Youth

The Young Citizens project, co-ordinated and funded in Belfast by Belfast City Council, focuses on young people from exclusion to inclusion. It aims to empower young people (10 to 30 years old) to contribute to civic life in their cities, including participation in decision making bodies. The ultimate goal is to make recommendations to statutory bodies and others to enable them to develop forms of governance that encourage the participation of young people.

The network involves 7 cities. Each partner is responsible for local research into a selected theme, hosting an inward visit and taking part in an outward study to another participating city. Belfast inward and outward exchanges were with Malta. A final conference disseminating the outputs of each city's local focus groups will take place in 2006. The Young Citizen's Project is driven in Belfast by Belfast City Council along with statutory agents with youth responsibilities.

For further information please contact Frances Murray, Belfast City Council at murrayf@belfastcity.gov.uk.