Involving young people in committees benefits both the participants and the committee’s work

What impact does it have when young people get involved in committees such as advisory boards, executive boards, or forums? Researchers at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), commissioned by the Institut Futur at Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin), investigated this question using the committee youpan as a case study. The youpan is the youth forum of the National Platform for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the German “Nationale Plattform BNE”. For the study, the IÖW conducted interviews with members of the youpan and other committee members of the Platform. The interviews show that the participants not only expand their own skills and networks but also influence decisions within the committees. Through social media posts, the project therefore encourages young people to such engagement.

The youpan involves thirty people between the ages of 16 and 27. They contribute their perspectives to the ESD forums on topics such as vocational, secondary, and higher education. Furthermore, they organize events and engage with decision-makers. The IÖW team analyzed documents and conducted interviews with current and former youpan members, as well as with adult members of the expert forums.

Learning life skills

The interviews show that the participants are significantly advancing their skills – from expertise in ESD topics to facilitation and organizational skills, as well as democratic and social competencies. In a video about the project, several active youpan members explain what they gain from their involvement – such as personal networks, an appreciation for the diversity of opinions, or the sense that they can make a difference. Interviews with former members also showed that many of them remain active as volunteers after their time with the youpan and that the experiences were helpful for their professional careers.

Thematic and methodological guidance for committees

In all the forums examined, young people influence the topics and discussions. They have contributed to the development of position papers and resolutions, introduced new working formats such as small groups or barcamps, and co-founded working groups. Some older committee members even incorporate methodological ideas from youpan members into their own work.

“Young people want to get involved and participate, and at the same time, their perspectives enrich the processes. It is important that they are given the opportunity to influence the process. This means that they can actively shape the agenda and working methods, and that their contributions are valued,” emphasizes Dr. Esther Hoffmann, IÖW project manager and expert on participatory processes. 

Project promotes youth participation on social media

On social media, the project – in collaboration with the youpan – aims to encourage young people to get involved in committee work: A series of images offers tips on how to get started, and a video highlights the personal benefits. In another video, an apprentice carpenter and youpan member is calling for volunteer work to be made more accessible to apprentices. Background information and insights from interviews can be found here (in German only). 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Further information:

• Video on the personal benefits of volunteering (YouTube)
• Video on trainee engagement (YouTube)
• Series of images, explaining participation in committees: PDF (DE)
• About the project: “Assessment of Youth Participation in Education for Sustainable Development”
• More about the youpan (DE)