Joint Declaration on Citizenship and Participation, submitted to local, regional, national and EU authorities

Executive Summary

Joint Declaration on Citizenship and Participation was formulated from extensive structured dialogue sessions built upon three previous workshops held in 2008 in Nicosia, Cyprus in March, in Pisa, Italy in July and in Timisoara, Romania in September.

Joint Declaration on Citizenship and Participation UCYVROK European Conference on Youth Inclusion and Youth Participation

The partner organisations of the UCYVROK project welcome the initiative taken by the European Parliament as expressed through the thematic networking pilot projects on Youth Participation. This declaration is addressed to all actors of political decision making processes who are responsible, able and interested in further promoting the active involvement of young citizens of the European Union in local, regional, national and European matters that affect their own well-being and the European civil society as a whole. This includes among others the European Parliament, the European Commission, the national parliaments and ministries, local authorities, regional and European youth organisations, the local, national and international media, international organisations, research institutions and civil society organisations across the European Union. As young and active citizens of the European Union, we call on the enhanced political commitment to the declarations below to support the inclusion and active participation of all young people throughout the European Union.

1. Support youth organisations to develop clear and realistic working strategies;
2. Promote closer cooperation of NGOs and teachers in organizing non-formal lessons or events in and out of school;
3. Create a programme which offers possibilities to make projects that require a partnership between schools/universities and NGOs;
4. Eliminate financial self-contribution in youth programmes giving importance to alternative ways of contributing;
5. Involve youth representatives in shaping the school curricula on the government level and the local school level;
6. Decrease bureaucratic barriers to the establishment of youth projects and participation;
7. Establish “Informational Days” in schools about youth activity possibilities;
8. Identify the most effective communication channels for providing information about European Youth Activities to the youth;
9. Increase the European funds allocated for the Youth in Action Programme;
10. Create discussion platforms at schools to provide regular dialogue between youth and politicians;
11. Assist youth organisations who focus on informing Less Privileged Youth regarding their possibilities in participating in youth activities;
12. Recognise formally the benefits of the non-formal education;
13. Foster active dialogue between youth that have participated in European youth activities and other young people who have not;
14. Support preparation activities for young people so they can discuss and overcome their fears of participation in European youth activities;
15. Empower teachers to use intercultural learning and non-formal activities in schools;
16. Invest money in developing school infrastructure;
17. Favour the participation of Less Privileged Youth in European Union projects and youth who have not participated;
18. Ensure yearly financial support for visibility, transparency and valorisation of youth organisations.