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A3 Charter

A3 CHARTER: 10 IDEAS TO MODERNIZE LOCAL YOUTH COUNCILS

Local Youth Councils must…

  1. … have the mission of connecting municipalities and young people, creating space to make young people’s voices be heard and engaging them in political and social life.
  2. … be open to all young people, including also non-organized young people, young people with fewer opportunities and young people who usually do not participate, local organizations, youth organizations not listed in the Portuguese National Register of Youth Organisations and informal youth groups.
  3. … be flexible to work according to their local reality and needs, with the possibility to choose between consultative and deliberative models, create working committees, activity plans and non-formal methods.
  4. … ensure that its members have the right to participation and representation. Local Youth Council members must commit to actively participate in consultations of youth needs and aspirations, strategic planning and design of solutions.
  5. … ensure political capital, have a budget for activities, develop training activities for its members, human, ensure human, technical and logistical support.
  6. … promote contact, exchange of best practices and collaboration between all local youth organizations. They should also decentralize meetings throughout the territory and in proximity to youth organizations.
  7. … promote collaboration, mutual learning and exchange of best practices, paving the way to inter-municipal, regional and national networks.
  8. … communicate in the language and platforms of young people, reaching out to young people, including through digital and social platforms, live online meetings. They must also be accountable to young people and their community.
  9. … reduce bureaucracy, define quality indicators, ensure the support of municipal youth workers for the co-production of activities, support transparency, evaluation and accountability.
  10. … analyse their composition, participation, activities, budget execution and the satisfaction of its members.

Some additional ideas:

  • … share information with Local Councils
  • … be articulated with Municipal Youth Plans
  • … ensure youth consultation mechanisms
  • … ensure Municipal grants and funding for young people and youth activities
  • … explore the digital participation possibilities
  • … create Youth Ombudsperson
  • The Portuguese Law for Local Youth Council should be updated to strengthen youth participation

Download A3 Charter (Portuguese version)