Existence of a National Youth Strategy

Every year, the new national youth strategy is agreed upon in the framework of the “Unified Conference” (Conferenza Unificata), which includes the National Government, the Regions, the autonomous Provinces, the National Association of the Italian Municipalities (Associazione Nazionale dei Comuni Italiani - ANCI) and the Union of the Italian Provinces (Unione delle Province d’Italia - UPI).

The current national youth strategy has been approved on 20^th December 2023 and establishes the principles and the activities to be carried out. It does not provide for the participation of young people in its formulation.

Scope and contents

The national youth strategy is based on the following guiding principles: inclusion; participation; and dual approach, i.e. combining mainstreaming initiatives in all policy areas with specific initiatives in the youth field. 

The target group are youngsters between 14 and 35.

The strategy aims to promote the engagement and active citizenship of young people, in particular their civic, economic, social, cultural and political participation, and to empower them by supporting their personal development, their growth towards autonomy and their transition to adult life. 

It focuses on promoting the social inclusion of all young people, including those with fewer opportunities and NEETs in particular, among others by recognising the fundamental role of youth work. 

The strategy also aims to foster young people's entrepreneurial culture and their creativity, as well as to disseminate the values of sport and healthy lifestyles. Moreover, it encourages the dissemination of youth friendly information and opportunities offered at regional, national and European level, also through the GIOVANI2030 web platform.

In order to implement the national youth strategy and to promote youth rights, the Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service avails of a yearly Fund for Youth Policies. The amount of the Fund is set annually with the budget law. The official act produced by the Unified Conference establishes the division of the fund between the national Government, Regions, and Local Authorities. 

With a view to foster coordination and complementarity among all the initiatives financed by the Fund, the 2023 Agreement provides for the establishment of a Technical Table composed of three representatives from each Authority. The Table meets periodically to share the actions and initiatives to be implemented in the territories, as well as the results of those already implemented. Moreover, the Regions and Autonomous Provinces have asked the Government to define a multi-year planning of at least three years, to give continuity to the actions undertaken by the territories.

Since 2006, the national Fund for Youth Policies has been financing measures oriented to promote the following:

• Non-formal and informal education;
• youth-friendly information;
• access of young people to the job market, including the development of start-ups and youth entrepreneurship;
• social inclusion, and specific measures to reach out to marginalized and vulnerable groups;
• participation and youth rights;
• cultural activities, development of talents;
• prevention and measures against addictions;
• volunteering and access to international and European programmes and projects.

Responsible authority for the implementation of the Youth Strategy

The Prime Minister is the authority in charge of youth policies and strategy. He/she may delegate the responsibility to a third political authority. At present, the delegated authority for youth policies has the rank of Minister.

The Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service is responsible for the implementation and coordination of the strategy. The Department directly manages the part of the Fund earmarked for national interventions through calls for projects open to youth organizations and the civil society. The part of the Fund allocated to the Regions and local Authorities is managed through separate agreements between the Department and the different Regions, and between the Department, ANCI and UPI. The Department may also sign agreements with the National Youth Council, the Italian Youth Agency and other entities that carry out activities in favour of young people.

Revisions/updates

Every year, the National Government, the Regions, the autonomous Provinces, the ANCI and the UPI agree upon the new national youth strategy in the framework of the Unified Conference. The most recent national youth strategy has been agreed upon in the Unified Conference that took place in December 2023.