Information providers / counselling structures

Different youth organisations in Slovenia provide information on the importance of youth political participation so as to encourage it. For instance, MOVIT (The Institute for the Development of Youth Mobility) implements different projects on the topic of political participation among youth, e.g., the project ‘I am voting for my EU’ (Volim za svojo EU) in 2013. Besides this, they provide a free info service, Eurodesk, which offers information about European opportunities on the field of mobility, active participation of youth in society and activities to encourage youth innovation. Eurodesk also offers information through different channels on different levels, forms personal communication, web tools, regional info points to publications and printed materials.

The National Youth Council of Slovenia prepared the initiative of a voting programme for youth for the period 2011‒2015 (Volilni program po meri mladih za obdobje 2011‒2015). With this programme, the National Youth Council hopes to be a role model. The Youth Council of Slovenia also informs youth through their webpage about different projects, news and conferences; all important for active citizenship.

In the period 2009‒2010, the Slovenian office for Youth developed and designed the Central Communications Youth Information Centre – Young.si (Mlad.si). The purpose of this web portal is the enforcement of a complete and sustainable system to inform the public about the youth sector. Target groups of this portal are youth, youth organisations, state and local community representatives and the general public.

The Youth Network MaMa also provides information about different youth projects, conferences, opportunities and news on youth on their website.
 

Youth-targeted information campaigns about democratic rights and democratic values

''Let’s Go Vote'' (Jaz grem volit, pa ti?), 2026, initiative is a civic engagement campaign aimed at motivating young people in Slovenia to participate actively in democratic processes, especially in the context of elections. The project focuses on raising awareness about the importance of voting, informing youth about their rights and the mechanics of elections, and empowering them to make informed decisions at the polls. Through outreach and advocacy activities, it seeks to strengthen youth participation in local, national and European elections by encouraging young voters to turn out, engage in political dialogue, and have their voices heard in shaping public policy and society.

''Voice of Youth!'' (Glas mladih!) project, 2025, led by Mladinska mreža MaMa in partnership with European youth organisations, is designed to empower young people to express their views, engage in dialogue and actively participate in democratic life. Through surveys, discussions and participatory activities, the project gives youth a platform to share their experiences, priorities and needs in areas such as wellbeing and civic engagement. By feeding these insights into policy discussions and creating tools and recommendations based on young voices, Glas mladih! supports meaningful youth contribution to decision‑making at both national and European levels, strengthening active citizenship and youth dialogue

In 2019, the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (SAFY) organised another conference on the topic of the right of children to participate. The key message from 140 participants (pupils and high school students from around Slovenia) to decision-makers was »We participate, but we are not heard!«

 

Promoting the intercultural dialogue among young people

The actual situation in society and the increase of ‘hate speech’ are two main reasons for the projects promoting tolerance and intercultural dialogue among youth. Promotion of intercultural dialogue is in general under the jurisdiction of youth organisations.

 ‘Web eye’ (Spletno oko) allows Slovenian users of the Internet to anonymously report hate speech and the distribution of materials depicting the sexual abuse of children. The website was created with the financial support of the Safer Internet Programme. There is an established cooperation with the police. Spletno oko operates under the Safer Internet Centre, and is coordinated by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, in collaboration with partners ARNES, the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth and the Youth Information and Counselling Centre of Slovenia (MISSS), It is financed by DG Connect (European Commission) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

The Peace Institute – Institute for Contemporary Social and Political Studies (Mirovni inštitut – Inštitut za sodobne družbene in politične študije); the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana; the Ombudsman and the Multimedia Centre of RTV SLO were running the project ‘With Speech on Hate Speech’ (Z (od)govorom na sovražni govor). The aim of the project was to reduce the prevalence of hate speech in Slovenia, to empower vulnerable groups and to promote active citizenship. Within the framework of the project, the ‘Anti-Hate Speech Council’ (Svet za odziv na sovražni govor) was established. In the first year of its operation, it received around 50 initiatives (most of these associated with hate speech against refugees, migrants, the Islamic religion and the LGBT community).

The Let’s Be Kind (Bodimo prijazni) project, 2024, implemented by Zavod PIP – Legal and Information Center Maribor, aimed to combat hate speech and promote values of kindness, respect, and responsible communication. Recognizing that hate speech harms individuals’ mental health and can fuel social division and conflict, the project focused on raising awareness about its consequences and encouraging proactive responses. A central element was the establishment of a support point at the PIP Institute, providing professional guidance and counselling to individuals and institutions affected by hate speech. The project reached over 400 secondary school students, conducted a national awareness campaign with over 129 online posts, 5 videos, and more than 7,000 printed materials, and organized an expert conference connecting educators, media professionals, public institutions, and NGOs. Additionally, a compendium of recommendations was prepared and presented to 28 national and local decision-makers to improve prevention and sanctioning of hate speech. The initiative strengthened institutional and media responses, resulting in the removal or legal addressing of numerous hateful posts. Overall, Let’s Be Kind fostered responsible communication, enhanced public awareness, and promoted active engagement against hate speech across Slovenia.

The Ugrizni se v sovražni jezik! (Ugrizni se v sovražni jezik!), campaign, 2023, is a public awareness initiative presented by the Urad Republike Slovenije za mladino in collaboration with the Government Office for Digital Transformation and other partners, aimed at highlighting the prevalence and impact of hate speech, especially online. Through a series of short videos featuring well‑known Slovenian athletes confronted with hateful and insulting comments, the campaign encourages respectful communication and raises awareness that negative language affects individuals and communities across society, including young people. It was showcased as good practice in discussions on preventing and responding to hate speech among youth and contributes to broader efforts to educate and inform both young audiences and the wider public about the effects of disrespectful and harmful language.

Promoting transparent and youth-tailored public communication

There are no policy frameworks or guidelines on transparent public communication targeting young people, but there were some initiatives on this topic.