“Climbing the Ladder: fostering a culture of Youth Engagement (CL-YE)” Study Visit in Slovakia and Austria: Bridging pathways to youth engagement 

From 7th – 11th October 2024, EDYN hosted the “Climbing the Ladder: fostering a culture of Youth Engagement (CL-YE)” project’s second Study Visit that was held in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Vienna, Austria. The visit gathered a consortium of key stakeholders to discuss effective strategies for enhancing meaningful youth participation and engagement in civic processes.

The study visit started in Bratislava with an engaging session led by EDYN’s Young Leaders from Slovakia. The discussion featured prominent voices including Radka Wagingerova, an EDYN Ambassador and young politician and Dominik Porvaznik, a diplomat with the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The group explored the current state of youth involvement in politics and diplomacy in Slovakia.

Next, participants visited the Representation of the European Commission in Slovakia. Vladimír Šucha, the Head of the Representation, discussed the European Commission’s ongoing efforts to foster youth engagement in EU decision-making processes. This meeting highlighted the Commission’s vision of empowering young people to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Europe.

Afterwards, the group visited GLOBSEC, a Slovak think-tank focused on global policy and security issues. Katarina Schachtschneider, Project Coordinator at GLOBSEC’s Centre for Global Europe, provided valuable insights into the organization’s work on youth empowerment and international cooperation.

The following day, the focus shifted to national youth policy in Slovakia. The day began with a meeting with the National Institute for Education and Youth, where Martina Fiabanova, National Correspondent for Slovak Youth Policy, provided an overview of initiatives to increase youth participation in education and civic life.

This was followed by an inspiring session with Sofia Šillerová, the UN Youth Delegate from Slovakia. The discussion revolved around the role of Slovak youth in addressing global challenges, particularly in the context of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The group also met with the Slovak Youth Council, represented by its director, Juraj Lizak. The discussion focused on the council’s mission to advocate for young people’s interests and ensure their voices are heard in the policy-making process.

As with the previous day, the activities wrapped up with a reflection and discussion session, allowing participants to share their experiences and perspectives.

On 10th October, the consortium travelled to Vienna for the final day of the study visit. Upon arrival at Junges Wien, participants engaged with Alexandra Beweis and Nada Taha Ali Mohamed. The speakers outlined Vienna’s participatory budgeting project, which empowers children and youth to have an active voice in deciding how public funds are allocated, fostering greater civic involvement among young people.

The next stop was a meeting with Markus Wainde, the UN Youth Delegate from Austria, held at the Austrian National Youth Council. The discussions emphasized Austria’s strategies for engaging young people in both local and global platforms, as well as the critical role youth play in implementing international frameworks like the SDGs.

The study visit concluded with a meeting at the Austrian National Youth Council, discussing the Council’s ongoing efforts to integrate youth perspectives into national policy-making. Participants reflected on the similarities and differences between youth engagement strategies in Slovakia and Austria, and how lessons from both countries could support future projects in other regions.

The CL-YE Study Visit to Bratislava and Vienna provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas and best practices on meaningful youth participation. By engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, from young leaders and diplomats to national and international organizations, participants gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing youth today. The event also underscored the importance of collaboration across borders to ensure that young people are actively involved in shaping their futures.

Climbing the Ladder: fostering a culture of Youth Engagement (CL-YE) is led by DYPALL Network in partnership with Europiamo (Italy), Nordland fylkeskommune (Norway), EDYN (Slovakia), YEPP Europe (Germany), Assemblée des Régions d’Europe – AER (France), and SQ Learn (Greece), under the Erasmus+ Programme.