On the very first day, it opened a conference of young people, policymakers and researchers from across Europe, symbolically illustrating the commitment of Finland to its young people. It has a remarkably successful economy and one of the highest staying-on rates in education in the world. It has 3,400 full-time youth workers, a strong youth research tradition and a youth service budget of EUR190m. Proportionate to population, this resource is three times that of the UK's.
The conference took stock of youth policy in the European Union. The wider "Youth in Action" programme will be launched in 2007 and run to 2013. The reports made by national governments on the themes identified in the EU's white paper of 2001 are analysed and the European Commission is about to make proposals on the first two of these - "participation" and "information".
The speech of Jan Figel, the relevant EU commissioner, signalled that it will ask member states to further develop counselling services (UK, please take note). It wants a more structured approach to informing and consulting young people at all levels, locally and nationally. (Here, the UK's record is better.)
At the European level it wants a "permanent and structured dialogue" with member states and with young people. It has identified priority themes to be discussed at European level - social inclusion and diversity in 2007 and intercultural dialogue in 2008. It proposes to hold a European youth week with the participation of commissioners on social issues. It is already piloting work on the recognition of non-formal learning; the training of youth workers; and the Youth Pact on employment.
Interestingly, it will propose the setting up of "peer reviews" of youth policies in member states (UK, please volunteer to be reviewed). The Finnish presidency pledged to take this impressive agenda forward during the long summer nights of the Nordic lands.
Tom Wylie is chief executive at The National Youth Agency. You can contact him at tomw@nya.org.uk.
