Foster Youth Participation
Our mission is to ensure that cities and communities will have active child participation initiatives, enabling children to contribute to sustainable development.
The Challenge
Children and young people are often excluded from decisions that shape their communities, despite being directly affected. Their perspectives and ideas are valuable for sustainable development. However, many communities lack structures for meaningful child participation, creating a disconnect.
Engaging children in decision-making builds their capacity for lifelong democratic participation. Sustainable development needs input from all community members, including children, to address environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic resilience. Without their participation, efforts may overlook the needs of younger generations, leading to less effective solutions.
Together, we can create a culture of participation, empowering children to shape the future of their communities and cities.
Our goal
By 2033, cities and communities across Europe will actively engage children in sustainable development initiatives. We will achieve this by:
- Innovative Methodologies
- Developing participatory methodologies to include children and young people in co-creating urban solutions, aiming for "cities tailored to children" as 60% of urban populations are projected to be under 18 by 2030.
- Training and Resources:
- Providing training and resources for educators, community leaders, and local governments to support and facilitate child participation.
- Adaptable Frameworks:
- Establishing frameworks and guidelines for child participation that can be tailored to local contexts and needs.
- Expressive Platforms:
- Creating platforms and forums where children can share ideas, dialogue with policymakers, and participate in decision-making processes.
- Policy Advocacy:
- Advocating for local, national, and international policy changes to institutionalize child participation in urban and community planning.
- Pilot Projects:
- Partnering with schools, NGOs, and community organizations to implement pilot projects that demonstrate the impact of child participation on sustainable development.