Fostering active youth participation in local decision-making

• Author: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission)
• Pages: 60-61

SOCIAL INNOVATION: INSPIRATIONAL PRACTICES

SUPPORTING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES

60

© Ana Bento, 2017

Presentation of YPB to relevant stakeholders

Problem addressed

Providing meaningful social, civic and political engagement

opportunities for all young people is one of the priorities

of the EU. As outlined in the EU Youth Strategy, young

people generally show interest in politics and are socially

active but tend to turn away from traditional forms of

political participation. Young people prefer to support

causes that are directly relevant to them, engaging in them

through alternative political participation methods such as

volunteering or online support. Alternative means of civic

and democratic participation are, however, not widespread

in many European countries. This limits the opportunities for

young people to engage in politics in a way that interests and

motivates them.

Innovative solution

Youth Participatory Budgeting (YPB) is a Portuguese initiative

that aims to foster the active and informed participation of

young people in decision-making and promote a stronger

sense of citizenship by providing an online platform that

caters to young people’s need for alternative means of civic

and democratic participation.

Citizens aged 14–30 can present project proposals related to

education, employment and sustainable development, and

receive up to EUR 100 000 to implement them. Portugal is

the f‌irst country in the world to implement YPB across the

whole country.

In partnership with the National Youth Council, the National

Federation of Youth Organisations and several municipalities,

the Portuguese Institute for Sport and Youth (IPDJ) organises

participatory meetings throughout the country to recruit and

guide young people in developing and presenting project

proposals. Proposals are then pre-selected by relevant

public administrations and submitted to a public vote

online or through a free SMS system. Winning projects are

implemented through collaboration between IPDJ, local

NGOs, municipalities and young people.

By creating opportunities for young people to shape local

policies and services, the YPB approach inspires genuine

civic engagement, departing from a narrower focus on the

promotion of voting among young people. Young people

collaborate with public authorities and NGOs on the

implementation of winning projects, familiarising them

with the policy-making process and strengthening their

civic participation.

Fostering active youth participation

in local decision-making

Youth Participatory Budgeting

Portugal