A project aimed at promoting the participation of young people through municipal youth parliaments and municipal youth councils. The project is run in cooperation with four partner organizations:  Žilina Region Youth Council (SK) ,  Žilina Self-governing Region (SK)  and  Fundacja Civis Polonus (PL).  The duration of the project is set at 23 months.

The main problems

  1. Members and coordinators of urban youth councils do not have methodological support.
  2. The hard work of urban youth councils is not recognized in society.
  3. Municipal youth councils lack a tool to share experiences and resources and build their own specific network

Project objectives

  1. Increase the methodological support for members and coordinators of urban youth councils.
  2. Raise awareness in society (municipal leaders, NGOs, policy makers) of the mission, role and activities of urban youth councils.
  3. Improve opportunities for networking, resource sharing and experience sharing among urban youth councils.

Target groups

The primary target group of our project is the Municipal Youth Councils – their members (young people) and their coordinators.

Secondary target groups are representatives of municipalities, NGOs active in youth participation, policy makers.

Expected outputs and results

  1. Study on youth councils.
  2. Methodology for training youth council members.
  3. Digital guide for the Youth Council and web platform.

The users of the study (local authorities, NGO representatives) will increase their awareness and knowledge of the mission, role and activities of the Youth Council. Youth council coordinators and youth workers will gain knowledge on how to develop the personal, professional and social competences of youth council members. Participants of the pilot training for youth councils will improve their competences in communication, teamwork, motivation. Users of the digital guide (either direct youth council members or ad hoc guests) will have a better understanding of youth council work. Youth council members will get the opportunity to network with other youth council members and share experiences.

Impact

In the long term, this project will contribute to a higher recognition of the work of the City Youth Council, to a higher level of youth participation at the local level and to a higher efficiency and quality of the Youth Council’s work.

OUTPUTS

  • Methodology for training members of children’s and youth parliaments and youth councils
  • Youth Councils website