During the third international meeting, Youth4Values participants moved from identifying problems to designing solutions. The main task was to transform broad ideas about democracy and participation into clear recommendations that could be included in the National Action Plans.
The groups first discussed what makes a recommendation useful. They agreed that each proposal should respond to a defined problem, identify the target group, explain the proposed action, name the institutions or organisations that could implement it and include indicators for measuring progress. This approach helped participants move away from general statements and towards proposals that policymakers and community stakeholders could realistically consider.
Working in mixed-country groups, participants explored several priority areas: improving civic education through formal and non-formal learning; creating regular youth consultations at local level; strengthening youth councils and advisory bodies; supporting youth-led community initiatives; involving young people with fewer opportunities; and developing transparent feedback mechanisms after public consultations. They also discussed how online tools, social media and accessible digital platforms can be used to inform young people and make participation easier.
The international format was especially valuable because it allowed successful practices from one context to be examined through the needs of another. Participants considered what could be transferred directly, what would require adaptation and what might not be suitable because of legal or institutional differences. This critical comparison encouraged more realistic planning and reduced the risk of copying models without understanding the conditions needed for their success.
By the end of the meeting, every national group had a clearer set of priority recommendations and a common template for developing them further. The session demonstrated that international cooperation is most effective when it produces concrete, locally relevant outcomes rather than only an exchange of opinions.
