Youth involvement in national and international policy making processes

Youth involvement

in national and international policy making processes

What has happened until now?

Budapest Conference, June 2004–CEHAPE

–Budapest Declaration

Youth workshop in Oslo, March 2006–Election of the first youth representatives

Youth workshop in Luxemburg, March 2007

–Start the process on creating the Youth Friendly CEHAPE

• Youth Conference 12-15 June 2007, Vienna

One- day Youth Event 12 June 2007

Election of the new delegates

Automatically appointing old delegates to be substitutes for

new delegates

Working groups about participation

Youth Friendly CEHAPE - YFC

Where we are now

• Section 1.– Water sanitation– City planning and human settlements– Physical activity– Alternative energy and sustainable development– Education, communication– Chemicals and toxic substances

• Section 2.– Implementation of the European Environment and

Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (EC Action Plan)

Youth Friendly CEHAPE

City planning and human settlements

• Decreasing injuries by ensuring safe mobility

• Having better public transportation

• Minimising air pollution

• Minimising the noise

Problems with city planning and human settlements

– Increasing road traffic accidents

– Many drunk, irresponsible drivers on roads

– Too much private cars- too few public transportation

– Increasing air pollution caused by growing car traffic, factories

– Smoking

– Green zones are being replaced

– Poor control system

Solutions to problems with city planning and human settlements

– strenghten control systems, higher age limits on getting driving licence

– more bicycle and passenger lanes, crossings and lights

– international youth traffic patrol program with ministerial & youths help

– better and cheaper public transport, school buses

– car-free zones/days

– ban smoking in public places, separate smokers

and non-smokers

– higher taxes

– noise regulated zones

– more green areas and fines on destroying green areas

– take care and keep clean

Implementation of European Environment and Health

Action Plan 2004 - 2010

• Problems:

– The youth’s point of view is missing

– The AP is vague and has no concrete actions

– Research is being targeted at adults and not at young people

• Solutions:

– Involve young people in the political processes

– More youth friendly and concrete action plan

– Write the document in an easier language

– Concrete actions & follow-up on them are needed

– Give the universities the possibilities to do research ”by young people – for young people”.

• Interactive discussions between national delagations, focal

points and youth

• Closer cooperation and communication between neighbour

countries

• Make easy understandable documents, which concern youth

issues

• Discussion time on the next CEHAPE and EEHC meetings on

the YFC

• Include youth in the national delegations

• One international youth workshop per year

• Strengthening youth network by creating a webpage

• Implementation of YFC

– Translation to native languages

Future plans and requests until 2009

How to strengthen the network

Homepage:

• Exchanging ideas• Easily available for everyone• Original and creative flyers about the homepage• Database and forum of youth work• History of CEHAPE and youth network• Reports on meetings• Profile of participants

o Youth are willing to participate and take responsibility

o Creating national youth networks to maximize participation through local projects

o Produce and provide schools with relevant educational literature to raise awareness among students

o Advocate NGOs and governmental organizations to effectively implement CEHAPE

o Obtain skills in workshops

o To be directly involved in the preparation process

Expectations from youth involvement

Thank you for your attention!