Local Youth Councils
WHAT ARE THE LOCAL YOUTH COUNCILS?
«Local youth councils are the consultative body of municipalities for issues related to youth policies».
Article 2
What is their mission?
«a) Collaborate in the definition and implementation of municipal youth policies, ensuring their articulation and coordination with other sectorial policies, namely in the fields of employment and vocational training, housing, education and higher education, culture, sports, health and social inclusion
b) Ensure the audition and representation of public and private organisations that, at municipal level, develop work related to youth
c) Contribute to a sound knowledge of economic, social and cultural indicators related to youth
d) Promote the discussion of matters related to the needs and aspirations of the youth population residing in the municipality
e) Disseminate research related to youth
f) Promote youth initiatives at local level
g) Collaborate with the municipality for the exercise of its competences related to youth
h) Encourage and support youth organisations, ensuring their representation in the municipality, as well as with other public and private organisations, national or foreign
i) Promote the collaboration between youth organisations within their scope of action».
Article 3
Who can participate?
«a) The Mayor, who presides the Local Youth Council
b) One member of each party or group of citizens represented in the Local Council
c) The municipality’s representative to the Regional Youth Council
d) One representative of each youth organisation located in the municipality and registered in the National Register of Youth Organisations [RNAJ)
e) One representative of each high-school student union located in the municipality
f) One representative of each higher-education student union located in the municipality
g) One representative of each student federation registered in RNAJ and with geographical scope in the municipality, or those where the municipality’s student unions represent more than 50% of the members
h) One representative of each youth-wing of political parties represented in the Local Council or in the Portuguese Parliament
i) One representative of each national youth organisation and equivalent to youth organisation, under the terms of number 3 of article 3 of Law 23/2006».
Article 4
Portuguese National Law 8/2009, updated by Law 6/2012 – Legal Framework for Local Youth Councils