Strasbourg, 16 October 2017                                                                          CDEJ(2017)12 final

Self-assessment tool for youth policy

for member states

Adopted by the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ)

at its 59th meeting (Strasbourg, 16 October 2017)

(Final version)

Introduction: background to the self-assessment tool[1]

One of the priority objectives of intergovernmental co-operation in the Council of Europe in the youth field is to promote and support the development of youth policies in the member states.

In 2016, a preliminary discussion by the CDEJ concluded that, in the absence of monitoring mechanisms to follow-up on the Council of Europe youth sector’s work, there was an increasing demand from the member states’ governments to develop “measurement” criteria and methods to assess progress made over time. It was felt it might be useful to develop a set of (quality) benchmarks for youth policy, based inter alia on recommendations adopted by the Committee of Ministers (or, where appropriate, on texts adopted by other relevant Council of Europe bodies), as well as on documents drafted by youth researchers and youth policy experts for the CDEJ (namely reports of international reviews of national youth policies).

It was also felt that, in connection with such benchmarks, a self-assessment tool with standard indicators could be developed in order that the authorities responsible for youth could identify progress made over time in the development of their youth policies and opt for any necessary adjustments/changes.

In February 2017, a group of experts met to take stock of the experience of the last seven international youth policy reviews carried out by the Council of Europe’s Youth Department (Albania, Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia), and to draw lessons for the future.

This group of experts suggested, amongst other things, that a tool be developed to help member states to self-assess their compliance with the Council of Europe’s standards for youth policy. The group of experts also suggested that a European University on Youth Policies be organised in summer 2017 in order to promote a wider discussion on youth policy, including by providing feedback on a possible self-assessment tool. The results of this self-assessment could then serve as a basis for self-paced youth policy development.

At its 58^th meeting (27-29 March 2017),[2] the CDEJ, having endorsed the conclusions of the meeting of the group of experts, agreed to:

-            ensure that the Council of Europe’s future activities to develop and promote youth policy focus on the areas where the Organisation has a clear comparative advantage (in terms of experience and knowledge);

-            develop a tool to help member states to self-assess their compliance with the Council of Europe’s standards for youth policy;

-            dedicate the CDEJ Summer University 2017 to the theme of youth policy development.

The current self-assessment tool has been developed in accordance with the CDEJ decisions above.

Still in accordance with the CDEJ request, the tool was then tested at the European University on Youth Policies (also called “Summer University”), which took place in Budapest on 29-31 August 2017.

The feedback on the tool provided by participants in the Summer University was very positive and constructive. All participants agreed that there was a strong need for such a tool, which would be extremely useful in helping member states to self-assess their compliance with the Council of Europe’s standards for youth policy. The format of the tool was deemed well-structured and coherent and the indicators appropriate, while several concrete suggestions for improving them were made.

Finally, at its 59^th meeting (16 October 2017), the CDEJ officially adopted the self-assessment tool for the development of youth policy, as it appears in the current document, and encouraged member states to use and disseminate the tool in their countries.

Key principles of public youth policies according to the Council of Europe

Over the years, the Council of Europe has developed a variety of principles, objectives and values that should underpin youth policies.

According to the Council of Europe, any public youth policy should promote the following principles:^[3]

a.      To invest purposefully in young people in a coherent and mutually reinforcing way, wherever possible through an opportunity-focused rather than problem-oriented approach, by elaborating, among other things, standards and instruments of youth policy where necessary;

b.      To involve young people both in the strategic formulation of youth policies and in eliciting their views about the operational effectiveness of policy implementation;

c.      To create the conditions for learning, opportunity and experience which ensure that young people are enabled to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies to play a full part in both the labour market and in civil society;

d.      To establish systems for robust data collection both to demonstrate the effectiveness of youth policies and to reveal the extent to which ‘policy gaps’ exist in relation to effective service delivery to young people from certain social groups, in certain areas or in certain conditions;

e.      To display a commitment to reducing such ‘policy gaps’ where they demonstrably exist.

These general principles describe what a sound policy should be like. Member states are also encouraged to monitor the impact and effectiveness of the policies they implement and be ready to fine-tune (or even abandon them) if they prove to be partially or wholly ineffective.

NB: the current tool does not directly focus on the key principles of youth policies described above. All stakeholders wishing to assess their compliance with these principles in their own context (whether at local, regional, national or European level) can use the toolkit on quality standards^[4] developed by the European Youth Forum (YFJ) which covers most of the principles listed above. This practical tool is being tested and rolled out in 2017. In 2018, it will be translated and distributed more broadly. Stakeholders who fill in the online matrix^[5] will receive advice on how to improve their youth policy.

The focus of the self-assessment tool presented in the current document is different from albeit complementary to the YFJ’s toolkit: it addresses specifically compliance with the Council of Europe’s standards for youth policy.

Council of Europe’s core standards for youth policy

In February 2017, the group of experts (see part 1 above) listed a set of standards which should form the basis for the Council of Europe’s youth engagement and development policy (cf. chart below).[6]

In March 2017, the CDEJ endorsed this approach and agreed that the scope and focus of the Council of Europe youth policy should be defined as per the chart below. It was considered important that the Council of Europe continue to promote its core values in youth policy. The areas of intervention listed below, which are based on standards adopted by the Council of Europe in the youth field (mainly Committee of Ministers’ recommendations), should therefore provide the basis for any future youth policy development within the Organisation.

Self-assessment tool for youth policy

The current tool aims at helping member states, as well as other public stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, international), to self-assess their compliance with Council of Europe standards, based on the six areas of intervention (participation, information, inclusion, access to rights, youth work and mobility) which form the basis for the Council of Europe’s youth engagement and development policy (see part 3 above).

The need to associate young people with European values and, more specifically, with the Council of Europe’s core values (human rights, rule of law, democracy) is also crucial. The Council of Europe has always fostered an understanding of youth policy based on shared European values and on a sense of belonging to Europe. This European dimension should therefore be promoted across the six areas of intervention of the Council of Europe’s youth policy.

For each of these areas of intervention, the tool provides specific and measurable indicators with which member states can begin to gauge progress in implementing core Council of Europe standards (namely mainly relevant recommendations of the Committee of Ministers).

Self-assessment criteria can then help to measure progress towards each indicator.

This tool is also based partly on the indicators mentioned in the draft “benchmarks for youth policy” which were presented to the CDEJ in 2016 (cf. document CDEJ/BUR(2016)2).

In line with similar tools used at the Council of Europe,[7] it is hoped that this tool will enable member states to:

-            raise awareness and an understanding of youth policy;

-            undertake a baseline self-assessment of current implementation;

-            help identify measures needed to achieve further compliance;

-            highlight and share good practice;

-            measure progress over time.

Member states are encouraged to use the tool in a dynamic way by, if appropriate, self-assessing their compliance with Council of Europe standards at regular intervals. In this respect, the tool allows users to register positive trends which will enable further progress, as well as areas for improvement and possible follow-up.

The tool is mainly aimed at member states where youth policy is a matter of national competence. However, it is also possible to use the tool in federal states or in countries where youth issues are being dealt with by regional and local authorities, even though this will probably require extra co-ordination and team work amongst the various competent authorities concerned.

Member states are encouraged to share this tool with relevant stakeholders (for example ministries responsible for youth issues, other ministries, youth organisations, youth councils, regional and local authorities, relevant professional groups working with young people), in order to foster values-based youth policy development in Europe.

Summary of the main indicators

with which to gauge progress in implementing Council of Europe standards

Area of intervention	Corresponding indicators
Participation	®  Youth policy facilitates the active participation of all young people in decisions, especially those which concern them, and encourages them to engage as active citizens. ®  The government recognises and supports youth organisations, youth councils and other youth initiatives or structures.
Information	®  Youth policy facilitates the provision of relevant youth-friendly information, and access of all young people to it, both offline and online. ®  Youth policy creates opportunities for young people to develop competences for the management of information.
Inclusion	®  Youth policy promotes the inclusion of young people in vulnerable situations in all areas of life (including education and training, employment and occupation, housing, health, sport, leisure and culture). ®  Youth policy aims at preventing the discrimination, violence and exclusion faced by young people, irrespective of grounds[8].
Access to rights	®  Youth policy promotes and facilitates all young people’s access to rights more effectively and removes any legal, administrative and practical obstacles. ®  Youth policy fosters a co-ordinated approach to improving young people’s access to rights with co-operation across all relevant policy areas at international, national, regional and local levels.
Youth work	®  The establishment or further development of quality youth work is safeguarded and pro-actively supported in local, regional or national youth policies. ®  The competences of paid and volunteer youth workers guarantee the provision of high-quality youth work.
Mobility	®  Youth policy supports youth mobility, notably in order to promote a sense of belonging to Europe. ®  Youth policy encourages the development of quality mobility projects.

Participation

Area of intervention	Participation
Legal basis	·         Recommendation Rec(2006)14 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on citizenship and participation of young people in public life ·         Recommendation Rec(2004)13 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the participation of young people in local and regional life ·         Revised European Charter on the participation of young people in local and regional life of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe ·         Recommendation Rec(2006)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the role of national youth councils in youth policy development ·         European Convention on Human Rights, article 11 (freedom of assembly and association) ·         Recommendation on participation of children and young people under the age of 18 and its Child Participation Assessment Tool
Indicator 1	Youth policy facilitates the active participation of all young people in decisions, especially those which concern them, and encourages them to engage as active citizens Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully[9] No Good practice examples Youth policy helps young people to be active citizens, notably by providing them with learning opportunities and experience that will increase their participation in public life. Appropriate structures or arrangements are put in place thus enabling the participation of all young people, including those in vulnerable situations, in the decisions and debates that affect them. Exchange and use of good practices on effective and innovative participation at local, regional and national levels are encouraged.

Indicator 2	The government recognises and supports youth organisations, youth councils and other youth initiatives or structures Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples The right of young people to associate with others to form bodies in which to collectively pursue common objectives is guaranteed. Youth organisations, councils and initiatives are provided with the space, financial means and material support necessary for the purpose of ensuring their smooth and effective operation. Independent youth organisations and youth councils exist at local, regional and national levels and play an active role in the development and implementation of youth policy.
Positive trends which will enable further progress
Areas for improvement and possible follow-up

Information

Area of intervention	Information
Legal basis	·         Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)8 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on youth information ·         Recommendation No. R (90) 7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states concerning information and counselling for young people in Europe ·         Other relevant Council of Europe’s initiatives: o    Internet Governance Strategy 2016-2019 o    Recommendation R(97)20 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on “hate speech” o    No Hate Speech Movement Campaign
Indicator 1	Youth policy facilitates the provision of relevant youth-friendly information, and access of all young people to it, both offline and online Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Youth information and counselling services are provided at local or regional levels. Youth information and counselling services are provided at national level. The forms and channels of youth information are adapted to the evolving needs and preferences of young people, including new information technologies. Young people are involved in developing youth information content and channels. Youth information and counselling services specifically address the needs of disadvantaged young people.

Indicator 2	Youth policy creates opportunities for young people to develop competences for the management of information Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Information/digital literacy, including critical thinking, is part of formal education. Information/digital literacy, including critical thinking, is part of non formal or informal education. Youth policy raises young people’s awareness of the risks they face as consumers and creators of online information, including with regard to protecting their personal data.
Positive trends which will enable further progress
Areas for improvement and possible follow-up

Inclusion

Area of intervention	Inclusion
Legal basis	·         Recommendation CM/Rec(2015)3 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the access of young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to social rights (ENTER) ·         Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on young people’s access to rights
Indicator 1	Youth policy promotes the inclusion of young people in vulnerable situations in all areas of life (including education and training, employment and occupation, housing, health, sport, leisure and culture) Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Youth policy specifically takes into account the needs of young people in vulnerable situations. Concrete measures are provided to promote the inclusion of all young people, especially in and through youth work, mobility, participation and information. Youth policy creates bridges to the education policy, in order to promote the inclusion of young people. Youth policy creates bridges to the employment policy, in order to promote the inclusion of young people. Youth policy creates bridges to the housing and healthcare policies, in order to promote the inclusion of young people.

Indicator 2	Youth policy aims at preventing the discrimination, violence and exclusion faced by young people, irrespective of grounds[10] Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Concrete measures are in place to enable all young people to assume their active role in society without discrimination. The specific vulnerability of some young people in relation to discrimination and stigmatisation is acknowledged, and measures are developed to address this problem. Measures promoting cohesion and positive relations between people from different backgrounds, including in and through youth work, are in place.
Positive trends which will enable further progress
Areas for improvement and possible follow-up

Access to rights

Area of intervention	Access to rights
Legal basis	Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on young people’s access to rights Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education
Indicator 1	Youth policy promotes and facilitates all young people’s access to rights more effectively and removes any legal, administrative and practical obstacles[11] Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Youth policy contributes to removing the barriers to accessing quality education and training opportunities for all young people. Young people are supported to overcome the difficulties they encounter in securing stable and meaningful employment and the negative consequences of precarious life situations. Measures are foreseen to cater for the specific needs of young people related to social and healthcare.

Indicator 2	Youth policy fosters a co-ordinated approach to improving young people’s access to rights with co-operation across all relevant policy areas at international, national, regional and local levels Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Youth policy ensures that human rights education and education for democratic citizenship are available to young people. Stakeholders involved in youth issues across all relevant policy areas communicate with each other and cooperate in order to improve young people’s access to rights. Reviews of existing and planned legislation or programmes that promote and guarantee young people’s access to rights are carried out, and complementary supporting measures are introduced.
Positive trends which will enable further progress
Areas for improvement and possible follow-up

Youth Work

Area of intervention	Youth work
Legal basis	Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on youth work
Indicator 1	The establishment or further development of quality youth work is safeguarded and pro-actively supported in local, regional or national youth policies Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Strategies, frameworks, legislation, sustainable structures and resources supporting youth work are developed. Equal access to youth work for all young people is promoted through effective co-ordination with other sectors and with related policies. Youth workers and young people are actively engaged in youth work development.

Indicator 2	The competences of paid and volunteer youth workers guarantee the provision of high-quality youth work Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples A coherent and flexible competency-based framework for the education and training of paid and volunteer youth workers is developed. Any such framework takes into account existing practice, new trends and arenas, as well as the diversity of youth work. Stakeholders, including youth workers and young people, are involved in developing this framework.
Positive trends which will enable further progress
Areas for improvement and possible follow-up

Mobility

Area of intervention	Mobility
Legal basis	Resolution (91) 20 instituting a partial agreement on the Youth Card for the purpose of promoting and facilitating youth mobility in Europe Recommendation R (95) 18 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on youth mobility
Indicator 1	Youth policy supports youth mobility, notably in order to promote a sense of belonging to Europe Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Specific policy provisions, programmes and opportunities for learning and discovery encourage young people to be socially, culturally, educationally and economically mobile. Information and counselling services on youth mobility opportunities are available. Mobility projects promote a sense of belonging to Europe, notably through the Council of Europe values and principles of intercultural learning.

Indicator 2	Youth policy encourages the development of quality mobility projects Self-assessment criteria Yes Not fully No Good practice examples Mobility projects respond to quality principles, such as the guidelines provided in the “European Charter on Quality in Learning Mobility in the youth field”. Knowledge on and best practices in youth mobility issues are generated and shared in order to support better policy solutions.
Positive trends which will enable further progress
Areas for improvement and possible follow-up