European Youth Forum (EYF)

The European Youth Forum is an international organisation established by national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations to represent the interests of young people from all over Europe. It is the youth platform in Europe representing youth organisations in international institutions - mainly the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. It serves to channel the flow of information and opinions between young people and decision-makers. The European Youth Forum has 91 members made up of national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations, which are federations in themselves, bringing together tens of millions of young people from all European countries.

Mission

The European Youth Forum works to empower young people to actively participate in the shaping of Europe and the society in which they live. Through our member organisations and our representative role we want to improve the living conditions of young people as European citizens in today's world.

The European Youth Forum works for the interests of all young people in Europe. As a platform, we are the representative body of our members in contacts with the institutions and partners in the youth field.

The European Youth Forum aims to

• be a consultative body for international institutions (European Union, Council of Europe, United Nations Organisation, etc) on all issues relevant to young people and to youth organisations;
• promote youth policy through government and institutional policy;
• influence the policy of international institutions on youth-related issues;
• increase the participation of young people and youth organisations in society as well as in the decision-making process;
• promote the exchange of ideas and experiences, mutual understanding, and equal rights and opportunities among young people in Europe.

Advocacy Work

• Works for a successful European youth policy for and with young people in a more participatory European Union;
• Supports and promotes recognition of a European civil society built by and for young people and their associations;
• Participates in the debate on the future of an enlarged Europe.

Citizenship and Lifewide Learning

• Encourages non-formal education and lifewide learning;
• Promotes active citizenship.
• Supports formal education and vocational training;

Employment & Social Affairs

• Fights for higher youth employment levels in Europe
• Combats social exclusion among young people
• Promotes more comprehensive social protection for young people in Europe

Human Rights and Equality

• Lobbies the European institutions to include Human Rights Education in their agenda;
• Participates in the fight against racism, xenophobia, intolerance and discrimination at European level.
• Promotes gender equality between women and men;
• Develops co-operation with minority youth organisations and works to include young people from minority backgrounds in our Member Organisations.

Global Youth Co-operation

• Ensures that the voice of young people is heard and acted upon at the highest levels of international co-operation;
• Assists the European Union in its initiatives to give all young people the opportunity to create a better world;
• Brings together representatives of regional youth platforms from Asia to Latin America in order to discuss common strategy and develop inter-cultural links.

Youth Work Development

• Empowers young people by helping them participate in the formulation of national youth policy;
• Creates equal opportunities for young people across Europe, including in Central and Eastern Europe;
• Promotes democracy and stability for young people in South East Europe;
• Promotes European co-operation at the grassroots level by encouraging local and regional youth work.

Membership and Training

• Keeps its members up to date with youth-related information, and helps interested organisations apply for membership;
• Works on the development and organisation of youth training programmes;
• Provides its own training package to support the work of its member organisations;
• Co-ordinates a pool of youth trainers from member and non-member youth organisations.

Communications

• Publishes a variety of documents and reports, including its Youth Opinion magazine.

Relationship between EYF and IFMSA

IFMSA is a Candidate Member of the European Youth Forum.

For a complete list of the EYF members visit the web-site:

http://www.youthforum-org.ae.psiweb.com/organisation/members.html

Contact

IFMSA Executive Board.