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1. Formal Mechanisms of Consultation

2. Actors

3. Information on the extent of youth participation

4. Outcomes

5. Large-scale initiatives for dialogue or debate between public institutions and young people

Formal mechanisms of consultation

In Malta, young people participate in policy-making through a combination of formal advisory structures and open consultation mechanisms. There is no single overarching legal framework regulating youth participation across all policy areas; however, a number of structures and practices facilitate consultation at national level.

One of the main formal mechanisms is the Youth Advisory Forum, coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister. The Forum is composed of nine young people aged between 16 and 35, selected through an open call for applications, with one member nominated by the National Youth Council Malta. Members are appointed for a term of 18 months.

Chaired by the Prime Minister, the Forum provides a platform for young people to express their views on national issues, including those not exclusively related to youth, but which impact broader societal development. The Forum contributes to policy-making by providing input on laws, strategies and national plans.

Another formal mechanism is youth representation within the Civil Society Committee of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD). As established by Subsidiary Legislation 431.01, the Committee includes a youth representative nominated through the National Youth Council. The MCESD acts as an advisory body to Government on economic and social matters, thereby providing an indirect channel for youth input into national policy discussions.

In addition, public authorities consult young people through the Public Consultations Online portal, managed by the Government. This platform allows individuals, including young people, to provide feedback on draft legislation, strategies and policy documents across all sectors.

Other consultations with young people also take place on an ad hoc basis, depending on the policy area. Examples include consultation processes carried out during the development of national strategies such as the National Youth Policy, National Budget, Malta Vision 2050 as well as reforms in areas such as pensions and voting rights.

Consultation methods include advisory forums, participation in representative bodies, online consultations, workshops and stakeholder meetings. Consultations are not conducted on a fixed schedule but occur both regularly through established structures and on a case-by-case basis depending on policy developments.

Actors

Youth participation in policy-making involves a range of actors across public institutions and civil society.

Youth actors include young individuals participating directly in structures such as the Youth Advisory Forum, as well as youth representation through the National Youth Council Malta, which represents affiliated youth organisations and nominates youth representatives to national bodies such as the MCESD (see Section 5.3).

Public authorities involved include the Office of the Prime Minister (through the Youth Advisory Forum), Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, and other Ministries responsible for specific policy areas. The MCESD also plays a key role as an institutional advisory body bringing together government, social partners and civil society.

Additional stakeholders may include youth organisations, student organisations, civil society organisations and, depending on the consultation, educational institutions and other sectoral stakeholders.

Participation through the Public Consultations Online portal is open to all citizens, including young people, without restrictions.

There is no formalised national mechanism specifically targeting particular sub-groups of young people within consultation processes. However, initiatives led by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and the National Youth Council aim to encourage broader participation, including outreach to young people with fewer opportunities through youth work and youth organisations.

Information on the extent of youth participation

There is no comprehensive national system for systematically collecting data on the participation of young people in policy-making processes across all mechanisms.

Outcomes

Youth consultation processes in Malta typically seek input from young people on policy priorities, the assessment of proposed measures and the identification of emerging issues affecting society.

Through the Youth Advisory Forum, members provide feedback and recommendations on national strategies and policy developments. Similarly, youth representation within the MCESD contributes to discussions on economic and social policy, with the Civil Society Committee providing advisory input to Government.

Through the Public Consultations Online portal, contributions submitted by young people are considered alongside those of other stakeholders. In these cases, consultation reports summarising feedback are published and made publicly available on the platform.

In ad hoc consultation processes, such as those carried out during the development of the National Youth Policy, young people contribute through workshops and stakeholder meetings. In such cases, feedback is typically integrated into policy drafting, although the extent of visibility of this integration may vary depending on the process.

Overall, while mechanisms exist to incorporate youth input into policy-making, feedback loops to participants are not always systematically standardised across all consultation processes.

Large-scale initiatives for dialogue or debate between public institutions and young people

In addition to formal consultation mechanisms, a number of initiatives provide spaces for dialogue and debate between young people and public authorities.

In 2025 a national youth consultation organised by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, in collaboration with the Secretariat for Youth, Research and Innovation and the Envision 2050 team. The initiative aimed to integrate young people’s perspectives into Malta’s long-term national vision. The consultation provided a structured platform for young people to express their views and contribute ideas aligned with key strategic areas, including sustainable economic growth, inclusive public services, education and national resilience, and environmental sustainability. Through interactive roundtable discussions, participants identified challenges and developed practical recommendations, which were formally submitted to the Envision 2050 team. The initiative brought together young participants, policy-makers and institutional stakeholders, ensuring direct dialogue and contributing to the inclusion of youth perspectives in long-term policy planning.

Another example is the Young People’s Forum organised by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ in collaboration with the Culture Directorate as part of the Malta Festival of Ideas. The initiative provided a structured platform for dialogue and youth engagement, bringing together young people to discuss their role in shaping future societal developments. The forum included a panel discussion led by young participants, followed by interactive workshops addressing themes such as art and activism, youth diplomacy in the Mediterranean, and environmental awareness and cultural heritage. Through these activities, participants generated ideas and recommendations which contribute to the broader outcomes of the Festival of Ideas. The initiative facilitated direct exchange between young people and stakeholders, supporting participatory dialogue and encouraging youth contributions to cultural and societal policy discussions.

The Dean’s Forum, organised by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing at the University of Malta , provides a platform where students, academics and invited stakeholders discuss and debate current social issues and public policy topics. While not exclusively targeted at youth policy-making, the Forum contributes to fostering critical discussion and civic engagement among young people.

Furthermore, dialogue with young people also takes place through initiatives led by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, including consultation meetings, workshops and youth engagement activities linked to policy development processes. These initiatives may target specific groups of young people, including those engaged through youth work settings.

Such initiatives complement formal consultation structures by providing more flexible and accessible spaces for young people to engage in dialogue with decision-makers and contribute to public debate.