This scoping study presents an in-depth exploration of youth political participation, focusing on the design and implementation of youth-related policies. The policy tracker study is based on a comprehensive literature and policy review, tracking key developments from 1980 to 2023. It covers three main areas:
- Youth involvement in political affairs,
- Participation in elections,
- And engagement in civil society, with an emphasis on democratic environments.
It is divided into two key parts, examining academic literature and significant policy shifts across four distinct epochs, providing valuable insights for policymakers and programme designers in the field of youth political engagement.
By systemically analysing research and policy documents that have shaped the policy discourse over the last four decades, the study brings a new perspective on the evolution of youth participation in politics across four key epochs. It offers a unique chronological order highlighting key trends and shifts in youth policymaking while situating them within broader democratic practices. By expanding the understanding of youth participation, the study provides insights for future avenues of research and development of more youth-inclusive policies.
Meet the authors
Cristina Bacalso is an associate at People Dialogue and Change and an independent research consultant who specialises in public policies for adolescent and youth development, youth participation, and the human rights of young people. With more than 15 years of experience in research, policy, and advocacy, she has worked with organisations such as UNICEF, UNICEF Innocenti, UNDP, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and Youth Policy Labs, where she was the Research Coordinator. She is also a member of the Pool of European Youth Researchers Advisory Group. Originally from Canada, Cristina is based in Berlin, Germany.
Ondřej Bárta is a senior associate at People Dialogue and Change, and an independent youth researcher whose assignments on both national and international level cover areas from youth participation and volunteering, through youth mobility projects within the EU programmes, to climate emergency impacts on youth. He also conducts evaluation on both national and international levels, focusing mostly on the macro level (youth policy), and on the micro level (single project evaluation). He has worked with various Presidencies of the Council of the European Union, Council of Europe, European Economic and Social Committee, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or Eurodesk, and appears regularly on various conferences.
Dr. Dan Moxon is director of People Dialogue and Change. He is a researcher and practitioner specialising in inclusive youth participation with over 20 years’ experience working with children and young people. His work focuses on how children and young people’s participation can influence policy, as well as the development of participatory structures and processes. Originally a youth worker at local and regional level in England, he now works throughout Europe and beyond supporting a variety of organisations to develop their approach to youth participation. In 2017 he was invited to re-develop the consultation process behind the EU’s Youth Dialogue. This engaged nearly 50,000 young people and was instrumental in developing the European Youth Goals.
Dr. Marko Kovavic is an associate at People Dialogue and Change as well as serving as Vice-Dean for Research and International Cooperation at Bernays University of Applied Sciences, where he teaches classes in public policy and methodology. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at the University of Rijeka. Marko is an acclaimed public policy expert specialising in youth policy. With over 15 years of experience in academia, research, teaching, and consulting, he advises international, national, and local organisations on policy development. Marko is also an accomplished project manager, evaluator, published author, and former youth worker. He is passionate about espresso, social change, and democratic practices.
About the organisation
People Dialogue and Change is a UK-based organisation that operates throughout Europe, focusing on the youth sector. They specialise in assisting other organisations in enhancing youth participation and improving the design of services, strategies, and policies for young people. Their work involves collaborating with organisations in the public, voluntary, and academic sectors to provide research, evaluation, consultancy, and capacity-building services across Europe and beyond.
