Organization for Youth Education & Development (OYED)

“A Common EU Youth Policy Proposal 2014-24”

“A Common EU Youth Policy Proposal 2014-24”

A Call for Further EU Engagement & Support in Youth Issues:
10 Key Suggestions

The Organization for Youth Education & Development (www.oyed.org ) in cooperation with the Inter Parliamentary Alliance for Human Rights  (www.ipahp.org ) in the frame work of their mutual program “EU Parliamentarians for the Youth” have created a proposal for further EU engagement & support in youth issues.

The proposal consists of 10 key suggestions for the EU while each of these suggestions can serve as a stand-alone initiative by itself. The OYED and the IPAHP invite the EU to consider and adapt in part or in full these suggestions and to then legislate and execute the respective policies and programs. The proposal is designed to be implemented in full over a ten year duration.

The OYED plans to work in partnership with the EU, THE Council of Europe the global youth, and key stakeholder institutions and partners in order to support and to facilitate the rapid implementation of these ten suggestions at the EU policy level.

The organizations are aware of, acknowledge and appreciate the already existing programs in some of the below mentioned fields and it calls for increased activity in the magnitude and innovation of these programs.

An overview of the proposal can be found below:

1. Establishing an EU Ombudsman’s Institution for Youth Rights

The Promotion, Development and Protection of Youth Rights
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes the establishment of a Youth Ombudsman Committee to coordinate and monitor a common EU Youth policy. The lack of such an institution in the EU creates challenges in the promotion, development and the protection of Youth rights.

2. Set a Minimum GDP Percentage allocated to Education

Quality Education for all EU Citizens
The OYED proposes to set a Minimum GDP Percentage allocated to education for all EU Member States by 2024. The Organization for Youth Education and Development believes that one of the most important factors in the development of the EU is education and that quality education is a prerequisite for a developed society.

3. Career Guidance Programs for Teens and Youth

Bridging the Gap between Education and Employment
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes the development of career guidance programs for teens and youth in order to bridge the gap between education and employment. The program should include support programs such as career guidance, professional development programs, and monitored internships. The OYED suggests that these programs should be conducted in close coordination and cooperation with EU educational institutions and labor forces from the EU and beyond.

4. Empowerment of Young Women in the EU

Safeguarding Measures and Social Development
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes further EU programs focused on correcting the gender imbalance in the EU to empower young women. The programs should serve as a safeguarding measure to foster social development and support young women in the EU.

5. Kick-starter for Life

Empowering Young Entrepreneurs
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes the EU to establish a comprehensive kick-starter for Life Program aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs. The OYED sees it as essential for national and multi-national economies to foster and support young entrepreneurs.

6. Social Benefits for Teens & Youth

EU-wide Directives to provide better Public Services for Young People
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes increased EU-wide directives to provide better public services for young people and better access to such services. One example of this would be better access to educational and professional training opportunities for young people.

7. Establish an Exchange Platform for Young Professionals

Exchange Innovative Ideas
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes to establish an EU Platform for young professionals to exchange innovative ideas and to network in the framework of voluntary exchange programs and volunteering positions within public and private institutions.

8. Promotion of a Shared Youth European Identity

Developing and Promoting a European Identity among Youth
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes that the EU develops a common approach to the teaching of the common European Identity in all EU countries in order to contribute to the sense of common identity for all Young Europeans.

9. Promotion of Youth Participation in Democratic Life

Promoting Civil Democratic Involvement of the Youth
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes new programs to promote further youth participation in the democratic life in the EU.

10. Art as a Tool for Youth Empowerment

Supporting and Promoting Youth Empowerment through Making & Creation
The Organization for Youth Education and Development proposes that the EU create new programs that will support the promotion of art as a tool for youth empowerment.