Youth Participation Mobility

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece

The Youth Citizens Lab in Thessaloniki, Greece, is a dynamic initiative aimed at empowering young people to shape their vision of a participatory Europe. This event is designed to foster a deep understanding of European youth policy frameworks, stakeholder roles, and the principles underpinning youth policies across Europe. Through interactive sessions and workshops, participants will gain the knowledge and skills needed to influence youth policy development and implementation. 

After participating in the Youth Citizens Lab, participants will have engaged extensively with European youth policy frameworks and their political cornerstones. They will identify key questions related to youth policy and gain insight into the stakeholders involved, their roles, and their previous and current activities on youth policy. Understanding the principles underpinning youth policies in Europe, including evidence-informed and participatory approaches, will be a crucial outcome. Participants will also familiarize themselves with existing instruments and approaches to youth policy across various policy domains. 

Resource utilization is another critical area where participants will gain knowledge. They will discover the available resources to support youth policy development and implementation across Europe. Equipped with this knowledge, participants will be confident in shaping manageable strategies for intervention and planning further steps in youth policy development within their contexts. Transferring identified good practices and local models to their working realities will also be a key takeaway from the lab. 

Policy mapping will be an essential activity during the lab. Participants will map out the milestones in youth policies’ development in their respective countries and address the main challenges currently facing both European and national youth policies. Reflecting on their plans and proposing new elements for youth policy in the EU will be encouraged, focusing on the interaction between European, national, regional, and local levels. 

The lab will emphasize action planning, where participants will develop actionable plans for youth policy initiatives. They will enable experience exchanges, cooperation, and cultural and civic action. Engaging with decision-makers at local, regional, national, and transnational levels will be a significant part of the lab, contributing to the EU Youth Dialogue. Participants will discuss with relevant decision-makers to promote the active participation of young people in democratic life in Europe. They will formulate positions, proposals, and recommendations on how youth policies should be shaped and implemented in Europe.

 

Additionally, a 30-40 second video collage featuring highlights from the Youth Citizens Lab in Thessaloniki will be available. This video will showcase key moments and activities from the mobility, providing a visual glimpse into the dynamic and engaging experiences of the participants.