As defined by the directorate of youth, non-formal education and voluntary organisations, youth policy encompasses all actions that contribute to supporting young people's pathways to autonomy, particularly through education, training, social and professional integration, housing, health, safety, educational, sporting and cultural leisure activities, mobility and commitment, with a view to reducing inequalities, whether social or territorial. Promoting this autonomy implies acting on all the levers enabling young people to be actors in their own lives, to meet their needs and to fulfil their potential as individuals.

This policy is applied in many ministerial fields, both at national and territorial level. In a logic of transversality between the different fields of public action, it is structured around the following axes

- participating in the personal development of young people, encouraging their commitment and mobility

- giving priority to education, guidance and training

- promoting employment and professional integration;

- fighting against inequalities in the path to autonomy;

- improving living conditions.

Many ministries are active in the area of youth, but each one is only responsible for its own area. In order to implement the State's policy for young people and to translate it into coherent and legible interministerial action, the Directorate of Youth, non-formal education and voluntary organisations also acts as an interministerial delegate for youth.

Youth policy is based on numerous schemes and actions, managed and funded by different ministries. The content and method of implementation of these schemes are varied, and they may be centralised or decentralised, purely state-run or part of a contractual framework involving public and semi-public bodies, local authorities or associations.

According to the decree of 20 July 2022 on the powers of the Minister for Education and Youth, 'the Minister for Education and Youth has authority over the Directorate for Youth, Popular Education and voluntary organisations. He also has authority, within the limits of its powers in the area of youth, over the following central administration departments and directorates:

1° The General Delegation for Employment and Vocational Training, jointly with the Minister for Labour, Full Employment and Integration;

2° The General Directorate for Social Cohesion, jointly with the Prime Minister, the Minister for Labour, Full Employment and Integration and the Minister for Solidarity, Autonomy and the Disabled;

3° The General Directorate for Education.