What next?

Concrete Steps and Vision

First we need to continue the good work done already on securing funding for education, training and youth at all levels, especially through the next EU Multi-annual Financial Framework where youth needs to be a cross-sectorial priority, and ensure the role of youth organisations is recognised politically and financially in the next generation of youth programmes.

Second, we need to continue working on youth employment issues. We already have great policy developed such as youth guarantee, internship charter, youth entrepreneurship measures and practical tools such as the Youth Employment Action consortium. But we need to further develop these ideas and come up with new answers to the horrific situation many young people across Europe are finding themselves in. There will be a big need for coordinate action between the Forum and the National Youth Councils in specific crisis-hit countries to ensure the policy measures taken at European level are translated into concrete action at national, regional and local levels.

Third, we need to mainstream a comprehensive view of youth work, its meaning and promote its impact and value for broader society, as well as focus on further helping build the capacity of both national youth councils and regional platforms as well as youth organisations at all level.

Fourth, after consolidating the rights-based approach to youth policy in our strategic priorities we need to strive for better access of young people to their rights by promoting the protection and respect of fundamental freedoms and fill the gaps where the current system of legal instruments is failing young people by calling for new and enhanced legal tools, such as a convention, to ensure young people are informed of their rights and for their rights to be respected.

Fifth, we should also look beyond the youth sector and dare to have a vision for Europe in times when we see lack of solidarity and lack of understanding among the different corners of Europe. We should be bold enough to clearly state not only what we want but also have a say on how decisions are taken by demanding a stronger and more united Europe, while ensuring there is a role for the voice of youth to be heard: nothing about us without us!

To achieve all these we need to work together, not only internally within our great platform but also look beyond the extended boarders of Europe and continue the solid regional cooperation and the global partnerships we are engaged in. We have plenty of good policy already developed, let us now focus on the advocacy of pushing those things through!