Youth Wiki national description Youth policies in the Republic of North Macedonia 2018 The Youth Wiki is Europe's online encyclopaedia in the area of national youth policies. The platform is a comprehensive database of national structures, policies and actions supporting young people. For the updated version of this national description, please visit https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/en/youthwiki Youth Youth policies in the Republic of North Macedonia – 2018 Youth Wiki REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA 1. Youth Policy Governance ................................................................................ 8 1.1 Target population of youth policy ................................................................................. 8 1.2 National youth law ..................................................................................................... 8 1.3 National youth strategy .............................................................................................. 9 1.4 Youth policy decision-making .................................................................................... 11 1.5 Cross-sectoral approach with other ministries .............................................................. 13 1.6 Evidence-based youth policy ..................................................................................... 13 1.7 Funding youth policy ................................................................................................ 14 1.8 Cross-border cooperation ......................................................................................... 16 1.9 Current debates and reforms ..................................................................................... 16 2. Voluntary Activities ...................................................................................... 18 2.1 General context....................................................................................................... 18 2.2 Administration and governance of youth volunteering ................................................... 20 2.3 National strategy on youth volunteering ...................................................................... 21 2.4 Youth volunteering at national level ........................................................................... 22 2.5 Cross-border mobility programmes ............................................................................ 24 2.6 Raising awareness about youth volunteering opportunities ............................................ 26 2.7 Skills recognition ..................................................................................................... 28 2.8 Current debates and reforms ..................................................................................... 28 3. Employment & Entrepreneurship .................................................................. 29 3.1 General context....................................................................................................... 29 3.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................. 32 3.3 Skills forecasting ..................................................................................................... 35 3.4 Career guidance and counselling ................................................................................ 36 3.5 Traineeships and apprenticeships ............................................................................... 37 3.6 Integration of young people in the labour market ......................................................... 38 3.7 Cross-border mobility in employment, entrepreneurship and vocational opportunities ........ 41 3.8 Development of entrepreneurship competence ............................................................. 42 3.9 Start-up funding for young entrepreneurs ................................................................... 44 3.10 Promotion of entrepreneurship culture ...................................................................... 45 3.11 Current debates and reforms ................................................................................... 46 4. Social Inclusion ............................................................................................ 48 4.1 General context....................................................................................................... 48 4.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................. 50 4.3 Strategy for the social inclusion of young people .......................................................... 53 4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people ...................................................................... 56 4.5 Initiatives promoting social inclusion and raising awareness ........................................... 61 4.6 Access to quality services ......................................................................................... 62 3 Youth policies in the Republic of North Macedonia – 2018 Youth Wiki 4.7 Youth work to foster social inclusion ........................................................................... 65 4.8 Current debates and reforms ..................................................................................... 66 5. Participation ................................................................................................. 68 5.1 General context....................................................................................................... 68 5.2 Youth participation in representative democracy .......................................................... 69 5.3 Youth representation bodies ...................................................................................... 70 5.4 Young people's participation in policy-making .............................................................. 73 5.5 National strategy to increase youth participation .......................................................... 75 5.6 Supporting youth organisations ................................................................................. 76 5.7 “Learning to participate” through formal, non-formal and informal learning ...................... 77 5.8 Raising political awareness among young people .......................................................... 79 5.9 E-participation ........................................................................................................ 80 5.10 Current debates and reforms ................................................................................... 81 6. Education and Training ................................................................................. 82 6.1 General context....................................................................................................... 82 6.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................. 84 6.3 Preventing early leaving from education and training (ELET) .......................................... 86 6.4 Validation of non-formal and informal learning ............................................................. 90 6.5 Cross-border learning mobility ................................................................................... 94 6.6 Social inclusion through education and training ............................................................ 98 6.7 Skills for innovation ............................................................................................... 102 6.8 Media literacy and safe use of new media.................................................................. 105 6.9 Awareness-raising about non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work ......... 108 6.10 Current debates and reforms ................................................................................. 108 7. Health and Well-Being ................................................................................ 110 7.1 General context..................................................................................................... 110 7.2 Administration and governance ............................................................................... 111 7.3 Sport, youth fitness and physical activity .................................................................. 113 7.4 Healthy lifestyles and healthy nutrition ..................................................................... 115 7.5 Mental health ........................................................................................................ 119 7.6 Mechanisms of early detection and signposting of young people facing health risks ......... 121 7.7 Making health facilities more youth friendly ............................................................... 122 7.8 Current debates and reforms ................................................................................... 123 8. Creativity and Culture ................................................................................. 125 8.1 General context..................................................................................................... 125 8.2 Administration and governance ............................................................................... 127 8.3 National strategy on creativity and culture for young people ........................................ 128 8.4 Promoting culture and cultural participation ............................................................... 131 8.5 Developing cultural and creative competences ..........................................................