# European Youth Forum

The European Youth Forum (French: Youth Forum Jeunesse, YFJ) is an international non-profit association that serves as an umbrella organisation and advocacy group of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe. It works on youth rights in international institutions such as the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations.
The European Youth Forum works mostly 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 organisations 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 105.

## 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 (CENYC), Youth Forum of the European Communities (YFEU), and the European Co-ordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations (ECB). 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 (then called the European Community). 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.
The European Youth Forum has the task of nominating 20 young people from its member organizations for the Advisory Council on Youth, 13 representatives from international youth organizations (INGYOs) and seven representatives from national youth councils for a two-year mandate. These are elected democratically by the member organizations, usually at the Council of Members (COMEM) in Brussels in spring.

## Organisation
### Presidents

| Date | President | Nationality | Nominating organization(s) |
| 2024-2026 | Mr Rareș Voicu | Romania | Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) |
| 2023-2024 | Ms María Rodríguez Alcázar | Spain | Spanish Youth Council (CJE) |
| 2021–2022 | Ms Silja Markkula | Finland | World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), Suomen Nuorisoalan kattojärjestö Allianssi ry (Allianssi) |
| 2019–2020 | Ms Carina Autengruber | Austria | Oesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung (ÖJV), International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements (FIMCAP) |
| 2017–2018 | Mr Luis Alvarado Martinez | Spain | Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE-Europe) |
| 2015–2016 | Ms Johanna Nyman | Finland | Finnish Youth Cooperation (Allianssi) |
| 2011–2014 | Mr Peter Matjašič | Slovenia | Young European Federalists (JEF) |
| 2009–2010 | Mr Tine Radinja | Slovenia | National Youth Council of Slovenia (MSS) |
| 2007–2008 | Ms Bettina Schwarzmayr | Austria | European Student Information Bureau (ESIB) |
| 2005–2006 | Mr Renaldas Vaisbrodas | Lithuania | Lithuanian Youth Council (LiJOT) |
| 2003–2004 | Mr Giacomo Filibeck | Italy | |
| 2001–2002 | Mr Henrik Söderman | Finland | |
| 1999–2000 | Mr Pau Solanilla | Spain | |
| 1997–1998 | Ms Pauliina Arola | Finland | |

### 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 (NYC) and/or an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO).
* Vice-president nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC)
* Vice-president nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO)
* 4 board members nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC)
* 4 board members nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO)
The Secretary-General attends the board meetings as a non-voting ex-officio
| Name | Position | Nationality | Nominating Organization |
| Rareș Voicu | President | Romania | Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) |
| Giorgos-Aggelos Papaioannou | Vice President (INGYO) | Greece | Erasmus Student Network (ESN) |
| Andreea-Alexandra Scrioșteanu | Vice President (NYC) | Romania | Consiliul Tineretului din România (CTR) |
| Anna Holtkamp | Board Member (INGYO) | Germany | International Young Catholic Students - International Movement of Catholic Students (JECI-MIEC) |
| Caillum Hedderman | Board Member (INGYO) | Ireland | World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) |
| Natalia Kallio | Board Member (INGYO) | Finland | International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex Youth and Student Organisation (IGLYO) |
| Sina Riz à Porta | Board Member (INGYO) | Switzerland | European Educational Exchanges - Youth for Understanding (EEE-YFU) |
| Chloë Cauchi | Board Member (NYC) | Malta | Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ (KNŻ) |
| Laure Verstraete | Board Member (NYC) | Belgium | Vlaamse Jeugdraad (VJR), Forum des Jeunes (FdJ) |
| Tom Matthew | Board Member (NYC) | United Kingdom | Conférence Générale de la Jeunesse Luxembourgoise (CGJL) |
| Sara Þöll Finnbogadóttir | Board Member (NYC) | Iceland | Landssamband ungmennafélaga (LUF) |

### Secretaries-General

| Name | Term |
| Mr Milosh Ristovski | 2023– |
| Mr Joe Elborn | 2020–2022 |
| Ms Anna Widegren | 2017–2020 |
| Mr Allan Pall | 2014–2017 |
| Mr Giuseppe Porcaro | 2009–2014 |
| Mr Diogo Pinto | 2005–2009 |
| Ms Johanna Tzanidaki | 2003–2005 |
| Mr Kim Svendsen | 2001–2002 |
| Mr Tobias Flessenkemper | 1998–2001 |
| Ms Hrönn Pétursdóttir | 1997–1998 |
| Mr Stephen Grogan | 1996 |

### 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 (VTCs) 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:
    All members have to fulfill the following general criteria:
* 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

Presently there are 43 National Youth Councils who are members of the European Youth Forum. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Turkey don't currently have recognized National Youth Councils.
National Youth Council members must:
* be the national coordination body of non-governmental youth organizations in a European State;
* 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 |
| Armenia | National Youth Council of Armenia | NYCA | Full |
| Austria | Oesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung | ÖJV | Full |
| Finland | Finnish Youth Cooperation [fi] | Allianssi | Full |
| Netherlands | Dutch National Youth Council | NJR / DNYC | Full |
| France | Comité pour les Relations Nationales et Internationales des Associations de Jeunesse et d'Education Populaire | CNAJEP | Full |
| Estonia | Eesti Noorteühenduste Liit (Estonian National Youth Council) | ENL | Full |
| Luxembourg | Conférence Générale de la Jeunesse Luxembourgoise | CGJL | Full |
| Spain | Consejo de la Juventud de España | CJE | Full |
| Spain | Consell Nacional de la Joventut de Catalunya | CNJC | Full (non-voting) |
| Poland | Polish Council of Youth Organisations | PROM | Full |
| Portugal | Conselho Nacional de Juventude Archived 29 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine | CNJ | Full |
| Moldova | Consiliul Național al Tineretului din Moldova | CNTM | Full |
| Belgium: French Community | Conseil da la Jeunesse de la communauté française de Belgique | CRIJ | Full (Vote shared with VJR) |
| Switzerland | National Youth Council of Switzerland | SAJV/CSAJ | Full |
| Romania | Romanian Youth Council | CTR | Full |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Youth Council | CYC | Full |
| Germany | Deutsches Nationalkomitee für Internationale Jugendarbeit (German National Committee for International Youth Work) | DNK | Full |
| Denmark | Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd (Danish Youth Council) | DUF | Full |
| Greece | Hellenic National Youth Council Archived 1 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine | ESYN | Full |
| Italy | Consiglio Nazionale dei Giovani | CNG | Full |
| Malta | Kunsill Nazzjonali Taz-Zghazagh | KNZ | Full |
| Lithuania | Lithuanian Youth Council | LIJOT | Full |
| Latvia | Latvijas Jaunatnes Padome | LJP | Full |
| Norway | Landsrådet for Norske barne- og ungdomsorganisasjoner | LNU | Full |
| Sweden | Swedish National Council of Youth Organizations | LSU | Full |
| Iceland | Landssamband ungmennafélaga (National Youth Council of Iceland) | LUF | Full |
| Slovenia | Mladinski svet Slovenije (National Youth Council of Slovenia) | MSS | Full |
| Croatia | Mreža Mladih Hrvatske / Croatian Youth Network | MMH | Full |
| Azerbaijan | National Assembly of Youth Organisations of the Republic of Azerbaijan | NAYORA | Full |
| Georgia | National Council of Youth Organisations of Georgia | NCYOG | Full |
| Ireland | National Youth Council of Ireland | NYCI | Full |
| Russia | National Youth Council of Russia | NYCR | Full |
| Belarus | Belarusian Union of Youth and Children's Public Associations | RADA | Full |
| Slovakia | Rada Mládeže Slovenska (Slovak Youth Council) | RMS | Full |
| Czech Republic | Česká rada dětí a mládeže (Czech Council of Children and Youth) | ČRDM | Full |
| Bulgaria | Naciolen Mladezki Forum (National Youth Forum-Bulgaria) | NMF | Full |
| Serbia | Krovna Organizacija Mladih Srbije (National Youth Council of Serbia) | KOMS | Full |
| Belgium: Flemish Community | Vlaamse Jeugdraad (Flemish Youth Council) | VJR | Full (Vote shared with CRIJ) |
| North Macedonia | National Youth Council of Macedonia | NYCM | Full |
| Belgium: German-speaking Community | Rat der Deutschsprachigen Jugend | RDJ | Candidate |
| Ukraine | National Youth Council of Ukraine | NYCU | Full |
| Hungary | National Youth Council of Hungary | 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 of European Voluntary Service Organisations | ALLIANCE | Full |
| International ATD Fourth World Movement | ATD-Quart Monde | Full |
| Board of European Students of Technology | BEST | Observers |
| Democrat Youth Community of Europe | DEMYC | Full |
| European Bureau of Conscientious Objection | EBCO/BEOC | Full |
| Young European Socialists | YES | Full |
| European Confederation of Youth Clubs | ECYC | Full |
| European Democrat Students | EDS | Full |
| European Educational Exchanges – Youth for Understanding | EEE-YFU | Full |
| European Federation for Intercultural Learning | EFIL | Full |
| Erasmus Student Network | ESN | Full |
| European Union of Deaf Youth | EUDY | Candidate |
| ACTIVE - Sobriety, Friendship and Peace | ACTIVE | Full |
| European Students' Union | ESU/ESIB | Full |
| European Trade Union Confederation Youth | ETUC Youth | Full |
| European Federation of Youth Hostel Associations | EUFED | Full |
| European Union of Jewish Students | EUJS/UEEJ | Full |
| Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe | 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 |
| International Young Nature Friends | IYNF | Full |
| International Young Catholic Students - International Movement of Catholic Students | JECI-MIEC | Full |
| Young European Federalists | JEF | Full |
| European Liberal Youth | LYMEC | Full |
| International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth | MIJARC-Europe | Full |
| Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions | 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 Organization of the Scout Movement (European office) | WOSM | Full |
| Youth Action for Peace | YAP | Full (Suspended) |
| Youth and Environment Europe | 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 |
| Youth of European Nationalities | YEN | Full |
| European Council of Young Farmers | CEJA | Observers |
| European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions | CESI-Youth | Observers |
| Don Bosco Youth Net | Don Bosco | Observers |
| European Free Alliance Youth | EFAY | Observers |
| European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation Youth Committee | ENGSO Youth | Observers |
| European Youth Press | EYP | Observers |
| International Federation of Training Centres for the Promotion of Progressive Education | FICEMEA | Observers |
| International Coordination of Young Christian Workers | ICYCW/CIJOC | Observers |
| Jeunesses Musicales International | JMI | Observers |
| Pax Christi International | Pax Christi | Observers |
| Red Cross Youth | RCY | Observers |
| Youth Express Network | Y-E-N | Full |
| Young Democrats for Europe | YDE | Observers |
| Children's International Summer Villages | CISV | Observer |
| International Federation of Hard of Hearing Young People | IFHOHYP | Observers |
| Young Entrepreneurs Organisation of the European Union | JUENE | Observers |
| International Debate Education Association | IDEA NL | Observers |
| The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation | The Award | Observers |
| Freedom, Legality and Rights in Europe | FLARE | Candidate (Suspended) |