Youth is not only the future – it is also the present…

It is a truism to say that youth is the future – but this can lead us to forget that young people are also the present. They are a vital energy in society, with fresh ideas and optimism, and a voice that wants be heard.

The Active Today project, supported by Erasmus+, provided a platform for national youth organisations and NGOs from the EU-27 and Western Balkans to work together. The aim was to share good practices and develop youth policies that enable young people to play a more active part in public life.

The project helped reaffirm the historical links of the Western Balkans with the rest of Europe, while promoting the core values and interests of the EU-27 beyond its borders. This kind of international outreach, especially with our neighbours to the East and South, is one strand of the European Commission’s priority to build a stronger Europe in the world.

Shared challenges

Some of the shared challenges facing the youth workers who joined together in the Active Today (ACTO) project include youth unemployment, exclusion and a lack of opportunities for young people to play an active part in decision-making.

The project revealed some contrasts between participant countries too, including legislation to protect young peoples’ rights, and the nature of public attitudes towards youth.

 

If we want to create a society of equal chances for youth all over Europe we have to give equal opportunities to every youth worker, wherever they are, to network and share. Having different views on similar problems makes us grow faster together.

NedimYouth Council of Stari Grad, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project has compiled the main outcomes of these exchanges in an online library of documents, written in the participants’ national languages.

Booklet - tools for youth policies development and implementation

Includes

• wealth of practical tips on policy development and building an advocacy campaign
• a guide to relevant apps, ranging from planning and timetable sharing, to photo editing and creating infographics, mind maps and videos
• sources of free images for use in blogs, websites and printed publications

Download the booklet on tools for youth policies [pdf]

Videos

Downloadable videos in mp4 format

• youth policy creation
• social advocacy
• project conference in Sarajevo in 2019