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 will be prepared in close co-operation with a scientific committee, consisting of up to 12 experts in the area of youth social rights, which will meet 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 will be followed by a public round table “Youth Perspectives in Action: A new chapter for youth research in Europe”, taking place 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 will explore 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 will also be part of the project Youth for Democracy and Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova.