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.

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 [email protected], or Gisela Guari at [email protected]