Future Agents NOW - robust, representative and responsive Youth Delegate Programmes that help young leaders push for change

"<< Background >>We applied for this project to address the growing need for inclusive, representative, and responsive youth delegate programmes that amplify the voices of young people in decision-making processes. Youth delegates play a crucial role in representing young people, particularly in international forums like the United Nations, but the programmes that support them vary greatly in terms of resources. Many current youth delegate programmes face similar challenges such as limited resources, lack of diversity, and training needs to meet the rising demands placed on youth delegates. Yet youth delegate programmes have little cooperation and sharing of best practices, which this project has addressed.This project focused on strengthening youth delegate programmes across the partner countries and beyond by gathering and sharing best practices, improving inclusivity, and enhancing the overall capacity of youth delegates and youth delegate programmes. << Objectives >>The project aimed to promote the inclusion and participation of young people in decision-making processes. The objectives were threefold:1. Strengthening youth delegate programmes: The project sought to enhance youth delegate programmes in the participating countries and beyond by gathering and sharing best practices, improving the effectiveness and inclusivity of the programmes, and providing resources to organisations that recruit, train, and support youth delegates.2. Building capacity of youth delegates: Another key goal was to build the capacities of youth delegates and other young leaders, equipping them with the skills needed to represent their peers in international forums, such as the United Nations. Through networking and training, we aimed to improve youth delegates' readiness to engage in decision-making processes and policy discussions effectively.3. Enhancing representation and diversity: The project also sought to enhance the representativeness and diversity of youth delegates. This included working towards diversity and accessibility evaluations in the partner countries and a virtual tool for self-evaluation of diversity in youth delegate programmes.<< Implementation >>The Future Agents NOW project implemented several key activities to strengthen youth delegate programmes across the participating countries and beyond. The main activities included:1. Collection of best practices: We conducted semi-structured interviews with youth delegates and youth delegate programme managers from almost 30 countries and conducted a desk research exercise to gather existing knowledge, best practices, and success stories from youth delegate programmes worldwide. This research informed the development of a report on best practices to structure youth delegate programmes, training materials, a guidebook for youth delegates and recommendations for youth delegate programmes.2. Capacity building and training: The project focused on building the capacities of youth delegates through multiple training and networking events. A training model was developed and tested to support organisations in effectively managing youth delegate programmes.3. Diversity and accessibility evaluations: We developed an accessibility and diversity evaluation of the youth delegate programmes in the partner countries. A diversity self-assessment tool was also created, enabling organisations to evaluate and improve the inclusivity of their youth delegate programmes.4. Development of educational resources: The project produced a comprehensive online learning tool for youth leaders and organisations to strengthen their delegate programmes. This tool was accompanied by a handbook for youth delegates and other supporting materials.5. Transnational project meetings: The project held several transnational project meetings. These meetings were used to monitor progress, exchange ideas, and work on project outputs.6. Dissemination events: Each partner hosted national and international dissemination events, including launch events in conjunction with United Nations meetings in New York and online events, to share the project's findings and tools with a broader audience of youth delegate programmes.Through these activities, the project aimed to create lasting tools and resources that will benefit youth delegate programmes across Europe and beyond.<< Results >>The Future Agents NOW project achieved several significant results designed to strengthen youth delegate programmes and enhance youth participation in decision-making processes.1. ""Global Youth Voices"" best practices report: A comprehensive report was produced that gathered best practices, insights, and success stories from youth delegate programmes worldwide. This report was based on interviews with youth delegates and programme managers from nearly 30 countries and informed the project's further outputs.2. Handbook for youth delegates: A practical handbook for youth delegates was created, offering guidance on navigating political processes and effectively representing youth in international forums. The handbook serves as a valuable resource for both current and future youth delegates.3. Training model for youth delegate programmes: The project developed a training model aimed at organisations that manage youth delegate programmes. This model supports organisations in recruiting, training, and supporting youth delegates and was tested through various project activities.4. Online learning tool: An online learning platform was developed to provide accessible training for youth leaders and organisations. This tool includes modules on running effective youth delegate programmes.5. Minimum standards for European youth delegate programmes: The project established recommendations for European countries on how to organise youth delegate programmes.6. Case development reports and minidocumentaries: Case reports were developed to track the progress of youth delegate programmes in each participating country. These reports were complemented by minidocumentaries that captured the experiences of youth delegate programme managers in the partner countries as well as four other selected European countries.7. Diversity and accessibility evaluation: A thorough evaluation was conducted on the accessibility and inclusivity of youth delegate programmes in partner countries. The results were incorporated into a diversity self-assessment tool, which helps organisations assess and improve their inclusivity.8. Creation of a network of young leaders: The project established a network of young leaders, enabling peer-to-peer learning, collaboration, and engagement with fellow youth delegates and the Future Agents NOW project.9. Dissemination events: A series of national and international dissemination events were organised, including presentations during United Nations meetings in New York. These events provided a platform to share the project's findings and outputs with a wide range of stakeholders, including UN DESA, which coordinates the United Nations youth delegate programme at the UN level.Through these concrete outputs, the project aimed to support sustainable, inclusive, and effective youth delegate programmes across Europe and beyond."