Many municipalities in the Nordic countries consider youth engagement a crucial strategy for building attractive and inclusive communities in line with the UN 2030 Agenda and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The latter affirming that young people have the right to influence policymaking that affects them and participate meaningfully in societal development. The EU also lends its full support to youth engagement, stating that “Equipping young people, including those with fewer opportunities, with the knowledge and skills needed to live sustainably and become active citizens is essential for building a sustainable future” (Council of the European Union, 2023).  

 

Nevertheless, young people often feel excluded, with only two in ten young people in Sweden believing that they can influence local decision makers (Mucf, 2021). To ensure meaningful child and youth participation, municipalities must establish effective participatory structures, maintain positive attitudes toward children and young people, develop necessary skills and competences, and purposefully select methods and tools for engagement (Nordic Welfare Centre, 2023). 

 

This policy brief is based on one of Nordregio’s Localising Agenda 2030 webinars from 26 April 2023 (link to a recording can be found on the last page of this brief). It highlights specific tools and processes employed by Nordic municipalities and NGOs to ensure systematic youth engagement and follow-up at the local level. During the webinar, municipal representatives from Gladsaxe in Denmark, Hafnarfjörður in Iceland, Tierp in Sweden and Korsholm in Finland presented their tested tools and insights, along with two Swedish NGOs: Future Minds and Youth 2030 Movement. The examples in this policy brief on how to involve young people in local development generally target children and young people aged 0-25, and in some cases up to 29 years of age. 

 

Two central questions were addressed during Nordregio's webinar: how to ensure that young people can genuinely influence decisions that affect them; and how to conduct inclusive follow-up work.