Where Are You Going?

This rethorical question is actually launching a campaign to ask the European Parliament and EU Member States for a strong and independent Youth in Action Programme for non-formal education, youth work and democratic youth organisations and an ambitious European Youth Employment Plan.

The European Commission published the same day its vision for the EU budget in the field of youth and education in its communication “Erasmus for all: the EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport”. The Communication is focussing mainly on Education and Training, putting at risk the funding of non formal education. It is also overlooking the new competence of the EU on encouraging the participation of young people in the democratic life in Europe. To achieve this, a strong new programme should encourage the participation of all young people in democratic life and recognise that youth-led, volunteer-based, democratic European youth organisations are an indispensable channel for supporting active citizenship and for developing young people’s skills and competences, both for the needs of the labour market and for an active and inclusive European society, and as such need to be given specific support.

This matters will be follow up carefully at the European level and all of us will need to act either at the national level or European level to achieve a more supportive programme for youth organisations and young people in Europe – and beyond.

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