Intercontinental youth work cooperation 

African University on Youth and Development (AUYD)

The African University on Youth and Development (AUYD), organised biennially by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, serves as a key platform for dialogue, capacity-building, and policy advocacy in the field of youth cooperation. This initiative aims to strengthen youth organisations and empower young people by promoting democratic governance, human rights, and sustainable development.

Portugal actively supports the implementation of this initiative through financial contributions, particularly within the framework of the Peace YP project. This project enhances Euro-African cooperation by fostering youth participation in peacebuilding processes.

Additionally, the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ) is a member of the Stakeholders’ Group on Youth Cooperation.

Development cooperation activities

In the latest Eurobarometer survey on Development Cooperation (Special Eurobarometer 520, November-December 2024), the results show that in Portugal, nine out of ten respondents (90%) agree that tackling poverty in developing countries should be one of the main EU priorities, an increase since 2020 (+8 percentage points). Eight out of ten (80%), the highest among EU states, think it should be a priority of their national government (+9 pp).

Moreover, 15% think EU development policy should only help developing countries to strengthen their economies, while more than three-quarters (78%) think that EU development policy should also focus on reducing inequalities in developing countries, also the highest among EU Member States.

Additionally, a clear majority (95%) of respondents in Portugal agree that the EU should strengthen its partnerships with African countries, to create jobs and ensure sustainable development on both continents - a significant increase since 2020 (+11 pp), and the highest among all EU Member States (source: Eurobarometer).

Cooperation for Development is a priority of Portuguese foreign policy, with the coordination of the various sectoral policies being assured by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through Camões - Institute for Cooperation and Language, I.P. At a multilateral level, the intervention operates, above all, in the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), without neglecting the role of Portugal in other geographies, where the Portuguese authorities have a seat in the respective governing bodies, with an emphasis on the International Youth Organisation for Ibero-America (OIJ).

Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP)

The Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the CPLP, established in 2007 (Mindelo, Cape Verde) by the ministers responsible for both areas in Portuguese-speaking countries (Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor), intends to assert itself as a space for cooperation, consultation, establishment, and implementation of joint actions in the field of youth and sports.

For its intervention, the Conference established as anchor activities the “CPLP Sports Games” and the “Biennial of Young Creators of the CPLP”, to be held alternately each year. The 15^th Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the CPLP was held in Cascais, Portugal, from 12 to 16 November 2024. The conference ended with the adoption of a Final Declaration, which included commitments to hold the 12^th CPLP Sports Games in East Timor in July 2025, and the next CPLP Young Creators Biennial in Cape Verde, in 2026 (source: Government of Portugal). Additionally, the conference highlighted the importance of the CPLP Youth Parliament, with its first edition held in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2019, focusing on "Violence in Dating", and the second edition in Cascais in 2024, under the theme "Youth and Sustainability".

In addition to these activities, “Action Plans” are instituted to meet the priorities identified for the variable validity period defined for each Plan. The Conference develops its activities in close articulation with the CPLP Youth Forum (FJCPLP), a community body responsible for protecting and promoting youth rights internationally.

Created in 1997, the CPLP Youth Forum aims to bring together representative platforms of civil society youth organisations (Youth Councils) from member states to strengthen the character and participation of youth in the development of their countries and the world.

International Youth Organisation for Ibero-America (OIJ)

OIJ was created in 1992. Portugal supported the creation of this organisation since the beginning and ratified the Statutes and the Founding Act through Resolution of the Assembly of the Republic no. 24/98, of 19 February 1998. While being a platform for governments, OIJ intends to serve as a base for young people to articulate public youth policies and promote their effective participation in social transformation processes.

One of the most remarkable results was the signing of the first international treaty that defends the rights of young people: the Ibero-American Convention on the Rights of Youth, which entered into force on 1 March 2008. It consists of 44 articles that establish the rights of Civilians and Politicians (Right to Life, Conscientious Objection, Justice, Freedom of Thought and Religion, Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, among others); and Social and Cultural Economics (Right to Education, Sexual Education, Culture and Art, Work, Housing, among others).

The bodies responsible for monitoring and participating in the work of the OIJ in Portugal are the Minister of Youth and Modernization and the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ).

To tackle the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, which deepened inequalities and significantly affected young people and their institutions, a New Youth Agenda of the International Youth Organization for Ibero America (OIJ) has been set. The agenda aims for a deep, comprehensive and sustained recovery, recognizing young people as rights subjects and strategic partners for real change.

European Union and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Cooperation with the OECD, particularly in the youth field, has operated through participation in the working group coordinated by the OECD “Friends of Youth Plus”, which is dedicated to the study and analysis of issues relating to the intergenerational justice and participation areas, as well as through collaboration in the consolidation of chapter 3 of the document coordinated by the OECD “Government at a Glance 2021”, dedicated to the theme “Youth representation in politics”. Portuguese participation in these two processes allowed sharing experiences and initiatives in the youth area with the OECD, some of which, considering their innovative character, can be replicated or adapted to the national context and with developing countries.

The OECD Youth Policy Toolkit was launched on 26 November 2024, at an event organised by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ) in Maia, Portugal. The toolkit aims to support policymakers in implementing the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People, providing practical and concrete guidance for the designing and execution of youth policies. The event featured policymakers, youth, civil society, and experts discussing policies and practices in these areas, inspiring and encouraging innovation and reforms within and beyond governments.

The toolkit is structured around five main pillars: education and skills, employment and entrepreneurship, health and social inclusion, participation in public life, and intergenerational justice. It includes over 70 case studies from OECD countries, highlighting examples of best practices in various policy areas. The goal is to provide a comprehensive guide to help countries develop and implement effective youth policies, promoting inclusion and social well-being (source: OECD).

International Work Camps

The International Work Camps (CTI) are integrated in a programme for youth exchange from different countries, with a view to the recognition of different cultural identities and the awareness-raising of the world cultural mosaic.

In the CTI, it is possible to participate in activities focused on a variety of fields:

• Archaeology;
• Socio-communitarian;
• Restoration and enhancement of the historical and cultural heritage;
• Environment;
• Others with a recognised interest.

These projects take place mainly during summer months, have a maximum duration of 15 days and are aimed at young people between 18 and 30 years old. The programme continues to be popular, with various opportunities available for young people to engage in meaningful volunteering work and cultural exchange (source: IBG Workcamps).

TCA (Training and Cooperation Activities) - Erasmus+ Y/S and European Solidarity Corps

Under Key Action 1 - Learning Mobility, the Erasmus+ Youth provides for the mobility of youth work professionals for training and networking. One of the goals is to develop trainers and youth workers’ skills, promoting cooperation between organisations that work with young people.

The action provides for seminars, courses, and other non-formal training activities as a way of promoting the acquisition of skills and the sharing of experiences, best practices, and certification and qualification models. The 2024 Erasmus+ Call for Proposals and Programme Guide continues to support these activities with a budget of 4.3 billion euros, including opportunities for cooperation, learning mobility, and policy dialogue (source: EUSA).

The European Solidarity Corps Programme (ESC) embodies the Union's principle of solidarity among citizens and Member States. It offers young people aged 18 to 30 opportunities to engage in solidarity activities within and outside the EU. For those aged 18 to 35, the humanitarian aid strand aims to provide essential aid, alleviate suffering, and uphold human dignity, while enhancing the resilience of vulnerable communities. The Programme adheres to humanitarian principles and seeks synergies with other Union programmes, notably Erasmus+, to maximise its impact. It builds on the strengths of previous initiatives like the European Voluntary Service and the EU Aid Volunteers.

The budget for the European Solidarity Corps Programme for 2024 was 145 million euros. Of this amount, 3,482,412 euros have been allocated to Portugal. The budget for the European Solidarity Corps Programme for 2025 is 166 million euros. Of this amount, 3,951,053 euros have been allocated to Portugal.

(Cross-reference with Chapter 4 - Social Inclusion - 4.7 Youth work to foster social inclusion - 4. Training and support for youth workers engaged in social inclusion programmes)