Youth involvement in national and international policy making processes

1. Youth involvement in national and international policy making processes

2. What has happened until now? Budapest Conference, June 2004 • CEHAPE • Budapest Declaration Youth workshop in Oslo, March 2006 • Election of the first youth representatives Youth workshop in Luxemburg, March 2007 • Start the process on creating the Youth Friendly CEHAPE Youth involvement

3. Where we are now • Youth Conference 12-15 June 2007, Vienna One- day Youth Event 12 June 2007 • Election of the new delegates • Automatically appointing old delegates to be substitutes for new delegates • Working groups about participation • Youth Friendly CEHAPE - YFC

4. Youth Friendly CEHAPE • Section 1. • Water sanitation • City planning and human settlements • Physical activity • Alternative energy and sustainable development • Education, communication • Chemicals and toxic substances • Section 2. • Implementation of the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (EC Action Plan)

5. City planning and human settlements • Decreasing injuries by ensuring safe mobility • Having better public transportation • Minimising air pollution • Minimising the noise

6. Problems with city planning and human settlements • Increasing road traffic accidents • Many drunk, irresponsible drivers on roads • Too much private cars-too few public transportation • Increasing air pollution caused bygrowing car traffic, factories • Smoking • Green zonesare beingreplaced • Poor control system

7. Solutions to problems with city planning and human settlements • strenghtencontrol systems, higher age limits on getting driving licence • more bicycle and passenger lanes, crossings and lights • international youth traffic patrol programwith ministerial & youths help • better and cheaperpublic transport,school buses • car-free zones/days • ban smoking in public places, separate smokers and non-smokers • highertaxes • noise regulated zones • more green areas and fines on destroying green areas • take care and keep clean

8. Implementation of European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004 - 2010

9. Problems: The youth’s point of view is missing The AP is vague and has no concrete actions Research is being targeted at adults and not at young people

10. Solutions: Involve young people in the political processes More youth friendly and concrete action plan Write the document in an easier language Concrete actions & follow-up on themare needed Give the universities the possibilities to do research ”by young people – for young people”.

11. Future plans and requests until 2009 • Interactive discussions between national delagations, focal points and youth • Closer cooperation and communication between neighbour countries • Make easy understandable documents, which concern youth issues • Discussion time on the next CEHAPE and EEHC meetings onthe YFC • Include youth in the national delegations • One international youth workshop per year • Strengthening youth network by creating a webpage • Implementation of YFC • Translation to native languages

12. How to strengthen the network Homepage: • Exchanging ideas • Easily available for everyone • Original and creative flyers about the homepage • Database and forum of youth work • History of CEHAPE and youth network • Reports on meetings • Profile of participants

13. Expectations from youth involvement • Youth are willing to participate and take responsibility • Creating national youth networks to maximize participation through local projects • Produce and provide schools with relevant educational literature to raise awareness among students • Advocate NGOs and governmental organizations to effectively implement CEHAPE • Obtain skills in workshops • To be directly involved in the preparation process

17. Thank you for your attention!