Youth Participation and the Austrian Youth Strategy
During the development of the Austrian Youth Strategy, youth participation has played and will continue to play a central role. Youth participation is also one of the 4 fields of action of the Youth Strategy.
A core criterion of the Austrian Youth Strategy is the active inclusion of young people. Outcomes of existing participation processes with young people (for example the EU Youth Dialogue, European Youth Goals) will be taken into account.
Reality Checks
To take into account the views and perspectives of young people in the youth objectives of the Austrian Youth Strategy and to receive new impulses and suggestions, the youth objectives of the respective federal ministries are reflected with young people directly. Hence, discussion and exchange of ideas with young people is the main focus, not the representativeness.
Reality Checks are continued when defining measures. Therefore, the federal ministries can also reflect the measures with organisations that have expertise with young peoples’ needs (for example National Youth Council, youth organisations, open youth work, youth information etc.). Another possibility when defining measures was to draw on youth-related surveys and research to take into account the different life realities of young people. Nevertheless, the Federal Chancellery encourages all ministries to take up participation processes with young people.
EU Youth Dialogue
The EU Youth Dialogue ensures systematic inclusion of young people in the political decision-making process for selected thematic fields of youth policy. This is a unique process in the EU - no other policy area includes citizens in such a way. The EU Youth Dialogue is integral part of the EU youth strategy. Opinions and needs of young people should be taken into account in all political decisions from a local to an international level.
One outcome of the EU Youth Dialogue process with over 50.000 young people, are the 11 European Youth Goals, which represent the views of young people all over Europe.
Youth Check
On 1 January 2013 the Youth Check (effect-oriented impact assessment) went into effect. The law stipulates that all new legislative and regulatory proposals be evaluated for the potential consequences they could have for children, young people and young adults. This instrument makes it easier for youth organisations, in particular the National Youth Council, to become involved in the legislative process.
Contact
Youth Competence Centre
Email: jugendstrategie@bka.gv.at