, escalate conflicts peaceful and some parts have ongoing conflicts. and „militarise the mind“. However, some issues such as misinformation in 2. Being excluded from negotiation tables. The social media are a threat to us all. experience of the young generation is often different, especially when different genera Do your group think young people from differ- tions have lived through different stages of ent backgrounds have different experiences of the conflict. your theme? 3. Some governments try to exclude the opposi / tion from talks. How would your group want the future to be How does your group think these challenges different? affect the life of young people in Europe? Young people should be included in peace / talks everywhere and allowed to contribute to a better future. Bringing people together would What are good elements or ideas that your prevent prejudices and misinformation from group believe we should build on (relating to spreading. Democracy should work properly your session topic)? everywhere in Europe. 1. Teaching critical thinking. 2. Organising a youth conference about peace. What changes would your group like to see 3. Strengthening the ties between different relating to your session topic? youth organisations and then promoting Governments should be motivated to promote these issues together. the involvement of young people in these mat ters and to implement the Youth, Peace and Se What is it about these elements/ideas that curity resolution. make them good? Critical thinking skills help young people to In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for avoid falling prey to misinformation campaigns. the future relating to your topic. Bringing young people together shows that we Every European country implements the Youth, are all people and not „the enemy“. Sharing ide Peace and Security resolution in collaboration as and supporting each other strengthens us all. with young people and youth organisations and this promotes peace and security all over Europe.

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BarCamp Session Title:

How to involve minorities in youth work?

Please give a brief general description of the What is it about these elements/ideas that things your group talked about. make them good? We discussed minorities’ issues and challeng They are all at eye level. They are local. They es. Best practices, ideas and concrete initiatives empower young people at an early age, helping that can solve these problems them for the rest of their lives.

What were the three most important things to Does your group think young people have dif- your group in this discussion? ferent experiences of your theme in different That we need to be sensible about vulnerable parts of Europe? topics. That we need to create spaces that can It might be the case. For example, if it is a minor support and facilitate participation for young ity group that fled from conflict areas in southern minorities at eye level. We need to educate the Europe or minority groups that are descendants of majority about minority topics. immigrants. But in both cases some of the same mechanisms of discrimination apply to both groups. What are the current challenges young people face (relating to your session topic) that your Do your group think young people from differ- group identified? ent backgrounds have different experiences of Barriers caused by culture clash. No role mod your theme? els/resourceful key actors in wider society. Lack They do. But then again, they might experience of knowledge about minority work. the same barriers. What is most important is to take intersectional aspects into account when How does your group think these challenges working with minority groups. affect the life of young people in Europe? It creates distance between minority groups and How would your group want the future to be the majority. It decreases their access to jobs different? and pushes them away from opportunities. It More inclusive. also hits hard on their mental health and socio economic equality. What changes would your group like to see relating to your session topic? What are good elements or ideas that your / group believe we should build on (relating to your session topic)? In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for Exchanges. Talking about the topics at school at the future relating to your topic. a very early age. Creating a safe space locally. We want to work together across Europe. We Good practice exchanges. want to solve the big issues in Europe with everyone onboard -> so we want to accomplish participation for all, where the minority groups also have a seat at the table.

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BarCamp Session Title:

How to: Youth spaces!

Please give a brief general description of the 5. Many high-school students are not aware of things your group talked about. these spaces so more advertising should be We discussed the definition of a youth space, done in high schools, not just for university the challenges faced by youth spaces and rec students. ommendations for the support they should 6. For digital spaces there is a need for facili have/solutions to the challenges. ties – technology, software, etc.

What were the three most important things to How does your group think these challenges your group in this discussion? affect the life of young people in Europe? 1. Youth spaces can be youth-led even if they are They prevent young people from benefitting run by people over 29/35 and professionals. from youth spaces and the support they offer. 2. Access to youth spaces should be ensured for They prevent quality youth development and young people so that they can actually ben participation. efit from them, especially youth from remote areas/poor finances. What are good elements or ideas that your 3. Youth spaces should adapt and find a balance group believe we should build on (relating to between physical activities and online/digi your session topic)? tal youth work in order to reach more people, 1. To develop digital youth work. deal with distance and other types of obsta 2. Funding for youth spaces. cles, but still find a way for digital youth work 3. Improve youth mobility (e.g. through EU to be inclusive for youth with less access to funding; subsidising public transportation wifi/technology. for young people around Europe; increasing ERASMUS funding with a specific focus on What are the current challenges young people high-school exchanges rather than only for face (relating to your session topic) that your university students) so that young people group identified? from rural and urban areas have the possibili 1. The cost of maintaining the space – bills, ty to meet no matter what their financial back cleaning etc. ground is (this would also lead to increasing 2. Accessibility of the space if it is not in a cen intercultural exchanges/ meetings across tral location/geographical reach in remote Europe and thus may strengthen European regions. identity). 3. How to find a balance between digital and 4. Focusing on high-school students increases physical services and spaces. equal access to youth spaces because univer 4. How to meet youth needs. sity students often come from a more privi leged background.

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5. Solving financial issues: Either by having a Do your group think young people from differ- more ‚mature‘ organisation (non-youth organ ent backgrounds have different experiences of isation) share their office and facilities with your theme? youth organisation or National Youth Organ Yes. Some countries are more developed when isations receiving financial support for this it comes to the number of youth spaces, others and then managing the availability and use of are struggling. facilities and spaces among interested youth organisations. There could even be a couple How would your group want the future to be of locations throughout the country. different? 6. It should be highly recommended that munic / ipalities/regions in each Member State should introduce a specific fund for democratic local What changes would your group like to see youth organisations to enable them to rent relating to your session topic? physical places for their work. Maybe more time to discuss different elements 7. A fixed budget for equipment, maybe cooper and solutions. ation between Governments and companies could help. In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for the future relating to your topic. What is it about these elements/ideas that More accessible youth spaces for young people make them good? from different groups of society. They would make the existing youth spaces more accessible.

Does your group think young people have different experiences of your theme in different parts of Europe? Yes, they find differences between a youth space and a youth centre.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Integration – how can youth participation be an open space and opportunity for EVERYONE?

Please give a brief general description of the 2. We collected specific suggestions and ide things your group talked about. as which we thought would be able to break First, we talked about the situation of migration down boundaries and prejudices, which is and integration in our countries in order to es really important for meaningful and good tablish the same level of knowledge among all integration: participants. After that, we discussed the top ● OPEN CONTACT POINTS: Open spaces, rooms ic on a personal level, i.e. we shared our own and contact points where people from all points of view and personal experiences and backgrounds have the possibility to partic identified some of the challenges and problems ipate, gain knowledge of how to organise we have encountered in integrating refugees themselves and have the chance to share over the past few years. We also talked about knowledge how people are treated in society who were ● TANDEM PROJECTS: An initiative where an ex born here but have parents with a migrant back change relationship between two people (one ground and are therefore seen as „different“. We who was born here and one refugee) enables then exchanged positive examples of integra them to help each other, e.g. with learning tion at the local or federal level and identified the other person’s language, (home-)work, what would be a good way to support such pro bureaucratic obstacles, understanding the jects or organisations. At the end of the session, culture, asking each other questions... we realised that we all have very different views ● OFFERS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES OF PAR on integration because the situation in our re TICIPATION: Programmes or offers in which spective countries is very different. refugees and people who were born in the country or city (or have lived there for a few What were the three most important things to years) together explore rooms and spaces for your group in this discussion? participation in the city. For example, speak 1. We collected different views of what good ing to politicians or parties, visiting NGOs and integration looks like for us: non-formal organisations... ● Integration is more than a systematic and ● Education about other cultures and the way structural question: We need human inte in which good integration can take place gration. Integration does not only mean that through school. people who are new to our countries/refu gees have to integrate or adapt to our culture; it also means that we have to open ourselves up to new cultures and are willing to accept other people with their values, cultures and traditions.

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What are the current challenges young people Does your group think young people have dif- face (relating to your session topic) that your ferent experiences of your theme in different group identified? parts of Europe? It extremely depends from which country the Yes, that was something we figured out really people come from! clearly. Especially in this topic we all had really ● A German perspective: Someone who grew up different experiences. This also depends a lot of here but has parents with a migration back the national integration and migration policy of ground said that one of the challenges we our countries. have to face is not to seeing these people as people who have to integrate because they Do your group think young people from differ- already are. ent backgrounds have different experiences of ● Speaking languages like Spanish or French is your theme? more highly regarded than speaking an Ara Same answer as to previous question. bic language or Turkish. ● One perspective from Luxembourg was that How would your group want the future to be integration is “lived” there and seems to work different? very well because they have many different / nationalities there. However, there is also the problem of taboos. People do not talk about What changes would your group like to see racism because they do not want to have it. relating to your session topic? But structural as well as personal racism is / still there, so it would be really important to say it out loud and not cover up this problem. In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for the future relating to your topic. How does your group think these challenges The vision for the future of my group is that we affect the life of young people in Europe? live in an open and free world where all people, / independently were they come from and how long they have lived in the country, have equal What are good elements or ideas that your spaces and opportunity to participate in society, group believe we should build on (relating to politics and education (school, vocational train your session topic)? ing, studies). Please see second question.

What is it about these elements/ideas that make them good? They are very specific proposals for implemen tation. They are also close to society and some of them have already proven to be very good.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Means of INGYOs to increase effective participation in the EUYD

Please give a brief general description of the 5) Adapt or set up an adequate structure/fund things your group talked about. ing scheme(s) which can allow INGYOs to do ● Realities concerning the engagement of more under the consultation process. Being INGYOs within the process, such as: able to foresee how resources will be specif a) difficulties in running activities due to lack of ically allocated, especially with the current funding under the process, challenges in mind, would help INGYOs to be b) neglect or ignorance around the added value better prepared and to use such adequate of their engagement and the benefits it brings, funds to put forward more complementary c) uncertainty of engagement due to lack of sup actions with the same level of quality as what portive mechanisms or framework for their is happening at the national level. engagement under the EUYS and the EUYD framework. What were the three most important things to ● Weakness in cooperation between INGYOs your group in this discussion? and NYC in their goal of reaching maximum ● The need to ensure equal access of National impact through the EUYD; Youth Councils – NYC – (through National ● Specific measures between INGYOs and NYCs, Working Groups) and International Non-Gov with the support and guidance of the Europe ernmental Youth Organisations – INGYOs – an Steering Group, that could help to increase within the processes of the Youth Dialogue. their capacities and thus increase their im ● Build a culture of support and cooperation pact in order to better benefit the process. between the different levels and diverse Measures include: backgrounds of youth organisations. This 1) An online and user-friendly space for rep includes resentatives of both pillars to be used as a a) technical support, space to share and exchange ideas, practices b) exchange of good practices, and tools c) coordination and connection of delegates 2) Create stronger links between delegates be as a whole rather than split into NYCs and fore the process kicks off and thus be more INGYOs during different phases (i.e. before, prepared and also better equipped as each during and after a EUYC), part comes together d) opportunity for cooperation between an INGYO 3) Ensure that we better link our memberships and an NYC under funding schemes like KA3. 4) Help to empower NYCs in their attempts to ● Foster understanding of the different issues be included in the development of national or perspectives addressed by each of the youth policies/initiatives through coordinat stakeholders. For the INGYOs, that would ed actions on local and European level translate to:

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a) ensuring the inclusion of a European Dimen What is it about these elements/ideas that sion throughout the process make them good? b) the opportunity to highlight cross-border Focus on cooperation and understanding the similarities or differences between participat current situation while seeking to create bene ing States fits by giving rise to more activities that can as c) support both NYCs and INGYOs (methodo sist with furthering the process. logically and financially) and empower the European Youth Forum to act effectively by Does your group think young people have dif- following up with the implementation of the ferent experiences of your theme in different outcomes on a European level as NYCs should parts of Europe? have the ability to do this on the national and This was partly addressed, but not from the per local level. spective of young people. It was more from an institutional perspective and at the policy level What are the current challenges young people (national vs European). face (relating to your session topic) that your group identified? Do your group think young people from differ- The challenges mainly put forward concern the ent backgrounds have different experiences of lack of engagement and recognition of youth or your theme? ganisations (INGYOS and NYCs) at different lev I think we could say yes, but we did not reach els and in different formats within the process. that level of discussion. This has a negative impact not only on the ef forts to reach out and engage, but also on the How would your group want the future to be ability of youth and civil society to scrutinise different? and evaluate both the process and the imple A process that is engaging and sets up a frame mentation of outcomes after the end of a cycle. work where all levels and people from different backgrounds and experiences come together. How does your group think these challenges affect the life of young people in Europe? What changes would your group like to see Not addressed in an extent to be able to provide relating to your session topic? an adequate answer. Included in the first part of this form

What are good elements or ideas that your In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for group believe we should build on (relating to the future relating to your topic. your session topic)? A dialogue for a better future which starts with Included in the questions above. you and extends to Europe and the World.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Political independence of youth organisations and political education

Please give a brief general description of the or other political actors to influence or mis things your group talked about. use political education according to their First part: interests. In what ways youth organisations are depend ent and how these forms of dependency can What are the current challenges young people hinder them in fulfilling their crucial role in face (relating to your session topic) that your democracies. group identified? Second part: Depending on the country, the lack of independ What is good political education, why we want it ent youth organisations and access to empow and what could be the ways to achieve it. ering political education.

What were the three most important things to How does your group think these challenges your group in this discussion? affect the life of young people in Europe? 1. Youth organisations should have no obliga The lack of independent youth organisations tion to be politically neutral. On the contrary, and good political education can severely dam to fulfil their important role as advocates for age the overall capacity of society to have real the interests of young people, they need to be and constructive dialogue. As a result, this can able to raise political demands without fear of lead to policies that are not in the interest of retribution. young people. 2. Youth organisations are naturally dependent on political support and funding, which is not What are good elements or ideas that your a problem as such. The problem only arises group believe we should build on (relating to if this dependency is used to limit the youth your session topic)? organisations in the freedom of their work by Youth organisations should have no obligation forcing a political agenda upon them. to be neutral or to support the government’s 3. Political youth education is crucial for de political opinions. How can we create a culture mocracies and all young people have a funda and funding structure that ensures this? The mental right to it. The main goal should be to best way to implement this can be very differ help people to form their own opinion about ent from country to country. To achieve this goal topics and through that to be an active part European solidarity among youth organizations of a democratic society. Depending on the is key! country, the best way to achieving this right can be very different, depending on the coun try‘s monetary resources, the general culture of the society and the will of the government

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BarCamp Session Title:

Quotas

What is it about these elements/ideas that Please give a brief general description of the make them good? things your group talked about. This session brought us a lot closer to defining The conversation revolved around quotas on a the actual challenge. However, there is still a lot philosophical, moral, ethical, political and prag of work to be done to overcome it. matic level. We started identifying what kind of quotas might be encountered and how that Does your group think young people have dif- actually represented the group it is supposed ferent experiences of your theme in different to represent. Later we discussed the differenc parts of Europe? es between equality of opportunity and equal Yes! The situation differs strongly from country ity of outcome (which was the basis for the to country. discussion).

Do your group think young people from differ- What were the three most important things to ent backgrounds have different experiences of your group in this discussion? your theme? Representation, equality and opportunities. Partly yes. What are the current challenges young people How would your group want the future to be face (relating to your session topic) that your different? group identified? Youth organisations being free to put forward Having the same opportunities as other age political demands that reflect the demands of groups to access certain areas of our society, their members and youth in general. whether it is in politics or the labour market.

What changes would your group like to see How does your group think these challenges relating to your session topic? affect the life of young people in Europe? / Do we really think quotas, which are being im plemented all around us (the most common In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for being the gender quota), are the right way to the future relating to your topic. achieve a fair representation of young people‘s Political youth education all over Europe that is point of view? Having quotas can also have a really dedicated to empowering young people to negative effect on young people because it does organise themselves and form their own opin not necessarily mean that their ideas will be ions about political subjects. represented.

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What are good elements or ideas that your Do your group think young people from differ- group believe we should build on (relating to ent backgrounds have different experiences of your session topic)? your theme? Striving for equality of opportunity. Where Yes. The whole point of quotas is to represent everyone gets the same chance as everyone all the groups from every single background, so else regardless of their identity and is free some quotas will affect some groups more than enough to make personal choices regarding others. No quotas can affect all groups in posi their professional or personal lives. Based on tive or negative ways. That was the whole point interests and not on identity. of the conversation: How can everyone be rep resented and are quotas the answer to that? What is it about these elements/ideas that make them good? How would your group want the future to be That we focus on the individual‘s point of view different? and not on the group based on a physical char That everyone has the same equality of oppor acteristic on which we have no say. It would al tunity and is free to choose the professional and low young people to follow the path they want personal path they want. to follow in life and not make their journey predetermined on the basis of a number that What changes would your group like to see should be filled by a certain person of a certain relating to your session topic? identity. Stop thinking that quotas might be the an swer to representing minorities all throughout Does your group think young people have dif- society. ferent experiences of your theme in different parts of Europe? In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for Completely. The idea changed from one coun the future relating to your topic. try to another, as in some places quotas are al Focus on equality of opportunity and not on ready being implemented but are failing when equality of outcome (= quotas). it comes to actually representing the group. In others, quotas have helped in the past to get the normality we wished to achieve. The context of space and time should always be taken into account.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Redesign education to foster youth participation

Please give a brief general description of the tra-curricular activities where young people can things your group talked about. learn these skills. The policy-makers, teachers Equality and inclusive education – no reforms (and sometimes parents) stick to the „old“ ways can be made in education without giving every and refuse to adapt to the needs of the 21st cen one the opportunity to improve their skills to tury because „it has all worked well for 30 years“. become active citizens. Within education sys tems, we need to focus more on soft skills How does your group think these challenges training and civic education and also give more affect the life of young people in Europe? space and respect to extracurricular activities. They do not get sufficient skills and motivation This process should also involve teachers and to engage in public debate through formal ed parents. We need more harmonisation at na ucation. If they do want to acquire these skills, tional level, but it would be very difficult at the it is often thanks to extracurricular activities European level as all countries have different that can be expensive and/or fostered mostly traditions and systems. Youth participation may at more „privileged“ schools. They are exam significantly increase if we explore opportuni ined on the basis of only „facts-learning“ with ties for the digitalisation of education. out being taught to think analytically and being prepared to become active and conscious citi What were the three most important things to zens. And teachers are not motivated enough to your group in this discussion? change and young people are not motivated to Both formal and non-formal education are cru join the teaching profession. Young people thus cial to fostering skills for youth participation. It are not sufficiently involved in decision-making must be as inclusive as possible. We can learn as they do not acquire the skills and motiva from each other‘s experience within the EU and tion in schools and some of them cannot access see what our neighbours do better. Digitalisa non-formal education for various reasons. tion can be leveraged in the public debate on engagement. What are good elements or ideas that your group believe we should build on (relating to What are the current challenges young people your session topic)? face (relating to your session topic) that your We can all learn from each other within the EU group identified? and share our best practices, even though the Funding and respect of extra-curricular activ competence remains at national level. We need ities. As the skills necessary for youth partici to come up with specific demands we want to pation are not yet being taught and respected discuss with decision-makers so that non-for properly in schools (which they should be!), mal education becomes more supported and there is a problem with equal access to ex the right skill set is taught in schools. We can

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use the digital transformation in education school work that I had to get done if I wanted to as one of the spaces for our self-realisation as keep my grades up and get to a good university young people by understanding the subject and and get a scholarship – otherwise I would never the needs of youth in that regard. be able to study abroad. This is connected to the differences between school systems because What is it about these elements/ideas that in my country the state-run universities are make them good? actually the most prestigious, which is not the We can increase cooperation among the EU case for most of other countries. Also, people and convince decision-makers that the concept working in the non-formal (and sometimes even of our educational systems is no longer effec formal) education sector are not paid or are un tive and that we need to modernise it – not only derpaid, which means they either need support digitally but also by teaching young people the from their family or live far below the average skills to become active citizens not only through salary. There are also other forms of discrimina extracurricular activities (which should be sup tion we need to consider – minorities especially, ported) but also via formal education. but also youth with various health issues.

Does your group think young people have dif- How would your group want the future to be ferent experiences of your theme in different different? parts of Europe? We need to take these goals and come up with Definitely. As mentioned, we found that the sys concrete measures which can be proposed at tems differ substantially across Europe and it national level. would be very hard to find a „one-size-fits-all“ solution. What changes would your group like to see relating to your session topic? Do your group think young people from differ- As described above. ent backgrounds have different experiences of your theme? In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for Yes. I gave a personal example speaking from the future relating to your topic. the point of view of someone who is financial Teach the relevant skills to the young genera ly unable to pay for many of the extracurric tion in an attractive way so that all youth can ular courses etc. I did not really have any time engage in public life with us. for them anyway because of having too much

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BarCamp Session Title:

Space and participation for minorities

Please give a brief general description of the not enough. Others reported that there are no things your group talked about. laws from their governments that they know of ● Who are minorities? that are pushing for the inclusion of minorities). ● Minorities groups in our countries. Therefore, how can minorities be equally repre ● What are the needs and issues they face in sented or given the space to participate in di society? alogues with decision makers when on the na ● What are the social views of minorities in our tional level it is very transparent? countries? ● What is the mental health of Afro-Europe Space and participation for minorities in our ed an youth dealing with COVID-19 and racism ucation system. (BLM)? The school curriculums should include the pos ● What policies or actions been taken or made itive and true history of minorities (African His by your national government to include the tory and other ethnic groups) in schools. voices of the minority in your country? We believe that if there is diversity in our ed ● Is there equal participation and representa ucation system and equal representation of tion of minorities when it comes to youth teachers from all ethnic backgrounds in schools, dialogue with decision-makers? young people from minority backgrounds will ● What can we do as young people to make feel part of and included in their communi sure every young person’s voice including ty, creating positive cultural learning among minorities is heard by decision-makers? students. ● Do you think the voices of minorities should be highlighted as a separate goal or added to By implementing this system, we could help to Youth Goal #6 in the European Youth goals? erase separation and promote individuality in ● Should school curriculums include the pos order to build a strong society and an inclusive itive and true history of minorities (African and diverse Europe. Important aims are to re history and other ethnic groups) in school? duce discrimination, racism, colourism, abuse toward LGBTQ+, Roma, people with disability What were the three most important things to and other ethnic groups. your group in this discussion? What policies or actions have been made or Understanding that democracy is not always taken by your national government to include power of the people but that it is also a form of the voices of the minority in your country? Dur majority verses minority. And if the majority is ing the discussion, some people explained that always in the forefront of discussions, their ide NGOs are working on the local level to make as and policies are represented, leaving the mi sure the voice of minorities are heard but it is nority behind.

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Therefore, we need to identify ways to make when you are being treated differently. Concerns sure that no matter the outcome of an election, should be raised about how we see young peo the voices of minorities should be included in ple from minority backgrounds. aspects of discussion relating to change. This Young people as a whole are facing a lot of chal is something that our governments should take lenges and are neglected in society and by deci seriously, both at the national and European sion-makers when making decisions. Therefore, level. imagine the challenges faced by a young person from a minority background. What are the current challenges young people face (relating to your session topic) that your How does your group think these challenges group identified? affect the life of young people in Europe? There is no equal participation of minorities at Young people feeling neglected, not feeling Eu the national and European level when talking ropean, not included (youthless policy is use about youth participation. less policy). Young people are not having much interaction with youth from minority backgrounds due to What are good elements or ideas that your COVID-19. group believe we should build on (relating to The impact of COVID-19 and racism on the men your session topic)? tal health of Afro-European Education: Having equal space and participation There are no or few policies made by govern for all in schools. ments to help minority groups have easy and We need to think of equity and equality in order equal access, also for people with disabilities. to help minority youth to move forward. Not imposing laws that make it difficult Equal access for all. for minority youths to integrate or partici Government introducing laws that allow equal pate as active citizens in their community or space and participation for all young people, es decision-making. pecially minorities, when discussing change at The group definition of minority. The meaning the national and European level. of minorities can be described as people who Equal representation of young people from all are oppressed and suppressed based on the backgrounds represented at government level. dominance of other groups. The group of peo Minorities being selected to represent their ple who are seen as second class, not in front or group and talk on behalf of their group. part of the discussion and involved in decision making when it comes to tackling social issues. Being part of a minority could also be a feeling, not only physically. You can feel like a minority

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BarCamp Session Title:

„Tiktok, 16 o‘clock - let‘s vote!“ Lowering the voting age to 16 in more European countries

What is it about these elements/ideas that Please give a brief general description of the make them good? things your group talked about. These ideas will bring us closer to the utopian 1) Current situation overviews in different Europe we are striving for which is inclusive, di countries: verse and peaceful for all. ● Voting age has only been lowered in a small number of countries in the EU but discussions Does your group think young people have dif- and/or referendums are still happening – the ferent experiences of your theme in different topic is alive and thriving! parts of Europe? 2) Arguments for and against voting Based on our discussion, we identified that there ● Clear majority in discussions in favour of are different groups of minorities in our coun lowering the voting age tries. It is important to know who they are and ● Views on age of responsibility and ability to find ways to include them in our discussions. participate in society as main points for pro- and contra-arguments Do your group think young people from differ- 3) Advocating for lowering the voting age: ent backgrounds have different experiences of ● Start in youth organisations (as living exam your theme? ple of effectively functioning youth participa Yes. tion), networking and research 4) How can we continue collaborating in further How would your group want the future to be conferences and bring together our ideas? different? ● Support and good practice, dissemination Inclusive, diverse and with space and partici pation for all, no matter your background. What were the three most important things to your group in this discussion? What changes would your group like to see 1) Voting as a fundamental right relating to your session topic? 2) Taking a strong stand on the ability and right of Minorities included in decision making. young people to take responsibility at this age 3) Voting at a young age part of a bigger „pack In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for age“ of political education and social the future relating to your topic. involvement Identifying the minorities in our countries and giving them the space to participate in decision making.

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What are the current challenges young people What is it about these elements/ideas that face (relating to your session topic) that your make them good? group identified? ● Practically oriented ● Lack of trust in taking responsibility at a ● Good communication and networking young age ● Enabling us to put more pressure on politics ● Lack of real involvement and participation ● Make the topic more present and raise for young people in political decision making awareness ● Lack of good political education Does your group think young people have dif- How does your group think these challenges ferent experiences of your theme in different affect the life of young people in Europe? parts of Europe? ● Young people are often excluded from politi Yes, depending on how young people are in cal participation volved in politics in their country, experiences ● High responsibility for informal education can vary. In general, however, you can see young if hardly any political education happens in people all over Europe taking responsibility for school similar issues in society and wanting to be heard ● Negative effects on political interest and and taken seriously. This is something that trust of young people unites young Europeans.

What are good elements or ideas that your Do your group think young people from differ- group believe we should build on (relating to ent backgrounds have different experiences of your session topic)? your theme? ● Exchanging and learning from good practice Yes definitely. Do people have a background in a examples (Austria, Belgium etc.) youth organisation? Do they have good political ● Getting support from youth networks like YFJ education in school? How are they get politically ● Building on the experiences of youth educated at home? When can they vote for the organisations first time? These questions are answered quite ● The idea of the voting habitus differently depending on the person’s back ● Developing appealing forms of political ground and therefore shape people’s experienc education es of this topic.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Volunteering as an engine of youth empowerment

How would your group want the future to be Please give a brief general description of the different? things your group talked about. A future in which all European countries lower ● Volunteering can be a tool for young people the voting age to 16 and in this sense put more to be more involved in society trust into young people and enable real political ● Education, volunteering culture and family participation. background affect intention to get involved ● Challenges and opportunities of COVID-19 in What changes would your group like to see volunteering relating to your session topic? ● Volunteering should begin locally – then ● More trust in young people and in them regionally, nationally and finally globally taking responsibility ● More inter-country discussions and exchange What were the three most important things to ● Stronger advocacy for the topic your group in this discussion? ● Lowering the voting age to 16 in all EU / countries What are the current challenges young people In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for face (relating to your session topic) that your the future relating to your topic. group identified? A European Union in which it is normal and rec ● They relate volunteering only with politics ognised that young people shape and influence ● They prefer to socialise at university instead the political decision making on all levels. of participating in non-profit organisations

How does your group think these challenges affect the life of young people in Europe? The less participation a young person has in vol unteering, the less they participate in society.

What are good elements or ideas that your group believe we should build on (relating to your session topic)? Establishing a website and forum to map as many youth non-profit organisations as possible.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Young people in decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic

What is it about these elements/ideas that Please give a brief general description of the make them good? things your group talked about. It will be easier to find organisations that can We talked about concrete practices that could express you locally, nationally and at the Euro be suggested to institutions at different levels pean level. so that COVID-19 is not an excuse for young peo ple not being involved in policy making. Does your group think young people have different experiences of your theme in different What were the three most important things to parts of Europe? your group in this discussion? Yes. ● Online media for youth participation and campaigns against the stigmatisation of Do your group think young people from differ- youth ent backgrounds have different experiences of ● Need for coordination at European level your theme? ● There are also advantages for youth partic Yes. ipation during this pandemic, as there is a greater willingness on the part of institutions How would your group want the future to be to have online meetings different? By convincing young people to become volun What are the current challenges young people teers and as a result active citizens. face (relating to your session topic) that your group identified? What changes would your group like to see Physical safety in voting, etc. and guarantee relating to your session topic? some rights that we used to take for granted Volunteering culture. but that at one point or another have been sus pended during the pandemic. In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for the future relating to your topic. How does your group think these challenges Volunteering is an engine for youth affect the life of young people in Europe? empowerment. Movement restrictions. Impossibility of doing local events physically.

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What are good elements or ideas that your After the local elections finished, we tried to group believe we should build on (relating to come up with some statistics at a national level your session topic)? to see what percentage of young people voted. In Norway, the prime minister held a COVID-19 The Dutch prime minister encouraged young briefing to answer children‘s questions > this people to speak up and organised several con should be done in every country. versations with the President of the European We recently had local elections. We tried to or Commission answering questions. ganise some events which gathered together European decision makers in regular weekly on young people and the people running as local line sessions with youth – dialogue with differ representatives to make sure that our voice is ent NGOs, youth council, open for youth in rural heard by them. areas, regardless whether they are part of an The president of our youth council was part of NGO or not. the post-COVID-19 recovery expert group > they Physical safety in voting and guaranteeing created the recovery plan for our government “ordinary rights” are not suspended. (Belgium). Online conference to „lobby“ against young peo What is it about these elements/ideas that ple‘s prejudices – could be done at the European make them good? level (Croatia). They are real experiences and suggestions from Croatia: young people have weekly meetings the different participants in the workshop about with the state secretary for youth. We have on practices that can be implemented at the local, line conferences with national decision makers national or European level. We learned from and presented suggestions from NGOs for new each other and above all it was stressed that measurements. these good practices should be known at the Digital meetings with MEPs (European level). European level so that other countries can im Presence in news to fight stigmatisation (na plement them. tional level). New web design for our education ministry by students. Meeting with our education minister. New mechanism for dividing the local distribu tion of funds by thematic priorities instead of geographically to have a better outcome.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Youth participation in local communities

Does your group think young people have dif- Please give a brief general description of the ferent experiences of your theme in different things your group talked about. parts of Europe? We talked about youth participation on a local Yes, in countries like Belgium there has been a level because we think that if you gain political high level of involvement by governments in de efficacy there, it will later multiply and affect veloping a strategic plan during the pandemic; your motivation to participate on a national and in others, there have only been online confer international level. We started out by brain ence collaborations. storming about the barriers young people can face when trying to participate on the local level. Do your group think young people from differ- Some of the barriers identified were that young ent backgrounds have different experiences of people are not taken seriously, centralisation your theme? of decision making, lack of information, lack of We did not talk much about this, but it was men physical spaces, fading enthusiasm because of tioned that not being able to organise local lack of recognition and age discrimination. events might exclude many young people. Afterwards, we devised possible solutions for these problems, for example creating a youth How would your group want the future to be centre and lowering the voting age to 16. different? That there is greater coordination at the Euro What were the three most important things to pean level in these situations between national your group in this discussion? youth councils and/or youth organisations. We also discussed ways to implement the three most popular solutions. What changes would your group like to see The first was to create a handbook for youth relating to your session topic? participation. This should be developed by rep Same answer as above. resentatives of young people and municipalities together. It should also be developed both for In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for and by youth. the future relating to your topic. The second was to include participation/active We must be flexible and continue to fight for citizenship in formal education. This should be youth participation in institutions at all levels, done in close cooperation between the ministry taking advantage of the greater availability of in charge of education, schools, teachers, stu policymakers for holding meetings online. dents, etc. The third was to establish local youth councils. Many different stakeholders should be involved in encouraging youth to participate. Further more, it could be mandatory to have a local youth council in every municipality.

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What are the current challenges young people Does your group think young people have dif- face (relating to your session topic) that your ferent experiences of your theme in different group identified? parts of Europe? That young people do not have the political effi Yes – some had best practices to share and cacy to participate in political decision making. others did not yet have that experience.

How does your group think these challenges Do your group think young people from differ- affect the life of young people in Europe? ent backgrounds have different experiences of It affects young people’s motivation to your theme? participate. Yes - but that was not the theme of the BarCamp.

What are good elements or ideas that your How would your group want the future to be group believe we should build on (relating to different? your session topic)? / Creating local youth councils and including active participation/involvement in the school What changes would your group like to see system from an early age. relating to your session topic? / What is it about these elements/ideas that make them good? In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for That we have already seen how they can work in the future relating to your topic. practice and that it is not impossible to do. /

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BarCamp Session Title:

Youth participation on the example climate change

Please give a brief general description of the What were the three most important things to things your group talked about. your group in this discussion? We discussed the following three topics related Climate change has the strongest impact on the to climate change and youth participation: young generation and is going to make every 1) Why is climate change important to you? other problem worse (inequality, lack of food, Some of the delegates from Malta are directly etc.). affected. It is a matter of survival and it will af Young people are not taken seriously because fect every part of our lives. Decisions today have they are not able to vote and do not feel educat effects on our future. The strongest impact will ed enough or in a position to comment on cli be on the young generation and following gen mate matters. erations. Climate change is going to make every To establish structures through which young other problem worse (inequality, lack of food, …) people can also engage on the topic at the local 2) Why is it not possible to participate level. appropriately? It is not seen as a topic that affects society „im What are the current challenges young people mediately“ and it is looked at in the short term face (relating to your session topic) that your instead of considering the long-term conse group identified? quences. Young people who are unable to vote Young people who are unable to vote are not are not being taken seriously. Young people may being taken seriously. Young people may feel feel they are not educated enough or in a posi they are not educated enough or in a position tion to comment on climate matters and to be to comment on climate matters and to be taken taken seriously! seriously! 3) How can youth participation in this topic can be improved and implemented? How does your group think these challenges af- We need decision makers to establish struc fect the life of young people in Europe? tures through which young people can engage Some of the delegates from Malta are direct with them on the topic (such as an EU youth ly affected. It is a matter of survival and it will council on climate or youth representatives in affect every part of our lives. The strongest im important EU meetings). At the local level, local pact will be on the young generation and the youth councils should also be involved. Creat following generations. Climate change is going ing partnerships between youth organisations to make every other problem worse (inequality, and climate ministries etc. Voting at the age of lack of food, …). 16. Green jobs and internships for youth. Knowl edgeable experts and energetic and passionate youth at the same table.

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What are good elements or ideas that your How would your group want the future to be group believe we should build on (relating to different? your session topic)? Some already mentioned, not enough room for We need decision makers to establish struc them all. ;) tures through which young people can engage with them on the topic (such as an EU youth What changes would your group like to see council on climate or youth representatives relating to your session topic? in important EU meetings). At local level, local Already mentioned: youth councils should also be involved. Creat We need decision makers to establish struc ing partnerships between youth organisations tures through which young people can engage and climate ministries etc. Voting at the age of with them on the topic (such as an EU youth 16. Green jobs and internships for youth. Knowl council on climate or youth representatives in edgeable experts and energetic and passionate important EU meetings). At the local level, local youth at the same table. youth councils should also be involved. Creat ing partnerships between youth organisations What is it about these elements/ideas that and climate ministries etc. Voting at the age of make them good? 16. Green jobs and internships for youth. Knowl They are from youth for youth and could have edgeable experts and energetic and passionate positive effects on policy. youth at the same table.

Does your group think young people have dif- In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for ferent experiences of your theme in different the future relating to your topic. parts of Europe? An enormous challenge but there is also mas Not really. Except that the countries which are sive potential in youth. directly affected want to have more climate protection.

Do your group think young people from different backgrounds have different experiences of your theme? Yes, but we all think it would be better to learn more about climate change at school.

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BarCamp Session Title:

Youth representation in European politics

Please give a brief general description of the Does your group think young people have dif- things your group talked about. ferent experiences of your theme in different We talked about the ability of youth to speak to parts of Europe? decision makers and possible stigmas, how to Possibly, including a digital divide, what resourc solve them through education and making EU es are available and the political education in issues more local. each country.

What were the three most important things to Do your group think young people from differ- your group in this discussion? ent backgrounds have different experiences of Education seems to be there, but not enough. EU your theme? needs to be more youth-friendly to target peo Same as above, yes. ple such as teenagers and young adults. MEPs need to be more accessible and also reflective How would your group want the future to be of young people‘s issues. different? More dialogue between young people and What are the current challenges young people stakeholders in the EU, more accessibility and face (relating to your session topic) that your also more understanding of EU issues. group identified? Stigmas, barriers for young people. What changes would your group like to see relating to your session topic? How does your group think these challenges af- Youth-friendly language and other things previ fect the life of young people in Europe? ously mentioned to increase engagement. Potential apathy regarding EU issues, disconnected. In one sentence describe your group‘s vision for the future relating to your topic. What are good elements or ideas that your A way for young people to talk to EU politicians group believe we should build on (relating to about issues they understand which affect your session topic)? youth and young people being able to directly Certainly changing views and more awareness see the changes for which they have advocated. of youth issues.

What is it about these elements/ideas that make them good? Shows people are listening in some ways.

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Annex 4 Working Groups on Targets & Political Demands

Youth Goal 9, Target 1

Youth Goal 9, Target 1: Ensure young people can adequately influence all areas of society and all parts of the decision-making processes, from agenda setting to implementation, monitoring and evaluation through youth-friendly and accessible mechanisms and structures, ensuring that poli cies respond to the needs of young people.

Guiding question: What measures/actions can be implemented to ensure young people influence policy and decision-making at all levels?

Young people need to be involved all the Decision -makers need to listen and give way from agenda setting to evaluation as feedback as a follow-up to consultation co-decision-makers and advisors. processes by revisiting the youth goals, At the stage of agenda setting (and before outcomes and implementation of demands informing and educating), topics that are from the EU Youth Dialogue regularly through at the heart of youth concerns need to be National Working Groups. addressed. The “Conference on the Future of Europe” Young people must not only be encouraged, should include a Youth Agora. but enabled to participate effectively, by Conditions for entering participation being provided necessary structures and processes need to be rethought, such as equal access. lowering voting-age restrictions. Structurally involving young people must The formats of the participatory processes lead to co-decision or self-management on need to be tailored and low-threshold yet all levels, implemented through a rights- qualitative, in order to ensure space for all based approach (best practises: governing young people of different backgrounds (best bodies with equal distribution of seats, practises: local structures, digital adaptions) independent national youth councils, strong Youth organisations are the safeguards and national youth laws). integral elements for supporting, providing Youth organisations need to be recognised and empowering the processes alongside the as representing and advocating on behalf of institutions. the youth, while not forgetting non-organised The demands and requests should not only youth. be reflected, but tangibly visible and evident in the policy-making on all levels in a meas urable way.

Final political demand: We demand co-decision-making processes on all levels with young people and youth organisations, implemented through a rights-based approach.

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Youth Goal 9, Target 2

Youth Goal 9, Target 2: Ensure equal access to everyday decision-making for all young people from different backgrounds.

Guiding question: What actions/measures should be implemented to ensure young people from different backgrounds have access to decision-making processes?

Give all young people the access to informa Create safe spaces to allow and empower tion about opportunities on how to take part minorities to raise their voice and provide in politics and how to participate (e.g. as part dedicated EU funding for local organisations of political education in school). working with minorities. More connection between youth association Support youth organisations of minorities work, youth social work and non-formal specifically. education to enable and motivate young Ensure that there are participatory events people to participate. dedicated to minorities/people with Ensure quality education for all, so that disabilities. everyone is empowered to participate. Ensure that events are accessible to all, Creating low barrier/open access to edu especially to young people with disabilities. cation/information e.g. using non-formal Call on the European Commission to further formats provided by youth organisations. identify targeting opportunities for the digi Provide information, also in simple and/or talisation of EU Youth Dialogue initiatives and youth-friendly language. to facilitate the access of SMEs and organisa Use formats which provide the opportunity tions to digital skills and infrastructure. for a larger number of young people to par The EU, the member states and local ticipate, with the goal to reach people of all decision-making bodies should encourage backgrounds. the creation and empowerment of existing Quotas in different spaces/areas may lead to dedicated structures/processes/spaces that more inclusiveness. support and focus on promoting the voic es of minority groups into decision-making processes. Improve digital infrastructure for rural youth.

Final political demand: Decision-makers should encourage and invest in dedicated processes which amplify young minority voices and ensures their direct engagement.

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Youth Goal 9, Target 3

Youth Goal 9, Target 3: Increase youth participation and thus equal representation in the electoral process as well as in elected bodies and other decision-making organs at all levels of society.

Guiding question: What measures/actions can be implemented to increase young people’s representation in electoral bodies?

Lowering the voting age to 16 as well as Bringing voting closer to young people: lowering the age for political candidacy and Making sure the voting venues are close to therefore enabling young people to actively young people, e.g. having voting places in participate in decision-making as well as a schools. stronger physical representation in political Ensure young people‘s access to adequate bodies. civic education in school curricula.

Final political demand: Ensure young people‘s access to formal decision-making by lowering the age of voting and political candidacy to 16 in all elections, while ensuring all youths have the opportunity to gain sufficient skills and motivation to participate actively and passively in elections, as well as removing all barriers to voting.

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Youth Goal 9, Target 4

Youth Goal 9, Target 4: Provide youth-led physical facilities and infrastructures called youth spac es defined by being autonomous, open and safe, accessible to all, offering professional support for development and ensuring opportunities for youth participation.

Guiding question: What kind of physical facilities and infrastructures should be available to young people and what actions/measures should be taken to ensure that they are autonomous, open, safe and accessible?

Physical spaces are more important than Need for funding for participation tools. digital spaces. Due to the pandemic, physical Should youth centres be youth-led spaces spaces have moved into the digital space. It or do you also see the benefit of older is easier to create digital spaces, however, people, municipalities, structures being in not everyone has access to Wi-Fi or a laptop/ volved? Distinction between youth-led and phone. Furthermore, physical youth spaces youth-run, professional staff supporting and are by young people for young people. running youth clubs is a very important thing, “Youth spaces” provide spaces and infra BUT must still involve young participants in structures in which young people are re setting the direction of what the youth club sponsible. These spaces are independent, does, agreeing on the programmes etc., by grant access to everyone, are safe spaces and working in a participative way, so that it can also offer professional support for personal still be youth-led, but also to have the day development and further opportunities of to day activities run and managed by youth participation. workers. Young people were hit specifically hard by the Greece has in the last 15 years seen funding pandemic, since their spaces such as schools, go down for youth centres. Recently young kindergartens and youth centres were closed. people, grass roots initiatives and universi Youth programmes could not take place; ties created their own spaces, are running shutdowns destabilise social environments them, sometimes funded by Erasmus+, for and shrink participation spaces. example. These centres are very close to the It is crucial to make young people’s voices needs of young people. count equally in comparison to other age Spaces have to be accessible for people with groups that have more access to networks, disabilities. financial resources etc. as this phenomenon Spaces are co-managed between young has worsened during the pandemic. people and professionals: support is Deterioration of rights during the crisis. provided on how to run a place for young Spaces are missing for young people to people (e.g. business management courses participate in political decision-making. to self-sustain spaces funded by the Young people feel they are far away from government). those spaces. But why? Co -leading the spaces seems like a good Need for safe spaces. solution.

Final political demand: We demand a new EU fund to set up and sustain youth spaces.

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Youth Goal 9, Target 5

Youth Goal 9, Target 5: Ensure safe virtual youth spaces are accessible to every young person which provide access to information and services as well as ensure opportunities for youth participation.

Guiding question: How can virtual spaces and tools be used to increase young people‘s participation?

Strengthening possibilities of digital youth Working on meaningful formal and informal parliaments. ways for young people to get engaged on Spreading awareness of available education national and European level. al, networking and supporting platforms. Providing equal opportunities for young Ensuring barrier-free access to information people with different backgrounds. about the process of policy-making. Youth -friendly website that has all EU info Using the internet and online ways to enable in one place (with language appropriate the participation of young people and get for young people and papers in all official feedback regarding conferences and poli languages). tics. Foster regular meetings, dialogue and Talk about inclusivity and equal opportuni interactions between politicians and young ties: How to be more inclusive? people. Organising the European Youth Portal in Developing new and different educational a youth-friendly way: provide information formats for young people in difficult situa about discussions and outcomes from the tions (unemployment, financial problems, three main EU bodies. searching for job or studies). Support young Building infrastructure to speak with politi people’s awareness and empowerment by cians digitally. training. Developing safe digital spaces (at all levels) Providing youth organisations with support, and making existing tools more interactive. funding and the infrastructure to host digital Fostering digital literacy and access to events and projects. technology and building up digital capacity for youth workers.

Final political demand: We request that the European Commission puts the creation of safe digital spaces for young people, along with the support and funding of developing digital literacy activities, as one of the top priorities in all programmes along with prioritising it horizontally at European level.

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Youth Goal 9, Target 6

Youth Goal 9, Target 6: Ensure sustainable funding, common recognition and development of qual ity youth work in order to strengthen youth organisations and their role in inclusion, participation and non-formal education.

Guiding question: What measures/actions should be taken to smart youth work, so it suitably supports young people’s participation?

Bypassing governments that limit the space Creating a solidarity fund for youth organi for youth organisations - both through access sations (e.g. within the Erasmus+ programme) to funds or with legal barriers. in order to support youth organisations that More recognition for youth workers. are experiencing retribution from national Tailored funding is needed for the needs of governments and to secure their contin every country. ued existence and independence from the Protecting youth organisations through governments. strong national youth laws, acknowledging Youth organisations being politically inde them as legally recognised, establishing in pendent enough to be able to support young dependent national youth councils. people in forming their own opinion over Investments in (political) (non-)formal ed political topics. ucation and youth spaces as a solution to Provide member states with sufficient fund financial barriers. ing to support national youth councils in tak Sometimes the processes for getting ing their central role in sharing and managing funds and for being recognised are too facilities (such as office space or training complicated. tools) with smaller youth organisations. Especially small organisations don’t have the (Financially) encourage non-youth organi capacity or the administration to apply for sations or corporations to “adopt” a youth funds – the access should be more fair. organisation that complements their goals/ National youth organisations should receive theme, in order to A) share facilities and sufficient funding to provide space and space and to B) improve direct knowledge facilities for multiple “smaller” youth organi exchange and participation from youth in sations, so it can be shared and managed “mature” organisations. efficiently. Ask for a stronger role of youth organisa tions in the “Conference on the Future of Europe”, giving young people the opportunity to raise their voice and to participate in the discussions.

Final political demand: We demand funds to be made available for permanent structures of participation. Increasing the access to operation grants for youth organisations (and especially the ones who are currently too small to obtain funding) and expanding the scope of Key Action 3 (Erasmus+ Youth in Action) to also include permanent structures of participation – e.g. for local youth councils or bodies of cooperation between youth organisations. This part should be administered centrally, to create a possibility for the recipients to be independent from their national governments.

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Youth Goal 9, Target 7

Youth Goal 9, Target 7: Provide youth-friendly, relevant, comprehensive information, also devel oped by and with young people, in order to enable youth participation.

Guiding question: What actions/measures can be implemented to ensure young people have access to youth- friendly, relevant and comprehensive information to participate in decision-making processes and society at large?

Sometimes there is a lack of infrastructure Foster media and information literacy skills for non-formal education (e.g. no NGOs in of young people. The best way of “fighting” rural areas). This means the easiest way to against disinformation is having the skills to distribute information is through the formal recognise it. education system, as it the only place where Enforce the implementation of quality stand every young person will be at some point. ards in providing information, e.g. by using Distribute information about possibilities of the professional principles and guidelines of youth participation to young people through the European Youth Information Charter. means that can address all young people Maintain and develop youth information pro (e.g. schools). viders. Make a call/programme under Eras Create one specific webpage/social media mus+ in which youth organisations can get page where young people can find all avail funding to facilitate youth-friendly informa able information about NGOs, events, etc. in tion about EU policies, processes etc. one place. This page needs to be promoted “Knowledge clips” (film clips focussing on by governments. knowledge transfer) make it easier for young Reinforce the support of information net people to understand what is going on. works. They inform young people about all Recognise the right to information as a pre the services that are tailored to them so that requisite to exercising other rights, including they can grasp related opportunities. civic participation.

Final political demand: We demand critical thinking become a part of the obligatory private and public school curriculum for at least one hour a week from the ages 10-16 in order to fight fake news and disinformation with media and information literacy and to encourage youth participation and motivation to be a part of the debate.

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