The aim of the South Baltic Youth Core Group Network (YCGN) is to engage young people in the decision-making process at the municipality level in such themes like sport, culture, civic involvement of young people, ecology, spending free time. The YCGN, implemented in 2018-2020, is being carried out under the project with the same name financed by the Interreg South Baltic Programme.
The involvement of young people in the decision-making process takes place at the local and national levels. At the local level, thematic meetings take place in selected municipalities using the “round table” formula. The primary purpose of the conference is the debate of local government representatives (the mayor, Councillors, office employees) with young people. The round table meetings take place according to a specific scenario and contain a workshop and a discussion part in which 20 to 70 people participate. In the workshop part, the “World Café” method of participation is used to identify problems and analyse the conclusions and ideas developed by the participants working in teams. In the debate part, local government officials respond to young people’s proposals, they decide and justify why some of them are feasible, some still need to be clarified, and some are unfeasible.
The last element of the local network meeting is the public hearing during the meeting of the Municipality
Council or the relevant Commission, during which young people present to the decision-makers the conclusions and recommendations they have developed at the Round Table. The point is to induce the local government to take specific actions.
More about the Method you can read here.
At the national level (Sweden, Lithuania, Denmark, Poland) there will be meetings of local youth groups in the form of forums to exchange experiences, learn about issues that have proved valuable in other
countries and which may inspire undertaking similar ones in their local community.
More about Network’s Rules and Standards you can read here.
So far, at least two meetings in the formula of round tables have been held in five Polish local-governments: in Elbląg, Iława, Gdynia, Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, Dzierzgoń, in Telsiai (Lithuania) and Hassleholm (Sweden). Almost five hundred young people from different BSR municipalities, about 50 local politicians and representatives of local governmentswere involved in the project. The project increased awareness of the role of local government in local life and of the possibilities for young residents to co-decide. Young people had the opportunity to present solutions they worked out and to have constructive discussions with local government officials from their towns.
More about project’s Achievements you can read here.
The project is financed by Interreg South Baltic Programme 2014-2020 and uses resources from the European Regional Development Fund. The Interreg South Baltic Programme aims at unlocking South Baltic’s potential for blue and green growth through cross-border cooperation between local and regional actors from Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Building on the maritime character of the Programme, “blue growth” addresses the economic potential of the Baltic Sea for growth and jobs across the shores of the South Baltic. At the same time, “green growth” underlines the need to pursue the path of economic growth in balance with the environment, in particular by utilising South Baltic’s rich natural and cultural heritage in a sustainable and preserving manner.
Association of Polish Communes of Euroregion Baltic
Civis Polonus Foundation
Telsiai Community Foundation
Telsiai District Municipality Administration
Gdańsk University of Technology
Klaipeda University
Skane Nordost
Hassleholm Municipality
Vimmerby Municipality
Municipality of Nowe Miasto Lubawskie
Town and Commune of Dzierzgon
The Municipality of Gdynia
Iława Municipality
Municipality of City of Elblag
