Tom Wylie, chief executive of The NYA, said: "The UK government's engagement on international youth policy is too tentative and does not do justice to either its own policy development on youth services or the quality of British youth work."
The call comes in an issue of The NYA's Spotlight briefing papers and is supported by partner youth organisations including the British Youth Council, Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council, Connect Youth International and the Development Education Association. The Agency suggests the Government could:
- Map the official representation of the UK in the various youth-related committees of the EU and the Council of Europe
- Review the youth-related work of each of these organisations
- Identify who is the UK contact to the EU Commission on policy developments
- Create a routine keep-in-touch group for officials and key national bodies
- Offer the UK for a Council of Europe expert visit
- Examine how British youth work could play a larger role in youth policy development outside Europe
"The activity of youth work bodies in the UK links well with various governmental strategies," added Tom Wylie. "And the UK's presidency of the EU in the latter part of 2005 is a timely moment to consider particular arenas where British youth work could make a larger contribution, based on its experience."
The full Spotlight paper is on The NYA web site at www.nya.org.uk.
