Young people’s voices, from local communities to Europe

Young people’s mental health and their participation in democratic life are deeply connected: feeling heard, safe and capable is both a condition and a result of taking part. The Amity Network brings the experience of young people and youth workers from 16 countries into the places where decisions are made, at local, national and European level.

Why it matters now

In 2027 the European Union focuses on young people’s access to reliable information, critical thinking and constructive dialogue (European Youth Goal 4), while preparing the next EU Youth Strategy (2028–2035). Our network works where these questions meet everyday life: helping young people stay resilient in a demanding information environment, and supporting them to take an active and confident part in their communities.

Our channels: three levels

European level

EU Youth Stakeholders Group: our member USB – United Societies of Balkans (Greece) is part of the European Commission’s EU Youth Stakeholders Group. Through USB, insights from the Amity Network can reach EU youth policy discussions.
The next EU Youth Strategy: in November 2026 the network takes part in “Gen Z Talking Politics – A Policy Debate on the Next EU Youth Strategy (2028–2035)”, organised by Our Eye on the EU. Inputs are conveyed to the European Commission (DG EAC) and Members of the European Parliament.
EU Council presidencies 2027: members in Lithuania (presidency January–June 2027) and Greece (July–December 2027) connect our work to the youth priorities of each presidency.

National level

EU Youth Dialogue: members take part in national EU Youth Dialogue consultations in their countries, bringing in the voices of the young people they work with.
Hungary: in 2026 Hungary established new national structures for youth participation, including a Youth Civil Base and a renewed Child and Youth Council. Origó Műhely plans to apply to represent the field of young people’s mental health.

Local level

Youth parliaments and local dialogue: SYTEV (Slovakia) founded a youth parliament that works directly with its city council. Other members organise dialogues between young people and local decision-makers, where young people’s proposals are documented and followed up.

Democracy & Dialogue: what our members are doing

Across the network, members run around 15 projects in 2026–2027 on youth participation, constructive dialogue and rights, for example:

Learn, Engage, Advocate, Debate: youth participation and advocacy (USB, Greece)
Living Democracy – choice, voice and responsibility: democratic participation of young people with fewer opportunities (Élményakadémia, Hungary)
Flying Giraffes and Embodied Dialogue: nonviolent communication and theatre for dialogue (Fundacja Mudita, Poland)
Beyond Pixels – Mental Health in a Digital World (with SYTEV, Slovakia)
Peacebuilding through Anti-oppression and Permaculturship: community-based participation (with Zeleno Doba, Serbia)
Different Minds, Equal Rights: neurodiversity and rights (Avalatea, Spain)

In 2027 we plan to connect these projects through a shared online learning exchange, “Democracy Lab”, so that methods and results travel across the network.

What we plan to produce in 2027

Policy paper: Youth mental resilience in the information environment, with recommendations from young people and youth workers, shared with national youth councils, the EU Youth Dialogue and EU-level stakeholders (planned)
Case study: From mobilisation to lasting participation, drawing on recent experiences of youth engagement and comparing them across member countries (planned)

Get involved

Are you a young person, youth worker or organisation who wants your experience to count? Contact us. We welcome input for our consultations, the policy paper and the Democracy Lab.