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Back Piloting of a new Council of Europe board game on youth participation in decision-making

In response to a request from national and local partners, the Council of Europe Project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" has launched the development of a new board game on youth participation in decision-making processes. In co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Association of Youth Councils in 2023, the Council of Europe Project analysed the visions and needs of young people on the creation of a new educational resource on youth participation. 77 young people in Ukraine expressed their thoughts on the idea of creating a youth-friendly educational resource to strengthen youth participation. The views of young people and the content of the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life became the basis for the development of a new educational tool.

In March 2024, the concept of a youth-friendly educational resource with standards, tools, and resources to strengthen youth participation at the local, regional, and national levels was discussed with 23 young activists from 14 regions of Ukraine. This session took place during a five-day training seminar on youth policy based on participatory approaches, youth participation and civic participation in the decision-making process. Participants developed the content of the game taking into account the experiences, barriers and opportunities that young people face in the process of participating in decision-making that affects them.

Based on the results of the developments, the Council of Europe Project prepared the first prototype of the game. On 26 June 2024, the game was tested by 20 young activists from 10 regions of Ukraine during the second five-day training seminar on youth policy based on participatory approaches and public participation in decision-making for young activists.

Based on the results of the piloting of the game and feedback from young people, the Council of Europe Project has finalized the prototype and invites interested youth centres and organisations to pilot the prototype with young people in their communities.

In order to get a prototype of a board game on the youth participation in decision-making, please contact the Project team via the e-mail address: youthfordemocracy_ukraine@coe.int

The project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III” is implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2023-2026. The project is based on the results and experience of the projects “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine” in 2020-2022 and expands the systematic impact by strengthening youth participation policies and youth work during the war and in the post-war context, taking into account the specific needs of young people.

The project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III” highlights the importance of the Council of Europe's Youth Sector Strategy 2030 and reflects the National Strategy of State Youth Policy until 2030, the State Target Social Programme "Youth of Ukraine" 2021-2025.

The project encourages youth policy stakeholders in Ukraine to implement and disseminate the Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers to Member States: on the access of youth from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to social rights, CM/Rec(2015)3; on young people's access to rights, CM/Rec(2016)7; on youth work, CM/Rec(2017)4; on Roma youth participation CM/Rec(2023)4; on protecting youth civil society and young people, and supporting their participation in democratic processes CM/Rec(2022)6.