Youth Wiki national description Youth policies in Belgium (Flemish Community) 2019 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 1 Youth 2 Youth policies in Belgium (Flemish Community) – 2019 Youth Wiki Belgium (Flemish Community) ........................................................................... 6 1. Youth Policy Governance................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Target population of youth policy ............................................................................................. 8 1.2 National youth law .................................................................................................................... 8 1.3 National youth strategy ........................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Youth policy decision-making .................................................................................................. 14 1.5 Cross-sectoral approach with other ministries ....................................................................... 18 1.6 Evidence-based youth policy ................................................................................................... 18 1.7 Funding youth policy ............................................................................................................... 21 1.8 Cross-border cooperation ....................................................................................................... 23 1.9 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................................. 24 2. Voluntary Activities ....................................................................................................................... 26 2.1 General context ....................................................................................................................... 26 2.2 Administration and governance of youth volunteering .......................................................... 27 2.3 National strategy on youth volunteering ................................................................................ 30 2.4 Youth volunteering at national level ....................................................................................... 31 2.5 Cross-border mobility programmes ........................................................................................ 33 2.6 Raising awareness about youth volunteering opportunities .................................................. 34 2.7 Skills recognition ...................................................................................................................... 35 2.8 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................................. 36 3. Employment & Entrepreneurship ................................................................................................. 38 3.1 General context ....................................................................................................................... 38 3.2 Administration and governance .............................................................................................. 40 3.3 Skills forecasting ...................................................................................................................... 43 3.4 Career guidance and counselling............................................................................................. 44 3.5 Traineeships and apprenticeships ........................................................................................... 46 3.6 Integration of young people in the labour market .................................................................. 51 3.7 Cross-border mobility in employment, entrepreneurship and vocational opportunities ...... 54 3.8 Development of entrepreneurship competence .................................................................... 55 3.9 Start-up funding for young entrepreneurs .............................................................................. 58 3.10 Promotion of entrepreneurship culture ................................................................................ 60 3.11 Current debates and reforms ................................................................................................ 61 4. Social Inclusion .............................................................................................................................. 63 4.1 General context ....................................................................................................................... 63 4.2 Administration and governance .............................................................................................. 68 4.3 Strategy for the social inclusion of young people ................................................................... 72 3 Youth policies in Belgium (Flemish Community) – 2019 Youth Wiki 4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people ................................................................................. 74 4.5 Initiatives promoting social inclusion and raising awareness ................................................. 77 4.6 Access to quality services ........................................................................................................ 79 4.7 Youth work to foster social inclusion ...................................................................................... 80 4.8 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................................. 83 5. Participation .................................................................................................................................. 85 5.1 General context ....................................................................................................................... 85 5.2 Youth participation in representative democracy................................................................... 87 5.3 Youth representation bodies ................................................................................................... 89 5.4 Young people's participation in policy-making ....................................................................... 92 5.5 National strategy to increase youth participation .................................................................. 95 5.6 Supporting youth organisations .............................................................................................. 96 5.7 “Learning to participate” through formal, non-formal and informal learning ........................ 98 5.8 Raising political awareness among young people ................................................................. 102 5.9 E-participation ....................................................................................................................... 104 5.10 Current debates and reforms .............................................................................................. 105 6. Education and Training ................................................................................................................ 106 6.1 General context ..................................................................................................................... 106 6.2 Administration and governance ............................................................................................ 112 6.3 Preventing early leaving from education and training (ELET) ............................................... 114 6.4 Validation of non-formal and informal learning ................................................................... 118 6.5 Cross-border learning mobility .............................................................................................. 120 6.6 Social inclusion through education and training ................................................................... 124 6.7 Skills for innovation ............................................................................................................... 129 6.8 Media literacy and safe use of new media ............................................................................ 132 6.9 Awareness-raising about non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work .......... 136 6.10 Current debates and reforms .............................................................................................. 136 7. Health and Well-Being ................................................................................................................. 139 7.1 General context ..................................................................................................................... 139 7.2 Administration and governance ............................................................................................ 144 7.3 Sport, youth fitness and physical activity .............................................................................. 148 7.4 Healthy lifestyles and healthy nutrition ................................................................................ 153 7.5 Mental health .......................................................................................................................