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YouthWiki

EACEA National Policies Platform
Latvia

Latvia

5. Participation

5.8 Raising political awareness among young people

Last update: 28 November 2023
On this page
  1. Information providers / counselling structures
  2. Youth-targeted information campaigns about democratic rights and democratic values
  3. Promoting the intercultural dialogue among young people
  4. Promoting transparent and youth-tailored public communication

Information providers / counselling structures

Public participation in policy decision-making is important in thinking about public policy. However, for the time being of youth civic participation is not extensive and active.

Young people do not always get involved in activities that they believe are the most effective ones. For instance, although a large part engages in discussions about politics, only slightly more often than the tenth young person also sees it as an effective form of having impact on political decisions. Interestingly, although 36% of young people write political comments on the Internet, only 8% believe that is an effective form of political participation.

There are participation forms that young people consider to be effective, however, do not take part in them. For instance, 41% of young people believe that strikes are effective, but only 10% have been on strike. 26% of young people believe that participation in political parties is effective; however, only 7% take part in them.

When participating in political activities, young people are not guided by what they believe is the most effective one, but rather by what they see as more accessible and more interesting for themselves, for example discussions with friends or expressing themselves on the Internet.

Eurodesk multipliers

Eurodesk Latvia has around 20 multipliers - local youth information providers that are regional or local organisations working with young people, delivering information on the Erasmus +: , European Solidarity Corps and the European Youth Portal to promote such EU values as democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.

Formal participation forms (fixed law and organized by the state or local government authority):

  • pupils 'or students' self-government
  • youth council
  • Advisory Council / Commission
  • youth forum
  • structured dialogue
  • Participation in elections and referendums
  • voluntary work
  • Participation in political meetings
  • Participation in non-governmental organizations (such as the youth organization)

Informal forms of participation (informal dialogue with decision-makers and the public):

  • Informal meetings with politicians (such as "Coffee with politicians')
  • photo, video, theater and other creative methods of expressing the point of view
  • expression of opinions via social media
  • public promotions and campaigns

Youth center is a place where young people with different interests and life experiences are available in user-friendly, open and supportive environment. The Centre's objective is to create an opportunity for young people to gather, plan to spend valuable time as possible, receive information according to their needs and interests.

Youth centers will also include:

  • To promote young people's participation in youth organizations, youth initiative groups and volunteer work;
  • Ensuring young people's access to information that meets their interests and needs;
  • To promote intercultural dialogue in the youth audience;
  • To provide individual or group counseling to young people for them to topical issues.
  • To encourage young people participation in local and national events, problem solving.

Youth-targeted information campaigns about democratic rights and democratic values

Youth parliament

Youth Parliament is a Latvian parliamentary project that enables young people to express and defend their ideas, as well as to get to know the daily life of the Members. Young people apply for their ideas elections and collect their votes in support of the website www.jauniesusaeima.lv.

Youth parliament elected 100 young people, on whose ideas received the largest number of votes, one day meet at the Saeima building, so that through their own experience to understand the specifics and the legislature from the parliament rostrum reach their peers about current issues in society.

Operation Youth Parliament is closer to the real work of the Saeima - the law drafting process of committees and parliamentary hearings.

School program "Get to know the Saeima"

School educational program "Learn parliament" is an opportunity for young people to understand the work of parliament and interactive way to find out how the law affects their lives and how they themselves can influence the work of the Saeima.

The program aims - to interest young people in the political processes in Latvian, encourage them to follow up and to get involved, as well as educate about the parliament and its bodies, legislation, the work of Members, democracy and public participation.

Promoting the intercultural dialogue among young people

To promote the third strand of the animation and the promotion of mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue between the region's cultures, religions and people in 2005 is established Anna Lindh Euro-Med Foundation for intercultural dialogue. It is named after the former Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, who during his life made a significant contribution to the promotion of cooperation in the Mediterranean region the occurrence of equal partnership, mutual understanding and the promotion of peaceful coexistence and 2003, tragically died in the attacks.

Objectives:

  • Stressing the central role of the Fund in the Union for the Mediterranean, for its long-term goal set out to give people the opportunity to work together to promote intercultural dialogue and to create a Euro-Med region into an area of ​​cooperation, mobility and peace.
  • Promoting intercultural dialogue Anna Lindh Foundation supports initiatives between Euro-Med countries in cultural, scientific and social fields, contribute to a better understanding among people, religions and beliefs, trying to eliminate stereotypes, xenophobia and racism and defend human rights and democracy.

Tasks:

  • Support public organization Network (ALF member organizations network) operation.
  • To act as an observer of dialogue and coexistence processes in the EuroMed region.
  • Continuous dialogue closer together people and organizations from both shores of the Mediterranean in order to overcome the existing gap between them.​

Promoting transparent and youth-tailored public communication

Latvian Sustainable Development Strategy by 2030, strikes down strategical principles in various fields, including communication and participation.

Innovative Management and public participation

Create a public administration that is efficient, able not only to respond quickly to change, but also to anticipate and guide them in creating societal and services required in the future, and with the active participation of the majority of the Latvian society.

Civic Education and Social Integration

(433) In order to make the public participation process as possible a more constructive and effective, strengthen the Latvian population abilities and skills to participate in society, the implementation of civic education programs for both general education within and outside the - seminars, lectures and course form. In this way, civic education not only develop ability to participate in society, but also to promote the social integration of society.