An overview of how the municipailty has organized in order to ensure children`s and young people`s participation and influence. Presented for a group from Transparency International (cz) Presentasjon Oversikt over BUK - Ungdomsråd - Ungdomsutvalg i Skedsmo kommune.

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Participation of children and young people in
Skedsmo Municipality
Nina Lande

2. Map
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3. Incentives for establishing Youth Council in Skedsmo
The Youth Council was established in 1999 in Skedsmo.
Reasons for creating Youth Council :
INTERNATIONAL:
• Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20
November 1989
entry into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49
NATIONAL:
• Building Act and national policy guidelines to strengthen children and young people's rights
in national planning
• National plans for curriculum at elementary schools , class- and student councils.
MUNICIPAL
• Municipal Plans for Childhood Environment.
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Youth coucil (Youth Council)
• 47 representatives – 3 meetings a year (9:00-14:00)
• All primary schools have each 2 representatives (11 years old).
• All secondary schools have each 2 representatives (14 years old).
• All districts have 3 representatives from youth members in local NGO’s and/or some un-
organised youth. (between 13-18 years)
• The Youth mayor and youth deputy mayor is elected each year, and he/she is leeding all
the meetings (starosta mladez)
• The mayor deputy from the City council is always attending the meetings.
• Each district practise in preparatory meetings

5. Youth mayor and deputy youth mayor 2016
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6. More on Youth Council (Youth Council)
• The purpose of Youth Council is to train young people in democratic processes and working
methods.
• Test-meeting - everybody included all deputies participate and learn about the muncipality,
and the municipality rules and procedures.
• Each year the Youth Council predispose 200 000 NOK (= 581600 Tsjekkisk koruna CZK)
• Each school can propose political issues and apply for money for their projects. The Youth
Council prioritize and process the applications.
• The representatives are encouraged to write the applications or political issues themselves
(with a little help from the teacher).
• The Youth Council can ask the administration for help writing more complex political issues.
• The purpose of Youth Council is to give the representatives real influence in matters that
concerns the children/young people, and to be an arena for learning the rules and
procedures of local democrazy.
• Youth Council is encouraging participating citizenship (zúčastněnýchobčanství)
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7. Items on the Youth Council agenda
• Representatives can raise local concerns and youth issues.
• Matters that can be solved at the schhool, og minor matters in the local environment is not
considered in the Youth Council.
• Current matters that can be solved with support from the Youth Council.
• Long term matters that the Youth Council are not able to solve, are forwarded to the
administration or City Council.
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8. Map
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9. Student councils
• Norwegian Law on Education Act 11.2
• Members in the student councils are elected in each class at school
• Student councils are representative for the all the students at the school
• Participation in the student councils is important in order to achieve goals and promote
common interests in school.
• Members of the student council experience real participation
• Student councils are working to create a good learning and school environment
• Give advice and promote matters relating to students' community
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Ungdomsråd - Youth Advisory Council
• In Youth Council meeting 16/05/2006 promoted youth mayor, Mats Moe, proposed that the
Youth Council should function as an advisory council in municipal master plans.
• The City Council considered the proposal 06.12.2006 after a group of Youth Council had
been in dialogue with the presidency in September 2006.
The decision of the municipal council were as follows:
• Children and youth council is implementing a pilot project out of 2007 to be consulted in
cases involving children and young people on the same model as elders . Representatives
should be appointed by the Youth Council.
• The Youth Advisory Council was recommended as a permanent advisory council by the
Youth Council.
• In City council - 04.02.2009 it was decided that the Youth Advisory Council is a permanent
council, with 2 representatives from each district (8). The leader and second leader are the
Youth mayor and Youth deputy mayor.
• From 2013 it decided to recruit from Youth Committees as well as Youth Council.

11. Map
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Youth Advisory Council
• Representatives are today recruited from Youth committees and Youth Council (not
elected)
• All representatives in Youth Advisory Council are volunteers, participating in meetings in the
evenings.
• Representatives in Youth Advisory Council choose which political issues they want to
familiarize themselves with.
• Each discussed political issue in Youth Advisory Councilet causes written statements which
are implemented in administrative plans or political issues treated in the City Council.
• Examples from 2016: School bullying, cooperation between school and parents, urban
development, future parks and plans for sports arenas in Skedsmo.
•

13. Main Purposes of Youth Council and Youth Advisory Council
• Children and young people in Skedsmo shall receive training in democratic processes and
working methods .
• Young people will learn that their opinions are considered seriously by grown ups in City
council and municipal administration.
• Young people are given real influence and are consulted on matters that concerns them.
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14. Map
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15. Why youth committees
• In 1998 the municipality reorganised some services for the inhabitants – it was a political
agreement that it was neccessary to listen to opinions of the local inhabitants, including
young people.
• The Youth committees were established in each district in 1997-98
• The Youth committees are represented in the Youth Council
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16. Why youth committees ?
• Young people are an asset.
• Young people are different and have many opinions and goals .
• Young people are better at talking with other young people .
• Creating youth networks .
• Young people develop new trends in the community.
• Young people are thinking in a different way and often slightly less affected by traditions.
• Young people can relieve and help plan and implement municipal goals.
• Skedsmo municipality has a need for active young people in the local community.
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17. Youth committees – what and who are members
• Informal recruiting from NGOs, youth clubs, unorganized youth
• Informal agendas and informal activities
• Topics and activities are decided by the members in the Youth Committee
MEMBERS:
• Young people who are interested in what happens in their communities .
• Young people who wants to contribute to society.
• Young people who want to focus on youth interests.
• Young people who want to be taken seriously .
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Children’s representative
• Central government and the municipal authorities have a joint responsibility for promoting
dynamic, participatory local democracy. Every municipal master plan and municipal
functions is subject to consultation processes.
• Plans are always made available for public inspection. The children are represented by a
appointed children's representative. (Nina)
• Regular workshops with children's representatives from other municipalities in Akershus
county and Oslo in order to find methods and consciousness about the Convention of
Rights
• Children/Young people are familiar with the services delivered by the municipalities, and are
considered as specialists in matters that concerns them.

19. Always remember
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20. Skedsmo kommune
Kultursektoren
Jonas Liesgate 18
Postboks 313, 2001 Lillestrøm
www.skedsmo.kommune.no
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