Youth Policy

According to Estonian Youth Work Strategy 2006-2013 Youth Policy is defined as  a purposeful and coordinated activity in different spheres of life that proceeds from the actual needs and challenges of young people. The necessity of youth policy is conditioned by the need to specify the actions that society has to take to provide every young person in Estonia with the possibilities for his personal development, support and training experience for his positive self-identification, self-education, self-affirmation and self-dignity and through this be able and willing to take responsibility for social welfare and development.

The main activity areas of youth policy where decisions concerning youth and young people’s life are to be made are youth work, education, employment, health, culture, social policy, environment, national defence, family policy, etc

One of the most important duties of Estonian National Youth Council (ENL) is to give a voice to its members and youth - to take the opinions of young people to the decision-makers and to make sure that they are considered.

Youth policy is the tool that helps to improve the operating environment of youth associations. It allows us to contribute to the achievement of the organisations' goals. The other important goal is ascertaining the opinion of young people and defending the interests of Estonian youth.

Youth policy is needed by members of the ENL and all young people as a whole. All member organisations of the ENL have the opportunity to raise problems and participate in formulating youth policy standpoints. Everyone can contact the ENL, regardless of which organisation they belong to or whether they are a member.

The active participation of its member is the only way to ensure that the opinion formulated in the ENL truly represents the common interests of all youth organisations and that the activities of the ENL meet the expectations of its members. Lobbying among decision-makers is used to implement the standpoints and they are also considered when commenting on different legislation.

Youth policy in ENL is coordinated by:

Liina Männiste (liina@enl.ee)
Board Member

Martti Martinson (martti@enl.ee)
Expert on Youth Policy