InterCITY – European peer learning on local youth policy – European Conference

Youth-related challenges like the transitions from youth to adulthood, youth unemployment, education and social participation, growing demands on the young people’s time and reduced space for their living occur in similar forms in many European countries and are subject to national and European policies. Equally, in many European countries it is the municipalities that are responsible for youth services and youth work. Municipalities are the level that is closest to the citizens and as such they are the central agent for providing the conditions of living and growing up for young people.

Currently the Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ) (Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth) is carrying out a European peer-learning project in youth policy. Together with six other EU-member states we will discuss issues of youth policy and find solutions over a period of two years. An important point in this regard is the role of municipalities in drafting and implementing youth policy. This conference is part of the project and will offer a platform for discussing this central topic of youth policy within a European context. We intend to discuss not only strictly youth policy but also issues related to political strategies.
Which challenges are the municipalities in Europe facing in putting into practice youth policy and do they tackle these challenges? Which are the central issues? Which instruments do they use with what effect? How can international collaboration between municipalities be used for these purposes? Which role can national youth policies and the EU youth strategy play for the municipalities?

Objectives
The conference aims at
_ offering agents from all over Europe an opportunity to discuss various subjects and have an exchange about them;
_ present good practice examples showing how municipalities in Europe exercise youth policy;
_ stimulate the municipalities to take an active part in developing youth policy and youth work on the national and European levels;
_ draw attention to the European trans-local exchange and European peer-learning as strategies for furthering the development of municipal youth policy and awaken interest in them;
_ offer a platform for developing European networks;
_ make municipalities more aware of the EU youth strategy and its added value for youth services.