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What are the most important areas that Nordic governments should collaborate concerning the youth?

Climate and biodiversity

The Nordic governments are already doing a lot to empower youth in the climate and biodiversity debate: by including youth in COP-events and delegations, by enabling a platform and workshop toolkit on biodiversity nationally and across the region. 

  • The inclusion of youth on climate and biodiversity policy urgently needs to continue and be to be taken further through roundtable discussions and more inclusion at the negotiation table. This is a question of credibility for our region. 
  • The positive effects of the inclusion of youth on these issues isn’t just a question of intergenerational fairness, but also sets pressure on governments around the world to do the same. Inclusion in the North leads to global inclusion.

Support the innovation and youth cooperation

The gold of the Nordic cooperation is the regional trust we have established over generations. Few regions in the world offer young people such a great civil society to build on, such a long tradition of trust and accountability to cherish. Let’s make sure that the civil society continues to be a platform for young people to meet, exchange views and create together.

  • The amount of structural funding for pan-Nordic youth organisations and networks is decreasing. This also means that regional youth organisations that could maintain youth advocacy, youth networks and youth mandates will fade. Ensure structural funding and invite those youth organisations to innovate their own activities and they will innovate the Nordic institutions in the process. 
  • Introduce more internships, active roles and spaces for youth in existing research and development projects. Avoid referring to the framework for inclusion of children and youth instead of reporting on the actual participation of youth in shared projects and events.

Freedom of Movement & The Labour Market

The knowhow in the North is borderless and so is our identity. Let’s not allow for the COVID19-crisis to deter from the decades of flow we have created. Young people are fearing for their future and their opportunities.

  • Put an effort into encouraging the businesses and municipalities into employing young persons from another Nordic country for a couple of months. The experience could broaden not just the mind of the young person, but also the employer. We need to use our internal market to balance out the increasing youth unemployment. Young people need to believe in the region and their own future. 
  • Create incentives by making sure, once and for all, that degrees and diplomas from other Nordic countries are recognized automatically. If the Benelux can do it, we can do it. As a measure to speed up the service market and the flow of the labour force, why not also recognize the different certificates, allowing young persons to work with food and sell alcohol in any Nordic country?
  • Stimulate freedom of movement for young persons during the year to come by accepting student cards for discounts from all the other Nordic countries. Young persons need Nordic experiences and our market needs the boost they will bring when traveling.
  • Especially in the aftermath of the COVID19-crisis, keep and expand access to universities and colleges for Nordic students, while also enabling the recognition of degrees and studies completed in another Nordic country.
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