Description
This is a local project that intends to consolidate a previous civil society initiative promoting civic participation of youngsters - the Sintra Youth Participation Network. Acting in a culturally diverse community, the promoter will undertake a set of activities with and for young people, aged 14 to 30, fostering their inclusion in decision-making processes and in monitoring public policies. The project will create tools and a forum for the dialogue with policy makers and other organizations or groups dealing with youth matters, such as schools and informal juvenile groups. The management of an online tool, the organization of municipal youth meetings, seminars, training and awareness-raising sessions on political engagement or good practice exchange events between NGOs and public bodies are examples of the actions within the scope of this project. The project is promoted by a local youth organization in partnership with public and private organizations for local and proximity action.
Summary of project results
The participation of young people in public life is very low, lower than the general population. In Sintra municipality, which has a large immigrant community (20 different ethnical origins), this is a very visible problem, and thus, in order to achieve social inclusion, it is very important that policies for youth are aligned with needs of the intended beneficiaries. Participation of young people and their organisations in the formulation of municipal policies, and particularly those related with youth, is to be stimulated in order that their voice is heard at appropriate level and is able to influence decision-making. This project involved youngsters from 14 to 30 year old and mobilise and train them to monitor public policies related to youth and to engage dialogue with the municipality of Sintra. Special attention was paid to mobilization of vulnerable and excluded or at risk young populations. The main achievement of the project was to consolidate and formalize the Youth Participation Network of Sintra. This network gathers 7 youth associations of the municipality and has established a sustainable dialogue with the political parties and political decision-makers of the local government. The sessions of awareness–raising and training on politics involved 269 youngsters while the participative platform allows 166 young people to monitor public policies, provide their feedback and interact with the local government. The project has therefore surpassed their ambitions regarding the number of young people who could be mobilized by the project. The current results are just part of a process which should be sustainable in time to be effective and really improve youth participation and social inclusion of the municipality’ young population (with impact on the whole community). For the promoting NGO the project resulted on learning about advocacy techniques at local level, new relationship with local powers and the awareness that schools should be involved in these participatory processes. The involvement of student associations has been crucial for the success of the project (mobilization of young people and commitment on objectives).
Summary of bilateral results