Fostering Youth Participation: Achievements and Insights from the New Power in Youth Strategic Partnership
Authors: Veronica Stefan, Weronika Koralewska, New Power in Youth Strategic Partnership (NPiY)
Year of production: 2026
Report cover photo
CONTEXT OF THE REPORT
The report “Fostering Youth Participation: Achievements and Insights from the New Power in Youth Strategic Partnership” presents a comprehensive overview of the New Power in Youth (NPiY) Strategic Partnership, coordinated by the Estonian National Agency for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Covering the initiative’s activities and achievements between 2021 to 2024, the report aligns closely with the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027, focusing on engaging, connecting, and empowering young people to become active citizens.
Starting with 2021, the NPiY partnership implemented activities organised around three key work packages aimed at enhancing quality youth participation, at all levels:
- Work Package 1 introduced the Erasmus+ and ESC Youth Participation Strategy, supporting youth organisations through capacity-building workshops, online project challenges, and international project labs. Notable outcomes include the successful engagement of numerous participants in various training and project development activities, resulting in a significant number of quality youth participation project applications.
- Work Package 2 focused on the strategic development of youth participation at local, national, and European levels. It involved researching youth participation trends, facilitating peer learning sessions among National Agencies, and promoting best practices. The engagement of young people in the work of National Agencies has been a highlight, with initiatives aimed at integrating youth voices into decision-making processes.
- Work Package 3 aimed to enhance cooperation between non-formal and formal education sectors to support youth participation. Actions included mapping existing cross-sectoral practices, fostering partnerships and understanding the competence needs of professionals in both sectors. The 2023 Cross-Sectoral Forum and the analytical paper on ‘Youth Participation and Citizenship Education’ contributed to a deeper understanding of the relationship between youth participation and civic education.
The impact of the NPiY initiative is visible in the numerous resources produced, including publications and videos, and the positive feedback from participants across various activities.
The NPiY Strategic Partnership successfully created a framework for youth empowerment and participation, setting the stage for continued engagement and collaboration in the years to come.
FOUR YEARS OF NPiY IN NUMBERS
The achievements of the New Power in Youth (NPiY) Strategic National Agencies Cooperation over the past four years.
In total, NPiY published three research reports (one in WP3 and two in WP2), one analytical paper, and one forum/event report. More than 400 participants actively engaged in various formats of our activities. Eight partnership meetings were organised, four of which were residential. Overall, 27 activities were implemented, both online and offline, across 13 formats. Additionally, eight residential events focused on youth participation were hosted in collaboration with NPiY partners (CY, DE, EE, IT, LV, NL, and RO). From 2021–2024, the NPiY partnership brought together 13 actively involved partners, including 10 National Agencies—BG, CY, DE, EE, FI, IT, LV, NL, RO, and SL—and three SALTO Resource Centres—SALTO PI, SALTO ID, and SALTO SEE.
STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
In the Executive Summary, the report outlines the partnership’s significant role in promoting youth participation and engagement in democratic life. It details the various initiatives implemented to engage young people and encourage their active citizenship.
The section Four Years of NPiY in Numbers provides quantitative insights into the initiative’s reach, highlighting the number of publications produced, the level of participation in activities, and the coordination efforts among various National Agencies. This section underscores the extensive impact of the programme over its four-year run.
Work Package 1 introduces the Erasmus+ and ESC Youth Participation Strategy, emphasising the goal of building capacity within youth organisations. Key actions in this package include the Online Project Challenge, which serves as a platform enabling participants to develop their youth participation projects, and the Training Dive into Youth Participation, designed to enhance the skills of youth workers and leaders in implementing effective programmes.
The second work package, Strategic Development, is dedicated to fostering youth involvement in decision-making processes at local, national, and European levels. It includes engagement initiatives that feature international meetings and research efforts to gather insights on youth participation. A notable outcome is the establishment of the Pool of Experts and Trainers, which connects professionals dedicated to enhancing youth engagement across various sectors.
Work Package 3 focuses on promoting collaboration between the non-formal and formal education sectors. Within this section, the Cross-Sectoral Forum aims to foster mutual understanding and best practices related to youth participation. It also features an analytical paper that examines the intersection of youth participation and citizenship education, proposing guidelines for cooperation to enrich the democratic engagement of young people.
Lastly, the report includes testimonials from participants that illustrate the positive impacts of the NPiY initiatives, highlighting personal growth and increased awareness of available opportunities.
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