Description
The project addresses the need for common understanding of what involvement of young people in decision-making means. The project aims at ensuring common understanding through setting up Local Youth Academies, activating a network of youth focal points and contributing to greater participation of youth organizations in decision-making. First, opinion polls will be held among young people aged 16-29 and among civil servants from the local, regional and national authorities. Second, Local Youth Academies will be set up in 9 municipalities. 40 young people from each municipality will attend a 4-day training on the decision-making process, youth participation and mutual benefits. Third, a National Youth Conference will be held. Finally, youth representation will be developed. The project will benefit the young people in 9 municipalities, local authorities and the public. The partners will be actively involved in the setting up of Local Youth Academies.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the need for common understanding of what involvement of young people in decision-making means. Most institutions believe that involvement means for young people to implement the decisions made. Thus the project aimed at synchronizing the understanding about youth involvement and improving the dialogue between the young people and institutions in policy-making and decision-making on local, regional and national level. The project team carried out a national survey, developed a methodology based on the findings from the survey and organized Youth Academies for Civic Participation in 13 municipalities (the experts worked in municipalities without active youth organizations such as Veliko Tarnovo, Silistra, Pravets, Vidin, Karnobat, Batak) and National Youth Conference. In addition the teams gathered information from the participants about their local needs that were summed up in a document and published in a booklet. During the project implementation two of the partner municipalities showed their willingness to continue their activities with support from the municipal budget. The project team drafted agreements to be signed with the municipalities. By the end of the project 6 municipalities showed interest in the agreement. The project team also worked with the Ministry of Education under the project which presented the project to the local Regional Education Inspections and encouraged them to support dissemination of information. Based on the above data, the project promoter believes that interaction with the institutions improved on both national and local level. Two of the municipalities also plan to have additional activities. The implemented project helped the organization gather up-to-date information about the actual local policies in place which is a good starting point for future actions and evaluation of the outcomes and added value. For more information, please, visit:
http://youthacademy.bg/.
Summary of bilateral results