YFU participated to the Youth Conference in Sweden that took place on March 20th-22nd in Växjö and it concluded the 9th cycle of the Youth Dialogue. This cycle ran from 2022 to mid-2023 over the course of the French, Czech and Swedish EU Presidencies. Our YFU Representative, Sebastian Lindt, was present at the conference together with other INGYOs from the European Youth Forum and has contributed to the consultations which took place under this presidency. In the consultation, young people from a diverse range of marginalized backgrounds were asked what could enable them to take advantage of EU-wide mobility opportunities related to the environment. The young people consulted identified a need to:
1- Lower the threshold for accessing opportunities by removing costs, offering short term (2-3 day) opportunities, simplifying administrative procedures, and connecting directly via school or local projects.
2- Increase funding and support to the organisations which promote mobility and solidarity projects.
3- Focus on local environmental initiatives that are connected to and affect marginalized young people's own communities.
4- Increase publicity and outreach, including delivering mobility opportunities connected to schools as well as by working with organisations, professionals, and previous participants, who have “bonds of trust” with young people in marginalised circumstances.
5- Emphasise the personal benefits of taking part, especially with regard to impact on employability and employment skills, and make opportunities more attractive.
6- Provide flexible, high quality and professional support that can meet a variety of different accessibility needs including resourcing organisations working with young people in marginalised circumstances to support environmental mobility opportunities.