​​​​​​​Young people living in rural areas generally have access to fewer services and do not have the same opportunities to get involved in youth work and non-formal learning as their peers living in urban areas.  

Policies should try to tackle the lack of resources and to bring down the barriers young people face linked to their geographic location, such as access to transportation or other basic services. They should also acknowledge that young people living in rural areas have diverse interests and aspirations.

The Youth Partnership has carried out research and developed educational material and guidelines to support the work of practitioners, as well as policy-makers, for inclusion of young people from rural areas in youth policy and programmes. The Council of Europe youth sector Strategy 2030 and in the European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 also focuses on rural youth.