Young people’s access to social rights, in relation to housing, rising cost of living, employment, and access to essential services, is an area of concern highlighted by both youth organisations and member States across Europe. In the current social, economic, and political climate, it is critical to ensure that social policies have a meaningful and positive impact on young people; especially given the clear link between access to social rights, social justice, democratic stability, and security. It is also essential to consider the situation of vulnerable and marginalised youth (young people with fewer opportunities), who face additional barriers to inclusion and participation, as well as considering the intergenerational fairness and strengthening dialogue and support across generations.

In that context, the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership is organising a Research Symposium on young people’s access to social rights from 15 to 17 September, at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg. The Symposium aims to bring together and discuss existing knowledge on young people’s social rights from social, economic, legal, and political science perspectives, with the goal of supporting effective policy development and youth work practice. It will gather up to 80 participants, including academics and young researchers, policymakers and representatives of youth organisations.

The Symposium is prepared in close co-operation with a scientific committee, consisting of 10 experts in the area of youth social rights, which met on 11-12 March 2026 in Strasbourg to prepare the concept, scope and priority thematic areas of the Symposium.

The meeting of the scientific committee was followed by a public round table “Youth Perspectives in Action: A new chapter for youth research in Europe” on 12 March 2026 at the European Youth Centre. The event is part of the programme of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (November 2025 to May 2026). The round table explored the youth research agenda around the theme of young people’s access to rights, aimed at harnessing academic and institutional research on this topic to support effective policy development and youth work practice. The activity was also part of the project Youth for Democracy and Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova.

Presentations

Career construction in the age of uncertainty: Talent alignment, the individualisation of risk, and the paradox of access to social rights for GenerationZ

Dancing with wolves. Strategies for Young people to cope with old and new barriers in the defenceof social rights in a turbulent context

Re-Excluded: AIDriven Educational Transformation and Preventing the Reproduction of Inequality

Outsourcing Trust. Youth work, minority young people and the hidden politics of access to social rights

When institutions become unreadable. Young People and the Hidden Work of Accessing Social Rights

Living conditions of students relying on food aid in France. Quantitative and qualitative evidence, and co-constructed solutions for better access to everyday human rights

Waiting to Leave? Youth Uncertainty, Belonging and Social Rights in Kosovo*

Unequal accessto learning mobility. Systemic barriers and the role of youth information for minority groups

Beyond the Invitation: Redefining Participation for Young People with Migration Backgrounds in Local Democracy

The cost of advocacy. Access to Rights and the Risk of Retaliation for Youth-Led Organizations in Contested Civic Spaces

Young People’s Social Rights and Media Banning Policies

Between Entitlement and Exclusion: Roma Youth Access to Welfare and Employment Services in North Macedonia 

Beyond identification. Are local systems ready to support NEET youth? Evidence from Youth Guarantee pilot districts in Serbia

 How do young people understand their rights as workers and industrial relations? Examples from the restaurant industry in Finland

 

* All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.