NEXT STEP Informing young people about civic engagement and youth participation in Europe youth community service volunteerism in Germany and abroad EVS – European Voluntary Service traineeships and internships in Germany and abroad (Leonardo, Erasmus placements) international training courses, seminars, youth exchanges, structured dialogue meetings through the Erasmus+ programme

Civic engagement: powerful means for youth To build their capacities and assets To make a swift transition to productive work & to public life To further their knowledge regarding EU policies, values and institutions To have an active role as EU citizens To contribute to the development of their:  Communities  Countries  peers

Recognizes the role of youth in the development:  social inclusion and participation  disadvantaged or marginalized youth participation  youth in rural areas  unemployed youth and youth in post-conflict and post-disaster situations  intercultural understanding  development and peace  ethics and values  intergenerational dialogue  prevention of violence

Facts economic, cultural and political crisis in Europe in terms of power relations, conflict solutions, identity, legitimacy and basic trust increasing mistrust for EU policies, strategies and actions social welfare state is on the verge of collapse the traditional value system is endangered a rise of extreme-right movements marginalization of vulnerable social groups

 over 5 million young people are unemployed  thwarts young people’s engagement in economic life  skills mismatch between the training offered by educational systems and the expectations of employers in the labour market  young people do not acquire relevant and marketable skills which are required to enter and excel in the labour market  young people question EU values and policies  young people’s disengagement from political and governance systems  electoral participation and voting rates for young voters is low  low participation in the social structures of the society the social culture of the civil society

What we need to do is to: Promote a wider understanding of the notion of participation as a right and concept of public and political life Include the ideas and visions of young people in shaping the understanding of democracy Link informal participation of young people in daily life and unconventional practice with formal participation

Recognize good examples of effective participation of young people Share power and leadership with young people through local, national and European youth networks Introduce a youth participation mainstreaming approach which shows the impact and consequences that policies/laws have on young people

Fostering youth participation  Holistic and inclusive learning concepts including formal, non-formal and informal approaches  Introducing & developing democratic and participatory approaches and methodologies through peer learning, learning by doing, volunteering, workshops, discussions

 The learning of participation should be accessible to all groups of young people and inclusive  Quality mentoring  supportive structures and mentors  Citizenship, human rights, intercultural and global education  Document and share good practices on the EU level e.g. EU Youth Portal, SALTO-YOUTH Good Practice Database, European Knowledge Center on Youth  Feature good tools provided by different NGOs by using an app system

 Encourage the interconnections between formal and non-formal settings  Showcase good practices during relevant local, national and European events  Disseminate examples of good practice on encouraging the participation of young people with fewer opportunities  Ensure inclusive access to information about participation opportunities through various channels combining old and new media  To support critical usage of media by combining online tools with offline participation formats  Social networking tools and the internet  allowing youth to share ideas and mobilize themselves

In the field of  teaching democratic values  life-long democracy learning  non-formal learning activities  formal education: winning formal education as a new partner  youth work: strengthening youth structures as a strong pillar of civil society  In the community: supporting a participation- friendly environment

youtu.be

Thank you for your attention! Bautzner Str Dresden Germany