9.2 Administration and governance
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Governance
Promoting young people’s participation in global issues is an integral part of youth policy. Therefore, the main governance approach to youth’s contribution to global processes of policy-making cannot be examined separately. The Ministry of Education and Culture is a key player in the field of youth policy. It allocates funding for youth organisations and youth centres in accordance with the Youth Act. In order to be eligible to apply for state aid, these organisations must follow the core values of the Youth Act and support their realisation. The core principles are solidarity, multiculturalism, internationalism, sustainable development, healthy lifestyles, respect for life and the environment and cross-sectoral cooperation.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the global process of policy-making, including Nordic cooperation, human rights, development policy and development cooperation, EU affairs, Team Finland activities and several other global issues.
According to the Youth Act, the State Youth Council monitors international developments and cooperation in the youth field.
According to the definition provided by the Youth Act, National Youth Centres’ main all-around activity is to offer young people guided adventures, nature- or environment-related or cultural or camping activities. In addition, youth centres seek to promote the international orientation of young people and sustainable development in accordance with the Youth Act, see also Finnish Youth Centre Network.
The Finnish National Agency for Education promotes international mobility and cooperation and provides information on internationalisation and the concrete possibilities that it offers for young people. For more information, see Youth Wiki/Finland 2.8 Cross-border Mobility Programmes.
Finnish National Youth Council Allianssi is a politically and religiously independent trustee with over 140 national youth and educational member organisations. Allianssi represents the Finnish youth work in Finland and in international forums. It organises training, disseminates information and arranges youth exchange programmes abroad; it supports youth participation, work for immigrants and mobility.
For more information about administration and governance of youth policy, see Youth Wiki/Finland Chapter 1 Youth Policy Governance.
Cross-sectorial cooperation
As described in Youth Wiki/Finland 1.5 Cross-sectoral approach with other ministries, one of the main principles underlying the purpose of the Youth Act is cross-sectoral co-operation as such. The key instrument for cross-sectorial youth policy is the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme. The Ministry of Education and Culture, together with other ministries concerned, is responsible for the preparation of the programme. In the Programme 2020-2023 one of the main themes of development is that the voice of young people should be heard, also in matters concerning global themes, like climate change. As one example of the Programme, young people are represented at the Global Roundtable on Climate Change; for more information about the Roundtable, see Youth Wiki/Finland 9.3 Exchanges between young people and policy-makers on global issues. The Roundtable is organised by Ministry of the Environment. Moreover, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is co-operating actively with young people in matters related to peace, for example; for more information, check out Youth Wiki/Finland 9.7 Current debates and the reforms.