• Home
  • AER Elections 2025 – Shape the Future of Our Network
    • Call for amendments – AER Political Priorities 2025-2030
  • About
    • Governance & Structure
      • AER Procedures
      • Statute & strategies
      • The AER Executive Board
      • The AER Secretariat
    • AER stands with Ukraine
    • The History of AER
  • Members
    • Who are AER’s members?
    • Member Directory
    • Join AER!
  • Mutual Learning
    • About Mutual Learning
    • Knowledge Transfer Events
    • Working Groups
      • Ongoing Working Groups
      • Past Working Groups
  • Advocacy
    • About Our Advocacy Work
    • The Bureau
    • The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
    • AER Political Priorities 2020-2025
  • Projects
    • About Our Projects
    • Ongoing Projects
    • Look for Partners
    • Completed Projects
  • AER Programmes
    • Eurodyssey – A traineeship mobility programme for young people, entirely managed at regional level
    • Intercultural Regions Network
    • AER SUMMER ACADEMY
    • AER Youth Regional Network (YRN)
  • Events
    • AER Event Calendar
    • AER events
    • Other events

Assembly of European Regions

Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985

You are here: Home / ADVOCACY / NEW AER Task Force on Youth!

NEW AER Task Force on Youth!

29 March, 2022 By Gisela Guari Cañada

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail
Share this!

On the occasion of the AER Spring Bureau Meetings 2022, members decided to establish a new Taskforce focused on youth.

Background

Following the announcement made by President von der Leyen in her 2021 State of the Union address, the Commission adopted in October 2021 its formal proposal to make 2022 the European Year of Youth (EYY). The objectives of the EYY are to support the generation that has sacrificed the most during the pandemic with renewed perspectives and opportunities arising from the green and digital transitions; to empower all young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to become active citizens and actors of positive change; to promote opportunities provided by EU policies for young people to support their development and autonomy, mainly through the NextGenerationEU; and to draw inspiration from the actions and insights of young people to further invigorate the common EU project, building upon the Conference on the Future of Europe.

AER & Youth policies

With this newly established Taskforce, the AER recognises the key role that young people can play in strengthening democracy and fostering sustainability and resilience in local communities. The COVID-19 crisis has had a disproportionate impact on young people compared to older groups, in terms of personal, social, and professional development. The future of Europe greatly depends on the recovery of the younger generations across Europe, and this requires a paradigm shift in how we include young people in policy and decision-making.

Regional and local governments are best-placed to support youth inclusion and harness the enthusiasm, ideas and creativity of young people that are essential for our future as Europeans. What is more, they have an important role to play in providing young people with employment opportunities, facilitating their access to education and training, and ensuring their life satisfaction and mental well-being.

Local and regional authorities are crucial to promoting youth participation in local democracy and supporting youth autonomy and wellbeing, by providing access to education and training, employment, housing and other key public services. The European Year of Youth provides a unique opportunity for European regions to identify ways of better supporting youth participation and autonomy and of realising the benefits that more opportunities for young people offer to regional recovery and sustainable, inclusive, green and digital transition.

General goal of the AER Taskforce on Youth

With this Taskforce, AER will join the discussions about the future of the next generations in the context of the European Year and contribute to building back better for all by applying a youth and intergenerational lens in crisis response and recovery measures across all levels of public administration.

Join us now!

Does the focus of this Taskforce match the policy priorities of your region? Then become a member by filling the form below.

Click HERE to become a member

Any questions?

If you have any questions you can check the Terms of Reference for the Bureau Taskforces here. Otherwise, feel free to contact the AER Secretariat, Peter Guidikov at comms@aer.eu, or Gisela Guari at g.guari@aer.eu

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Filed Under: ADVOCACY, Bureau, News

← “Europe starts in its regions, cities and villages” – AER joins 9th European Summit of Regions & Cities The AER Spring Meetings—Shaping our Common Future →

AER. Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985.

Follow our newsletter!




View previous campaigns.


  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

2025 AER General Assembly

  • AER Elections 2025

AER Projects

  • Ongoing projects
    • EU-BELONG: An Intercultural Approach to Migrant Integration in Europe’s Regions
    • MEET: Mobilise Europe = Engage Together
    • CL-YE | Climbing the Ladder: Fostering a Culture of Youth Engagement
  • Partner search

Library

Statutory Documents
AER Strategies
Minutes
Media Kit
Activity Reports
Newsletters
European Regions Map

Join AER!

Become a Member

Job Opportunities

Sign up for our Newsletter

Website map

Brussels · Strasbourg · Alba Iulia

A Network, a Partner and a Voice of European regions, since 1985 · Copyright © 2025 · Assembly of European Regions · info@aer.eu · Log in