Keeping civic space open –
an interview with Milosh Ristovski, Secretary General of the European Youth Forum
By Lorena Barić
Originally from Kumanovo, North Macedonia, Milosh Ristovski currently serves as the Secretary General of the European Youth Forum. Milosh began his career at the Center for Intercultural Dialogue, starting as a programme co-ordinator before becoming the executive director. His experience also includes roles as a project co-ordinator at Out of the Box International and Secretary-General of the Young European Federalists Europe. After 10 years in the youth sector, Milosh is still passionate about youth rights, education, digitalisation, innovation and European integration, and he has extensive experience in organisational and project management, activism and volunteer work.
Milosh is the first Secretary General of the European Youth Forum from the Western Balkans since its establishment in 1996.
We are doing this interview to give readers a unique perspective on what matters most for youth work in Europe, the challenges ahead and where things are heading-straight from the Secretary General of the European Youth Forum, who represents millions of young people and youth organisations at this key moment as the European Youth Work Convention sets the pace for the next five years.
To start, could you tell us a bit about the European Youth Forum and its role in strengthening youth participation in democracy? How does the Youth Forum support youth organisations and young people in making their voices heard at the European level? Also, tell me about how the Youth Forum co-operates with the European Commission and the Council of Europe.
The European Youth Forum, the largest platform for youth organisations in Europe, represents over 100 youth organisations and millions of young people across the continent. By advocating for youth rights and promoting active participation in society, the Youth Forum empowers young people to improve their lives and become catalysts for positive change and innovation in Europe. The Youth Forum’s vision is to be the voice of young people in Europe, fostering a society where they are equal citizens who are encouraged and supported to reach their full potential as global citizens.
The European Youth Forum works regularly with the European Commission and Council of Europe in representing the views and opinions of young people. This is done through the support of structured youth participation processes like the Youth Dialogue and Advisory Council on Youth. The Youth Forum regularly organises advocacy campaigns on topics that are democratically chosen by young people. Those campaigns build on mobilisation activities that encourage young people to play an active role: from planning to advocating and evaluating.
The upcoming European Youth Work Convention aims to strengthen the impact of youth work. What do you hope will come out of it in terms of supporting democracy?
At the upcoming European Youth Work Convention, I hope to see youth work formally recognised as a cornerstone of democracy, not just an add-on but a key driver of civic participation. The convention should reinforce a rights-based approach, recognising young people as political actors with civil rights. It must also call for sustained funding to support youth-led initiatives and civic spaces, especially amid democratic backsliding. I’d like to see stronger institutional mechanisms for co-creation between youth and policy makers, meaningful support for local youth councils and a push for quality standards that ensure accountability and lasting impact in youth work.
Talking about shrinking civic space, how has the phenomenon specifically affected youth organisations and young activists across Europe in recent years? What role can youth workers play in supporting young people to navigate and respond to challenges posed by shrinking civic space?
Shrinking civic space has made it harder for youth-led initiatives to thrive: restrictive laws, funding cuts and fewer safe spaces have limited meaningful participation. Young activists increasingly face harassment and censorship simply for speaking up, which undermines their role and their rights as active citizens.
Youth workers and youth work play a vital role in this context. They provide safe, inclusive spaces for expression, build young people’s civic skills and guide them through complex political landscapes. They also help connect young people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, to resources and networks, ensuring all voices can be heard and included in democratic life.
Youth organisations and youth workers often operate at the intersection of civic engagement and political education. How do you think they can effectively empower young people to become active democratic citizens?
Youth organisations and youth workers play a key role in empowering young people to become active democratic citizens by offering inclusive, participatory non-formal education that nurtures critical thinking, civic responsibility and democratic values, skills often under-represented in formal education. Most importantly, youth organisations, which are membership based and led by young people, are essentially spaces developed for and by young people. They create safe civic spaces where young people can debate societal issues, engage with peers and practise democracy in everyday life, not just at the ballot box but through continuous engagement like advocacy and social movements.
By supporting youth-led initiatives and governance models, youth organisations ensure that young people are not passive recipients but active drivers of change. Acting as a bridge between grassroots realities and policy, they make sure young people’s lived experiences influence decisions at local, national and European levels.
Have you seen youth organisations struggle with restrictions that limit their ability to engage young people in democratic action? Do you think it is challenging for youth work to adapt?
Yes, we are increasingly witnessing youth organisations that are struggling with shrinking civic space, both through funding cuts and, in some cases, direct pressure or restrictions from governments. Historically, during times of financial crisis, youth organisations and youth work are often among the first sectors to face underfunding. This creates a long-term risk: generations of young people becoming disconnected from democratic life and disengaged from civic participation.
Youth work is equally affected. Even in countries where it is institutionalised, we’ve seen youth spaces repurposed and the number of youth workers reduced. This diminishes the support available to young people and weakens essential democratic infrastructure.
The issue isn’t youth work’s adaptability; youth work has always shown resilience in times of crisis. The real challenge is when its purpose is questioned or when it becomes instrumentalised for short-term goals rather than fulfilling its core mission of empowerment. When that happens, young people begin to mistrust these services and instead turn to unstructured, informal spaces for support – spaces that often lack safeguards or the perspective for long-term impact.
What are the long-term consequences of shrinking civic space on youth political participation and trust in democratic institutions?
When young people face constant barriers to engagement, they begin to lose trust in democratic processes and often disengage entirely from public life.
This creates fertile ground for the spread of misinformation and a decline in critical thinking, especially when civic education and access to reliable information are limited. Young people from minority or marginalised backgrounds are disproportionately affected and they often find themselves completely excluded from participation, which further deepens inequalities.
In the long run, this can also lead to full social disconnect; young people no longer feel connected to their communities or see a future for themselves in societies where their voices are neither heard nor valued. This decrease in solidarity, civic trust and democratic engagement can become a serious threat to the resilience of our democracies.
Many say democracy in Europe is facing real challenges – from political polarisation to declining youth trust in institutions. Do you think youth work has the power to help reverse this trend?
Yes, by fostering active citizenship, creating inclusive spaces for young people with fewer opportunities and strengthening critical thinking.
However, the decline in youth trust in institutions is not the result of a lack of participation or engagement from young people themselves but rather because the spaces for meaningful participation are shrinking. Too often, young people are included in tokenistic ways, applauded for their presence but not genuinely empowered to lead or make decisions.
Youth work plays a vital role in nurturing democratic values and ensuring they are at the heart of its activities. But reversing this trend requires more than just strong youth work, it demands a cross-sectoral commitment to embedding youth participation in all areas of policy and governance. Only then can we truly rebuild trust and democratic engagement among young people.
How can European-level youth organisations effectively advocate for the protection and expansion of civic spaces at both national and EU levels?
European youth-led platforms and organisations play a crucial role in ensuring that all young people, regardless of their geographic location or minority background, have a space to share their experiences, participate meaningfully and influence decisions.
These organisations are essential in fostering a shared European identity that helps young people approach local, national and global challenges with a broader perspective. By uniting the voices of young people across the continent, they amplify demands for justice, equality and democratic engagement.
Through co-ordinated advocacy, European youth organisations exert pressure on both EU and national institutions to prioritise the well-being of young people, address systemic inequalities and treat youth participation not as a symbolic gesture, but as a fundamental and permanent pillar of democratic society.
Youth work is often seen as “non-political”, yet it deals with deeply political issues such as human rights, equality and civic engagement. How can youth work navigate this balance, especially in politically sensitive circumstances.
I would challenge the statement that human rights, equality and civic engagement are purely political issues: they are fundamental societal values that form any healthy, democratic community. Youth work should not shy away from these topics but embrace them as core elements of its mission.
Youth work plays a crucial role in fostering spaces where all young people can access their rights, express themselves freely and participate actively in society. To navigate politically sensitive contexts, youth work must remain rooted in its core principle of supporting inclusion, equity and civic empowerment.
By positioning itself as a rights-based, youth-centred practice, youth work can remain resilient and continue making young people’s voices heard, even when the political climate becomes challenging.
Looking ahead, what role do you see for the European Youth Forum in shaping the future of democracy through youth work? What are the Youth Forum’s priorities in this area in the coming years?
The European Youth Forum is committed to strengthening youth work by advocating for greater recognition and sustainable investment, ensuring it is youth led, rights based and embedded in strategic frameworks. This will allow youth work to play a central role in shaping future European policies and programmes. This is clearly presented in our freshly updated policy paper “Asserting Space: Youth work through rights and recognition”.
The position of the Youth Form is that youth work is rooted in supporting, educating and empowering young people, offering them opportunities to grow and participate in shaping their own lives. Youth work fosters inclusion, civic engagement and access to rights, while helping young people develop essential skills. It is delivered largely by youth organisations that are closely connected to young people’s lived experiences and local realities, ensuring that youth work remains responsive, relevant and grounded in the needs and rights of young people. Although youth work has a proven impact, it remains under-recognised and underfunded, which limits its potential to support young people and contribute meaningfully to policy making.
Finally, in 10 years, what role do you hope youth work will play in European democracy? What’s your vision for youth-led democratic engagement in the coming decade?
In 10 years, I envision youth work as being a fully recognised and integral part of support for young people’s active participation in civic life across Europe. It will be centred around ensuring access to youth rights and promoting the well-being of young people. Youth organisations will be acknowledged as professional providers of youth work, working alongside formal institutions to shape and drive social change. I also hope to see increased funding and more opportunities for young people to engage in youth work, both locally and nationally. Ultimately, youth work will play a crucial role in empowering young people, fostering democratic engagement and ensuring their full participation in society.
