Future Agents NOW was an EU funded project supporting the participation of young people in international decision-making processes. The project aimed to strengthen youth delegate programmes, build the capacities of delegates, and enhance diversity in youth delegate programmes.
Youth delegates are representatives who raise the voice of young people in decision-making processes, typically in United Nations meetings as part of their national delegation. Youth delegate programmes are a way to amplify youth voices in international organisations.
Future Agents NOW tapped into the developmental potential of youth delegate programmes by fostering cooperation between the National Youth Councils of Finland, Denmark, and Estonia. The project researched experiences of good practices to organising youth delegate programmes around the world and created recommendations, handbooks, and educational material for both organisations managing delegate programmes as well as for youth delegates themselves.
Future Agents NOW ran from November 2021 to October 2024.
Results
- Handbook: Practical Guide for Youth Delegates to the United Nations: Tips from Fellow Youth Delegates. The goal of this is to provide practical advice to Youth Delegates to the United Nations, based on the experience of the Youth Delegates that have come before them. The Practical Guide tackles subjects such as what to expect at international events and how to prepare for them, how to organize a side event, how to create a (social) media strategy and how to plan national events.
- Policy recommendations: A set of minimum standards for European youth delegate programmes to the UN was produced. The goal of these standards is to provide a list of key characteristics, which are necessary to be met, in order to ensure quality youth delegate programmes across the European region.
- Mapping report: Future Agents NOW produced the report Global Youth Voices, which maps the functioning of youth delegate programmes to the UN in 27 different countries. The report was launched in New York in cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations on the margins of ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023.
- Online training: A virtual training on youth delegate programmes was developed, including a diversity self-assessment tool. The training includes videos of case examples, exercises, and support materials. The training is designed to provide its users with a deep understanding of youth delegate programmes, empowering young people to engage effectively in global youth advocacy and decision-making processes. The training is targeted to those aiming to start a new youth delegate programme or improve their existing one.
You can also find all published project materials here.
For further information or invitations to cooperation on strengthening youth delegate programmes, please contact the project manager Laura Lamberg (laura.lamberg@nuorisoala.fi).
Future Agents NOW was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The European Union is not liable for the content of this article. For more information on the Erasmus+ programme, visit https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/.
