It is not only right that young people are able to participate in public life, but something that benefits society at large. Engaging young people supports the underlying objectives of Nordic policy development towards creating a greener and more socially inclusive Nordic Region. Efforts have been made to include the perspectives of young people on future policy priorities, such as on Åland and in Norway, but often the presence of youth is lacking. Moreover, in Sweden, only two out of 10 young people believe they can have any impact on local decision-makers (Mucf, 2021). It is therefore important to increase young people’s opportunities to participate in local policy and planning processes. There are many definitions of youth engagement in policy-making – it is often associated with community engagement, but it can also refer to involvement in political parties or in direct action and activism. A number of rural municipalities have been testing different ways of working with young people to reach the sustainable development goals, for example, including efforts to improve healthcare services for young people, and using local schools as testbeds for the green transition (Berlina, 2023). This engagement plays an important role for allowing young people to be co-creators of their future municipalities, and to build stronger rapport between young people and policy – and decision makers.
The participation of citizens or civil society groups in policy-making is associated with a wide range of approaches and normative stances. Participation can encompass various degrees of influence over decisions or policy processes. In practice, it can range from mere participation, using young people as sources of information, but it also allows room for co-influence, collaboration and shared responsibility among participants from different spheres of decision-making and civil society, as part of a process of development or creation (see, e.g. Arnstein’s ladder of participation, 1969). Schools remain an integral part as a platform for democratic participation through engagement, public hearings and workshops (Berlina, 2023), and opens up for the participation of young people who otherwise would not engage in discourse.
Youth councils at the local and regional level are mandated by law in Norway, and similar bodies exist in other countries. However, it is necessary to consider whether and how their advice and recommendations translate into meaningful action, and whether youth inclusion remains purely symbolic. Ensuring the institutionalisation of youth participation through advisory groups and consultation processes is key. This requires resource allocation and careful process design that enables policy-makers to be held accountable. “Youth washing” as the Gen Z-panellists call it, remains an issue in many Nordic countries. However, actual participation, space for young voices, and involvement are crucial for ensuring ownership and realising the visions for life in rural areas. Lowering the threshold for participation is an investment in the future of rural areas.
There are various means of strengthening young people’s participation in policy-making (Berlina, 2023). It could involve, for example, including them in the design, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of policies. Good communication using plain language is vital, as it lowers the threshold for democratic participation and places people on an equal footing. There are also opportunities to think innovatively about how to use platforms and social media to involve those who might otherwise not be reached. Young people are a very diverse group, and must be approached on their own terms.
Opportunities for young people to engage in policy-making are unevenly distributed in society, and are often conditioned by factors such as socio-economic circumstances, family background and level of education. Capacity-building and education about youth participation among policy-makers, as well the young people themselves, are two sides of the same coin: on the one hand, raising awareness of participatory processes and how they can take place; and on the other, determining when these processes should take place and managing expectations with regard to their outcomes. Youth participation policies must therefore be aimed at social emancipation and improving life conditions for young people, while also defining the processes of participation. This also means that youth participation policies need to pay particular attention to socio-economic inequalities and how they can be combatted, while also taking into account place-based conditions.
Recommendations:
Meet young people in their spaces, to facilitate better understanding of policy areas and decision-making processes. This includes both social media platforms, where information can be made more accessible, and rural youth being approached by peers from their own age groups.