European Youth Forum
AbbreviationYFJ
Formation1996
HeadquartersRue de l’Industrie, 10, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Official language
English
Secretary General
Milosh Ristovski
President
María Rodríguez Alcázar
Websitewww.youthforum.org

The European Youth Forum (from French: Youth Forum Jeunesse, YFJ) is an international non-profit association that serves as an umbrella organisation and advocacy group of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe.[1] It works on youth rights in international institutions such as the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations.

The European Youth Forum works mostly in the fields of youth policy and youth work development. It focuses its work on European youth policy matters, whilst through engagement on the global level, it is enhancing the capacities of its members and promoting global interdependence. In its daily work, the European Youth Forum represents the views and opinions of youth organisations in all relevant policy areas and promotes the cross-sectoral nature of youth policy towards a variety of institutional actors. The principles of equality and sustainable development are mainstreamed in the work of the European Youth Forum.[2][3][4]

It consists of 44 National Youth Councils and 61 international youth NGOs, a total of 105.[5]

History

The European Youth Forum is a European international organization, which was established in 1996 by national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organizations. It works as the successor to the Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC), Youth Forum of the European Communities (YFEU), and the European Co-ordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations (ECB). CENYC and ECB had been representing youth interests since the sixties.[6] The YFEU was set up by them in the late 1970s to work vis a vis the European Union (then called the European Community).[7] The establishment of a single structure replacing all three was a major rationalization.

Vision, mission, and aims

According to the European Youth Forum[8] their Vision, mission, and aims are as follows:

Vision

To be the voice of young people in Europe, where young people are equal citizens and are encouraged and supported to achieve their fullest potential as global citizens.

Mission

The European Youth Forum is an independent, democratic, youth-led platform, representing national youth councils and international youth organizations from across Europe.

The Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in society to improve their own lives, by representing and advocating their needs and interests and those of their organizations.

Aims

  • Increase the participation of young people and youth organizations in society, as well as in decision-making processes;
  • Positively influence policy issues affecting young people and youth organizations, by being a recognized partner for international institutions, namely the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations;
  • Promote the concept of youth policy as an integrated and cross-sectoral element of overall policy development, namely through youth mainstreaming;
  • Facilitate the participation of young people through the development of sustainable and independent youth organizations at the national and international level, particularly in respect to ensuring dependable, adequate funding for them;
  • Promote the exchange of ideas and experience, mutual understanding, as well as the equal rights and opportunities among young people in Europe;
  • Uphold intercultural understanding, democracy, respect, diversity, human rights, active citizenship, and solidarity;
  • Contribute to the development of youth work in other regions of the world.

The European Youth Forum has the task of nominating 20 young people from its member organizations for the Advisory Council on Youth, 13 representatives from international youth organizations (INGYOs) and seven representatives from national youth councils for a two-year mandate.[9] These are elected democratically by the member organizations, usually at the Council of Members (COMEM) in Brussels in spring.[10]

Organisation

Presidents

Date President Nationality Nominating organization(s)
2023-2024 Ms María Rodríguez Alcázar  Spain Spanish Youth Council (CJE)
2021–2022 Ms Silja Markkula  Finland World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM),
Suomen Nuorisoalan kattojärjestö Allianssi ry (Allianssi)
2019–2020 Ms Carina Autengruber  Austria Oesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung (ÖJV),
International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements (FIMCAP)
2017–2018 Mr Luis Alvarado Martinez  Spain Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE-Europe)
2015–2016 Ms Johanna Nyman  Finland Finnish Youth Cooperation (Allianssi)
2011–2014 Mr Peter Matjašič  Slovenia
2009–2010 Mr Tine Radinja  Slovenia
2007–2008 Ms Bettina Schwarzmayr  Austria
2005–2006 Mr Renaldas Vaisbrodas  Lithuania
2003–2004 Mr Giacomo Filibeck  Italy
2001–2002 Mr Henrik Söderman  Finland
1999–2000 Mr Pau Solanilla  Spain
1997–1998 Ms Pauliina Arola  Finland

Current Board

Each board elected by the entire membership every 2 years at the General Assembly, it is made up of:

  • President nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC) and/or an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO).
  • Vice-president nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC)
  • Vice-president nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO)
  • 4 board members nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC)
  • 4 board members nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO)

The Secretary-General attends the board meetings as a non-voting ex-officio

Name Position Nationality Nominating Organization
María Rodríguez Alcázar President  Spain Spanish Youth Council (CJE)
Christiana Xenofontos Vice President (NYC)  Cyprus Cyprus Youth Council (CYC)
Elias Dray Vice President (INGYO)  France European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS)
Andreea-Alexandra Scrioșteanu Board Member (NYC)  Romania Romanian Youth Council (CTR)
Nicholas Kujala Board Member (NYC)  Finland Finnish Youth Council (Allianssi)
Mark McNulty Board Member (NYC)  Ireland National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)
Daniele Taurino Board Member (INGYO)  Italy European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO-BEOC)
Ismael Paez Civico Board Member (INGYO)  Spain (YEU)
Natalia Kallio Board Member (INGYO)  Finland (IGLYO)
Rareș Voicu Board Member (INGYO)  Romania Organising Bureau of School Students’ Unions (OBESSU)

Secretaries-General

Name Term
Mr Milosh Ristovski 2023–
Mr Joe Elborn 2020–2022
Ms Anna Widegren 2017–2020
Mr Allan Pall 2014–2017
Mr Giuseppe Porcaro 2009–2014
Mr Diogo Pinto 2005–2009
Ms Johanna Tzanidaki 2003–2005
Mr Kim Svendsen 2001–2002
Mr Tobias Flessenkemper 1998–2001
Ms Hrönn Pétursdóttir 1997–1998
Mr Stephen Grogan 1996

Funding

In 2012, almost 87% of the Youth Forum income stemmed from annual grants from international institutions. 83.9% of the total income came from the European Communities' Budget, through a grant from DG Education and Culture, while around 3.2% was from Council of Europe grants.[11]

Partnership projects also constitute an essential part of Youth Forum income, and such income includes the support of partner organizations for concrete activities, e.g. YFJ Member Organisations hosting YFJ meetings, or grants from foundations or other entities, such as the United Nations, Governments or Local Authorities.[11]

Volunteer Time Contributions (VTCs) are an essential source of external funding, and which allow the YFJ to fulfill its co-funding requirements as per the European Commission. VTCs also represents the further recognition of volunteer work as an important contribution to society and to the work of youth organizations. These contributions in 2012 represent approximately 4.8% of the Youth Forum budget.[11]

Membership

The European Youth Forum has 104 member organizations of two types of Membership: National Youth Council and International Non-Governmental Youth Organization, of which there are three levels: Observer, Candidate and Full member. Only full members may vote at the statutory meetings of the Forum.

According to the statues:

All members have to fulfill the following general criteria:
  • to accept and work for the purpose of the Forum;
  • to be a non-governmental and not for profit organization;
  • to have democratic aims and structures and accept the principles of the European Convention of Human Rights;
  • to fully acknowledge the Statutes of the Forum;
  • to work with young people and have a decision-making body controlled by young people;
  • not to be subject to direction in their decisions by any external authority.

National Youth Councils

Presently there are 43 National Youth Councils who are members of the European Youth Forum. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Turkey don't currently have recognized National Youth Councils.

National Youth Council members must:

  1. be the national coordination body of non-governmental youth organizations in a European State;
  2. be open to all democratic youth organizations at the national level.

To be full members they must be open to all and represent most of the main democratic youth movements and organizations at the national level in that State.

Country Name Acronym Status
 Armenia National Youth Council of Armenia NYCA Full
 Austria Oesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung ÖJV Full
 Finland Finnish Youth Cooperation Allianssi Full
 United Kingdom British Youth Council BYC Full
 Netherlands Dutch National Youth Council NJR / DNYC Full
 France Comité pour les Relations Nationales et Internationales des Associations de Jeunesse et d'Education Populaire CNAJEP Full
 Estonia Eesti Noorteühenduste Liit (Estonian National Youth Council) ENL Full
 Luxembourg Conférence Générale de la Jeunesse Luxembourgoise CGJL Full
 Spain Consejo de la Juventud de España CJE Full
 Spain Consell Nacional de la Joventut de Catalunya CNJC Full (non-voting)
 Poland Polish Council of Youth Organisations PROM Full
 Portugal Conselho Nacional de Juventude Archived 29 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine CNJ Full
 Moldova Consiliul Național al Tineretului din Moldova CNTM Full
 Belgium:  French Community Conseil da la Jeunesse de la communauté française de Belgique CRIJ Full (Vote shared with VJR)
  Switzerland National Youth Council of Switzerland SAJV/CSAJ Full
 Romania Romanian Youth Council CTR Full
 Cyprus Cyprus Youth Council CYC Full
 Germany Deutsches Nationalkomitee für Internationale Jugendarbeit (German National Committee for International Youth Work) DNK Full
 Denmark Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd (Danish Youth Council) DUF Full
 Greece Hellenic National Youth Council ESYN Full
 Italy Forum Nazionale Giovani FNG Full
 Malta Kunsill Nazzjonali Taz-Zghazagh KNZ Full
 Lithuania Lithuanian Youth Council LIJOT Full
 Latvia Latvijas Jaunatnes Padome LJP Full
 Norway Landsrådet for Norske barne- og ungdomsorganisasjoner LNU Full
 Sweden Swedish National Council of Youth Organizations LSU Full
 Iceland Landssamband ungmennafélaga (National Youth Council of Iceland) LUF Full
 Slovenia Mladinski svet Slovenije (National Youth Council of Slovenia) MSS Full
 Croatia Mreža Mladih Hrvatske / Croatian Youth Network MMH Full
 Azerbaijan National Assembly of Youth Organisations of the Republic of Azerbaijan NAYORA Full
 Georgia National Council of Youth Organisations of Georgia NCYOG Full
 Ireland National Youth Council of Ireland NYCI Full
 Russia National Youth Council of Russia NYCR Full
 Belarus Belarusian Union of Youth and Children's Public Associations RADA Full
 Slovakia Rada Mládeže Slovenska (Slovak Youth Council) RMS Full
 Czech Republic Česká rada dětí a mládeže (Czech Council of Children and Youth) ČRDM Full
 Bulgaria Naciolen Mladezki Forum (National Youth Forum-Bulgaria) NMF Full
 Serbia Krovna Organizacija Mladih Srbije (National Youth Council of Serbia) KOMS Full
 Belgium:  Flemish Community Vlaamse Jeugdraad (Flemish Youth Council) VJR Full (Vote shared with CRIJ)
 North Macedonia National Youth Council of Macedonia NYCM Full
 Belgium:  German-speaking Community Rat der Deutschsprachigen Jugend RDJ Candidate
 Ukraine National Youth Council of Ukraine NYCU Full
 Hungary National Youth Council of Hungary NIT Observer

International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations

Presently there are 61 International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations who are members of the European Youth Forum.

Full IYNGO Members either must have: at least 5000 young members in ten European States, and under no circumstances have less than 300 young members in any one of these ten States; or: have a motivated recommendation from: the Secretary-General and Board; or the Consultative Body on Membership Applications which advises the Board on Membership Applications.

Observer INGYO members must have 3000 young members in at least six European States with at least 100 members in any of these six states.

INGYOs cannot become members if they are largely identical in terms of aims, membership, and structures of an existing INGYO, which is already a member. This is to be appreciated solely by the General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority, abstentions not counted.

Name Acronym Status
Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l'Europe AEGEE Full
Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations ALLIANCE Full
International ATD Fourth World Movement ATD-Quart Monde Full
Board of European Students of Technology BEST Observers
Democrat Youth Community of Europe DEMYC Full
European Bureau of Conscientious Objection EBCO/BEOC Full
Young European Socialists YES Full
European Confederation of Youth Clubs ECYC Full
European Democrat Students EDS Full
European Educational Exchanges – Youth for Understanding EEE-YFU Full
European Federation for Intercultural Learning Archived 7 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine EFIL Full
Erasmus Student Network ESN Full
European Union of Deaf Youth EUDY Candidate
ACTIVE - Sobriety, Friendship and Peace ACTIVE Full
European Students' Union ESU/ESIB Full
European Trade Union Confederation Youth ETUC Youth Full
European Federation of Youth Hostel Associations EUFED Full
European Union of Jewish Students EUJS/UEEJ Full
Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe EYCE Full
International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements FIMCAP Full
Federation of Young European Greens FYEG Full
International Federation of Liberal Youth IFLRY Full
International Falcon Movement - Socialist Education International IFM-SEI Full
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations IFMSA Full
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Youth and Student Organisation IGLYO Full
International Union of Socialist Youth IUSY Full
International Young Nature Friends IYNF Full
International Young Catholic Students - International Movement of Catholic Students JECI-MIEC Full
Young European Federalists JEF Full
European Liberal Youth LYMEC Full
International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth MIJARC-Europe Full
Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions OBESSU Full
Rural Youth Europe RYEurope Full
Service Civil International SCI Full
World Esperanto Youth Organization TEJO Full
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts WAGGGS Full
World Organization of the Scout Movement (European office) WOSM Full
Youth Action for Peace YAP Full (Suspended)
Youth and Environment Europe YEE Full
Youth of the European People's Party YEPP Full
Youth for Exchange and Understanding YEU Full
European Alliance of YMCAs YMCA Full
Young Women's Christian Association YWCA Full
Youth of European Nationalities YEN Full
European Council of Young Farmers CEJA Observers
European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions CESI-Youth Observers
Don Bosco Youth Net Don Bosco Observers
European Free Alliance Youth EFAY Observers
European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation Youth Committee ENGSO Youth Observers
European Youth Press EYP Observers
International Federation of Training Centres for the Promotion of Progressive Education FICEMEA Observers
International Coordination of Young Christian Workers ICYCW/CIJOC Observers
Jeunesses Musicales International JMI Observers
Pax Christi International Pax Christi Observers
Red Cross Youth RCY Observers
Youth Express Network Y-E-N Full
Young Democrats for Europe YDE Observers
Children's International Summer Villages CISV Observer
International Federation of Hard of Hearing Young People IFHOHYP Observers
Young Entrepreneurs Organisation of the European Union JUENE Observers
International Debate Education Association IDEA NL Observers
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation The Award Observers
Freedom, Legality and Rights in Europe FLARE Candidate (Suspended)

References

  1. "European Youth Forum. Statutes" (PDF). European Youth Forum. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  2. Strategic Priorities of the European Youth Forum 2007-2012 Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "HOME". Coe.int. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  4. "Platform of European Social NGOs". SocialPlatform. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  5. "Our Members". €uropean Youth Forum. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  6. Archived profile of the Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC), held in the European University Institute - Historical Archives of the European Union, 1994-2006 Archived 13 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. Gaetano, Morese (30 November 2020). "Citizenship, Education and Democracy through the Youth Forum of European Union (YFEU)". cwld.hypotheses.org/. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  8. "The European Youth Forum: our goals & vision". European Youth Forum. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  9. "Advisory Council on Youth Terms of references". Council of Europe. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  10. "Spring #COMEM in Brussels". European Youth Forum. 22 April 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 Finance page from the YFJ website. Accessed 29 March 2010 Archived 24 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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