There is a greater awareness of the importance of a knowledge-based approach in the fields of youth policy and practice in Europe, and an understanding that research must help shape decision-making, youth work practice and be an important partner in the evaluation of policy and practice.

Therefore, in order to contribute to the dialogue among researchers, practitioners and policy-makers, and invite researchers from the local, national and European levels, the partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of youth organised on 28-29 October 2020 a Youth Knowledge Forum.

The event aimed at raising and addressing relevant questions, reflections and strategies to further and strengthen the role and capacity of research on youth in Europe.

The main objective of the event was to devise strategies to strengthen the cooperation among policy, practice, and research in Europe from a participatory perspective.

 

Aims of the Event

The Youth Knowledge Forum gathered different actors from the European youth field to discuss the above-mentioned questions, clarify the related terms, encouraging dialogue and facilitating the cooperation among relevant stakeholders.

The aims of the event were to

• explore the state of youth research in Europe, map its main actors at European, regional and national levels and the themes explored, identify current gaps as well as the nature and usefulness of research currently done;
• identify and assess the available sources of data on youth, in direct continuation and consistently with the reflections of the two aforementioned regional seminars on youth research organised in 2018 and 2019 by the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership;
• analyse the role currently played by youth research in supporting the development of youth policy and youth work, as well as the work of youth organisations, and ways to enhance their cooperation, also looking at good practice examples;
• reflect on what type of knowledge is needed for the 21st century, and how to plan its creation process and to present it for easier access of and usage for various audiences;
• share good practice of effective and successful cooperation among youth research actors, youth policy makers and practitioners;
• explore the potential of knowledge translation;
• encourage the involvement of research in policy making and shaping youth work while reflecting on how to strengthen structures producing knowledge on national and regional level.

The Youth Knowledge Forum builds on the partnership’s long-standing commitment on youth research in Europe, including the Seminar on strengthening investment in youth research in EECA in Chisinau (Moldova) in 2018 and Regional Knowledge Forum in Novi Sad (Serbia) in 2019, which aimed to further knowledge and understanding of research on youth, specifically at regional level in Eastern Europe and Caucasus and South East Europe. The event will also be shaped by the 2019 publication Youth research: the essentials, on the importance of youth research in Europe, methods, ethics and challenges.

Participants

The event gathered up to 120 participants, representing a balanced mix of providers and users of research, including members of PEYR and correspondents of EKCYP, youth organisations and National Youth Councils, National Agencies for Erasmus+, SALTO Erasmus+ Resource Centres, representatives of youth research institutions, research consortia, independent youth researchers, representatives of the partner institutions, youth research users at local, regional and national levels and representatives of Member States of the European Union and of Council of Europe, as well as from the Advisory Council on Youth from the Council of Europe.