European Youth Forum
The European Youth Forum is an international non-profit association and serves as a platform and advocacy group of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe. It strives for youth rights in international institutions such as the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations.
The European Youth Forum works in the fields of youth policy and youth work development. It focuses its work on European youth policy matters, whilst through engagement on the global level, it is enhancing the capacities of its members and promoting global interdependence. In its daily work, the European Youth Forum represents the views and opinions of youth organizations in all relevant policy areas and promotes the cross-sectoral nature of youth policy towards a variety of institutional actors. The principles of equality and sustainable development are mainstreamed in the work of the European Youth Forum.
It consists of 44 National Youth Councils and 61 international youth NGOs, a total of 104.
History
The European Youth Forum is a European international organization, which was established in 1996 by national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organizations. It works as the successor to the Council of European National Youth Committees, Youth Forum of the European Communities, and the European Co-ordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations. CENYC and ECB had been representing youth interests since the sixties. The YFEU was set up by them in the late 1970s to work vis a vis the European Union. The establishment of a single structure replacing all three was a major rationalization.Vision, mission, and aims
According to the European Youth Forum their Vision, mission, and aims are as follows:Vision
To be the voice of young people in Europe, where young people are equal citizens and are encouraged and supported to achieve their fullest potential as global citizens.Mission
The European Youth Forum is an independent, democratic, youth-led platform, representing national youth councils and international youth organizations from across Europe.The Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in society to improve their own lives, by representing and advocating their needs and interests and those of their organizations.
Aims
- Increase the participation of young people and youth organizations in society, as well as in decision-making processes;
- Positively influence policy issues affecting young people and youth organizations, by being a recognized partner for international institutions, namely the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations;
- Promote the concept of youth policy as an integrated and cross-sectoral element of overall policy development, namely through youth mainstreaming;
- Facilitate the participation of young people through the development of sustainable and independent youth organizations at the national and international level, particularly in respect to ensuring dependable, adequate funding for them;
- Promote the exchange of ideas and experience, mutual understanding, as well as the equal rights and opportunities among young people in Europe;
- Uphold intercultural understanding, democracy, respect, diversity, human rights, active citizenship, and solidarity;
- Contribute to the development of youth work in other regions of the world.
Organisation
Presidents
Current Board
Each board elected by the entire membership every 2 years at the General Assembly, it is made up of:- President nominated from a National Youth Council and/or an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization.
- Vice-President nominated from a National Youth Council
- Vice-President nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization
- 4 board members nominated from a National Youth Council
- 4 board members nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization
| Name | Position | Nationality | Nominating Organization |
| Carina Autengruber | President | :de:Bundesjugendvertretung|Oesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung | |
| Tina Hočevar | Vice President | Mladinski Svet Slovenjie | |
| Ville Majamaa | Vice President | World Organisation of the Scout Movement | |
| Andrea Casamenti | Board Member | European Confederation of Youth Clubs | |
| Frédéric Piccavet | Board Member | Vlaamse Jeugdraad | |
| Silja Markkula | Board Member | Suomen nuorisoalan kattojärjestö Allianssi | |
| Loes Rutten | Board Member | Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe | |
| Jovana Majstorovic | Board Member | Young European Socialists | |
| Benjamin Günther | Board Member | Deutsche Nationalkomitee für internationale Jugendarbeit | |
| Rosalyn Old | Board Member | World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts | |
| Michael Piccinino | Board Member | National Youth Council of Malta |
Secretary-Generals
Funding
In 2012, almost 87% of the Youth Forum income stemmed from annual grants from international institutions. 83.9% of the total income came from the European Communities' Budget, through a grant from DG Education and Culture, while around 3.2% was from Council of Europe grants.Partnership projects also constitute an essential part of Youth Forum income, and such income includes the support of partner organizations for concrete activities, e.g. YFJ Member Organisations hosting YFJ meetings, or grants from foundations or other entities, such as the United Nations, Governments or Local Authorities.
Volunteer Time Contributions are an essential source of external funding, and which allow the YFJ to fulfill its co-funding requirements as per the European Commission. VTCs also represents the further recognition of volunteer work as an important contribution to society and to the work of youth organizations. These contributions in 2012 represent approximately 4.8% of the Youth Forum budget.
Membership
The European Youth Forum has 104 member organizations of two types of Membership: National Youth Council and International Non-Governmental Youth Organization, of which there are three levels: Observer, Candidate and Full member. Only full members may vote at the statutory meetings of the Forum.According to the statues:
- to accept and work for the purpose of the Forum;
- to be a non-governmental and not for profit organization;
- to have democratic aims and structures and accept the principles of the European Convention of Human Rights;
- to fully acknowledge the Statutes of the Forum;
- to work with young people and have a decision-making body controlled by young people;
- not to be subject to direction in their decisions by any external authority.
National Youth Councils
National Youth Council members must:
a) be the national coordination body of non-governmental youth organizations in a European State;
b) be open to all democratic youth organizations at the national level
To be full members they must be open to all and represent most of the main democratic youth movements and organizations at the national level in that State.
| Country | Name | Acronym | Status |
| Allianssi | Full | ||
| British Youth Council | BYC | Full | |
| NJR / DNYC | Full | ||
| CNAJEP | Full | ||
| ENL | Full | ||
| CGJL | Full | ||
| :es:Consejo de la Juventud de España|Consejo de la Juventud de España | CJE | Full | |
| PROM | Full | ||
| CNJ | Full | ||
| CNJC | Full | ||
| CNTM | Full | ||
| : | CRIJ | Full | |
| SAJV/CSAJ | Full | ||
| CTR | Full | ||
| CYC | Full | ||
| DNK | Full | ||
| DUF | Full | ||
| ESYN | Full | ||
| FNG | Full | ||
| KNZ | Full | ||
| LIJOT | Full | ||
| Latvijas Jaunatnes Padome | LJP | Full | |
| LNU | Full | ||
| LSU | Full | ||
| LÆF | Full | ||
| MSS | Full | ||
| Mreža Mladih Hrvatske / | MMH | Full | |
| NAYORA | Full | ||
| National Council of Youth Organisations of Georgia | NCYOG | Full | |
| NYCA | Full | ||
| NYCI | Full | ||
| NYCR | Full | ||
| :de:Bundesjugendvertretung|Oesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung | ÖJV | Full | |
| RADA | Full | ||
| RMS | Full | ||
| ČRDM | Full | ||
| NMF | Full | ||
| KOMS | Full | ||
| : | VJR | Full | |
| NYCM | Full | ||
| : | RDJ | Candidate | |
| NYCU | Candidate | ||
| NIT | Observer |
International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations
Presently there are 61 International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations who are members of the European Youth Forum.Full IYNGO Members either must have: at least 5000 young members in ten European States, and under no circumstances have less than 300 young members in any one of these ten States; or: have a motivated recommendation from: the Secretary-General and Board; or the Consultative Body on Membership Applications which advises the Board on Membership Applications.
Observer INGYO members must have 3000 young members in at least six European States with at least 100 members in any of these six states.
INGYOs cannot become members if they are largely identical in terms of aims, membership, and structures of an existing INGYO, which is already a member. This is to be appreciated solely by the General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority, abstentions not counted.
| Name | Acronym | Status |
| Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l'Europe | AEGEE | Full |
| ALLIANCE | Full | |
| ATD-Quart Monde | Full | |
| Board of European Students of Technology | BEST | Observers |
| Democrat Youth Community of Europe | DEMYC | Full |
| EBCO/BEOC | Full | |
| Young European Socialists | YES | Full |
| ECYC | Full | |
| European Democrat Students | EDS | Full |
| European Educational Exchanges – Youth for Understanding | EEE-YFU | Full |
| EFIL | Full | |
| Erasmus Student Network | ESN | Full |
| EUDY | Candidate | |
| ACTIVE | Full | |
| European Students' Union | ESU/ESIB | Full |
| European Trade Union Confederation Youth | ETUC Youth | Full |
| EU Federation of Youth Hostel Associations | EUFED | Full |
| European Union of Jewish Students | EUJS/UEEJ | Full |
| EYCE | Full | |
| International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements | FIMCAP | Full |
| Federation of Young European Greens | FYEG | Full |
| International Federation of Liberal Youth | IFLRY | Full |
| International Falcon Movement - Socialist Education International | IFM-SEI | Full |
| International Federation of Medical Students' Associations | IFMSA | Full |
| International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Youth and Student Organisation | IGLYO | Full |
| International Union of Socialist Youth | IUSY | Full |
| IYNF | Full | |
| JECI-MIEC | Full | |
| Young European Federalists | JEF | Full |
| European Liberal Youth | LYMEC | Full |
| International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth | MIJARC-Europe | Full |
| OBESSU | Full | |
| Rural Youth Europe | RYEurope | Full |
| Service Civil International | SCI | Full |
| World Esperanto Youth Organization | TEJO | Full |
| World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts | WAGGGS | Full |
| World Organisation of the Scout Movement | WOSM | Full |
| Youth Action for Peace | YAP | Full |
| YEE | Full | |
| Youth of the European People's Party | YEPP | Full |
| Youth for Exchange and Understanding | YEU | Full |
| European Alliance of YMCAs | YMCA | Full |
| Young Women's Christian Association | YWCA | Full |
| YEN | Full | |
| European Council of Young Farmers | CEJA | Observers |
| European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions | CESI-Youth | Observers |
| Don Bosco | Observers | |
| European Free Alliance Youth | EFAY | Observers |
| European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation Youth Committee | ENGSO Youth | Observers |
| EYP | Observers | |
| International Federation of Training Centres for the Promotion of Progressive Education | FICEMEA | Observers |
| ICYCW/CIJOC | Observers | |
| Jeunesses Musicales International | JMI | Observers |
| Pax Christi International | Pax Christi | Observers |
| Red Cross Youth | RCY | Observers |
| Y-E-N | Candidate | |
| Young Democrats for Europe | YDE | Observers |
| Children's International Summer Villages | CISV | Observer |
| International Federation of Hard of Hearing Young People | IFHOHYP | Observers |
| JUENE | Observers | |
| International Debate Education Association | IDEA NL | Observers |
| The Award | Observers | |
| Freedom, Legality and Rights in Europe | FLARE | Candidate |