EARLALL Academy #12: Empowering Youth in European Policymaking: Insights from the European Youth Forum
02/04/2025
On 01 April 2025, EARLALL hosted the webinar “Bringing Youth Voices to Policy: Implementing the European Youth Check at the Regional Level” This session, part of the EARLALL Academy, explored the European Commission’s Youth Policy Dialogues and the European Youth Check Mechanism, focusing on how regional authorities and stakeholders have implemented these tools effectively. The lesson featured Laure Verstraete, a Board Member of the European Youth Forum, shared practical insights on how youth perspectives have been integrated into policymaking to ensure policies align with young people’s needs and aspirations.
Exploring the EU Youth Check and Youth Policy Dialogues
Laure Verstraete explained that one of the primary tools the European Youth Forum advocates for the EU Youth Check, a mechanism designed to assess the impact of EU policies on young people. The EU Youth Check ensures that youth perspectives are not just included as an afterthought but are integrated from the very beginning of the policy development process. By systematically checking the relevance of policies for youth, consulting with young people, and assessing the potential impact, the EU Youth Check helps to create policies that genuinely reflect the aspirations and needs of young people across Europe. Alongside the EU Youth Check, the Youth Policy Dialogues play a critical role in fostering direct communication between policymakers and young people. These dialogues are a platform for young people to voice their opinions, share their experiences, and engage with decision-makers on key issues affecting them. The goal is to create policies that are not only effective but also aligned with the aspirations of young people, enabling them to take an active role in shaping their futures.
One of the session’s key highlights was the sharing of good practices from regional authorities and stakeholders who are developing mechanisms to integrate Youth voices into policymaking. EARLALL will continue to organise sessions on key topics, equipping members with tools to drive positive change.
