On 18 September 2023 the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service approved a typical general short-term training program on the topic “Participatory Youth Policy”.

The draft of Model Program was developed by the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III” in co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, and the Ukrainian Association of Youth Councils. The draft of Model Program was finalized and recommended for approval by the working group at the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, which included representatives of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Youth Centre, the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III”, USAID DOBRE Program, local self-government bodies, institutions of higher education, youth centres, youth councils and non-governmental organisations.

The purpose of the Model Program is to increase the level of professional competencies of civil servants and local self-government officials to ensure youth participation in the formation and implementation of youth policy, taking into account the standards and approaches of the Council of Europe.

The National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service recommends that the entities providing educational services in the field of vocational training (providers) develop general training programs for civil servants and local self-government officials on participatory youth policy, based on the Model Program.

• The contents of the Model Program is available by the link: https://nads.gov.ua/npas/pro-zatverdzhennia-typovoi-zahalnoi-korotkostrokovoi-prohramy-za-temoiu-molodizhna-polityka-zasnovana-na-pidkhodakh-uchasti

To start the implementation of the program in 2023, within the framework of the “Participatory Youth Policy” component of the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III”, it is planned to create a training manual and conduct training for trainers (the announcement of the open recruitment will be published in particular on the website of the Office of the Council of Europe in Ukraine). In 2024, it is planned to provide mentoring and expert support to the trainers team in the preparation and implementation of training at the regional and local levels; consolidation meeting on the evaluation of the implementation of training programs.

The project emphasizes the importance of the Council of Europe Youth Sector Strategy until 2030 and reflects the National Strategy of State Youth Policy until 2030, the State Target Social Program “Youth of Ukraine” 2021-2025.

The project will encourage interested stakeholders of youth policy 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.

News, resources of the Council of Europe in the field of youth and open calls for participation in the project’s activities can be found here.