the pal-tin project of master forum association, is presented to you by cere resource center for...

The PAL-TIN Project of MASTER Forum Association, www.paltin.rois presented to you by

CeRe Resource Center for public participation, www.ce-re.ro

powered by

MASTER Forum Association

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

International Contact Seminar Bratislava, Jún 2008

PAL-TIN ProjectYouth Participation in Local Administration

and presented by

CeRe - Resource Center for public participation



Local Youth Councils

are youth representative structures:• Legitimacy comes from elections in all schools

from the community level• 2 years mandate• Immediate training of the selected youth• Partnership with local actors• Part of PAL-TIN network www.paltin.ro• No political partisanship



Local Youth Councils are created as:

• a place where children can express and dialogue among themselves and with local administration, decision-making factors on problems of interest to them;

• a frame of activity conceived and accomplished by young people, at the level of their day by day existence, having the local community as central reference space;

• a place for practical learning of democratic citizenship, of expression, communication, dialogue, negotiation, decision-making and evaluation



Target groups:

• Youth (children councils: 12-14 years old; youth councils: 16-18 years old) and their colleagues

• Local administration

• Schools

• Other local actors (NGOs, business etc.)

• Central administration



Resolution 237 from 1992 of the Permanent Conference of

Local and Regional Authorities in Europe adopted the

Chart of Young People Participation to Local and Regional Life (revised in 2003) that affirms:

"municipalities and other territorial communities will create adequate institutional conditions for the participation of the young people in decision-

making and debates on problems of interest to them,... will create and support youth councils

that function as a structure of active participation...".



How to get a Local Youth Council?

Only through elections!

Basic quality rules:

• Have a local partner to coordinate

• Have the agreement of Local Council (the adult one!)

• Have a good team of volunteers

• Make elections in all schools



The steps in the creation of a Youth Local

Council

I. The designation of the local coordinator

• Providing documentation• Analyze the indicators: no. of schools classes pupils• Drawing a list of persons willing to get involved -

teachers, local counselors, other local public officials, journalists, business people/potential sponsors.

• Assuming the long term responsibility • No political engagement



II. The presentation of the project to the main local actors

• Formal agreements from Mayor and the Ministry of Education local representative.

• A decision of the Local Council that agrees the creation of the Children/Youth Local Council (= their legal basis of action) is required.



III. Discussions over the project with the people to be involved in its application

• The designation of the team of local project coordinators

• Assignment of the responsible persons/teachers for the organization of the council elections in each of the town's schools.

• Civic education teachers, tutors, active members of local associations (civic, youth, etc.) and parents associations may be of important support.

• Explaining the project to all stakeholders



IV. The preparation of project application

• Drafting the electoral law

• Advertisement of the project through local means (newspapers, radio, television, street posters)

• Explanation of the project given to the pupils - future voters, in each class by volunteers

• Distribution of the Voter's Guide



V. The organization of Council elections

• Creation and training of the electoral bureaus - formed by pupils

• Registering the candidates

• Publishing and posting of the voters' lists

• Distribution of the voters' cards

• Creating the frame for electoral campaign (posters area, forums places etc.)

• Organization of the polling centers



V. The organization of Council elections (part II)

• Elections day!!

• Organization of the public meeting for the validation of the election results - with the presence of the Mayor, the Local Council, the media and other guests.

All the process takes around 5 weeks.

A good cooperation with the City Hall is necessary for the organization of the election day (obtaining the ballot boxes, voting booths, stamps).



VI. After the elections

• Training for the elected young councilors (project management, fundraising, PR …)

• Writing the internal regulations

• Making a strategy based on the electoral platforms

• Elections of the young Mayor



After the elections (part II)

The Local Youth Council activity will last the 2 years mandate, during which it has to:

• Represent youth needs at the community level (mainly working with local administration and schools)

• Fundraise and organize its own projects

• Remain accountable towards pupils



PAL-TIN in numbers More then 300,000 children had the opportunity

to practice electoral procedure

More then 1,500 schools were involved in the elections process

More then 500 youngsters went to trainings and seminars abroad

More then 3,500 youngsters became councilors after an electoral campaign with an average competition of 2,5 candidates/ place



PAL-TIN Project

• Made by MASTER Forum Association, Bucharest, Romania

• Project partners: ANACEJ, CENTRAS, FONPC, Pro Democracy Association, CERE, ARTI etc

• Localization: Romania, 90 cities

• Funding: 40 % international funding , 5 % Romanian national level, 55% local level



Project sustainability

Started in 1994, is based on:

• Volunteering

• Partnership with local actors

• Local resources



Contact details

CeRe

Resource Center for public participation

[email protected]

www.ce-re.ro

Contact person: Sinziana Olteanu

[email protected]

the pal-tin project of master forum association, is presented to you by cere resource center for...

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