How can local governments move beyond simple consultation and genuinely involve young people in municipal decision-making? The answer lies in building structural capacity, fostering political support, and creating inclusive strategies.
To guide you through this journey, the Democracy Reloading Partnership has launched a comprehensive Key Competence Tutorial Series. Whether you are a municipal youth policy officer, a civil servant, or a local decision-maker, these bite-sized video guides break down the essential tasks needed to design sustainable youth policy.
You can dive straight into the full training journey by accessing the complete Democracy Reloading Tutorial: The Key Competences for Youth Engagement Playlist.
To help you get started, here is a breakdown of the first three foundational tutorials:
1. Creating a Supportive Municipality
A successful youth policy starts from within. In this first tutorial, expert Laszlo Foldi explains how to cultivate an environment where both political representatives and municipal staff are motivated, trained, and ready to share decision-making power with the next generation.
- 📺 Watch: Key Competence 1 Tutorial - Laszlo Foldi
2. Empowering Youth and Community
True participation doesn't happen by accident—it requires intentional space and trust. In the second tutorial, Giulia Bartolini outlines how municipalities can build capacity within youth organizations, reach marginalized or underrepresented groups, and support youth leaders to become active co-creators of local public policy.
- 📺 Watch: Key Competence 2 Tutorial - Giulia Bartolini
3. Developing Strategy and Structures
Youth participation needs long-term vision rather than isolated, short-term projects. In the third tutorial, Bruno António explains how to craft evidence-based youth strategies and build a diverse "ecosystem" of formal and informal participation mechanisms that allow all young people to influence policy effectively.
- 📺 Watch: Key Competence 3 Tutorial - Bruno António
Ready to take the next step?
Watch the videos, share them with your colleagues, and use them alongside the official Democracy Reloading Toolkit to begin evaluating and improving youth participation in your city today!