The Luxembourg government’s national youth action plan, or Jugendpakt, is anchored in the amended Law of 4 July 2008 on youth. It is a transversal policy based on knowledge of the situation of young people and active consultation of young people on issues concerning them.
The National Report on the Situation of Youth in Luxembourg 2020 provides the necessary knowledge of the situation of young people and constitutes the scientific basis for the development of the Jugendpakt.
Active consultation of young people
“Active consultation of young people” is achieved through ongoing exchanges between the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, young people, socio-educational and psycho-social staff and representatives of youth organisations, in the form of platforms, meetings, seminars, regular telephone discussions and specific consultations which help to deepen the overall knowledge of the situation of young people and the issues which are relevant to them.
Strategic objectives
The national action plan sets out the strategic objectives which are to guide the government’s youth policy up until 2025, within the framework of three areas of intervention affecting the well-being of young people:
- promoting well-being at school,
- promoting well-being within youth and socio-educational structures,
- giving young people a voice and networking partners.
1. Promoting well-being at school
In schools, an environment and climate must be created where young people can meet and develop social skills and resilience. In this context, it is important to further improve the coordination of psycho-socio-educational services and to anchor them even more deeply in secondary schools.
Pupils’ access to psycho-socio-educational services, in particular to the SePAS, will be adapted and made easier.
Seven actions have been identified:
- implementing a better, healthy and sustainable diet in school canteens;
- strengthening the intervention and psychological support system in the event of a crisis;
- helping young people develop their socio-emotional skills;
- defining a frame of reference for the tasks of psycho-socio-educational professionals in secondary schools;
- promoting and disseminating the principles of confidentiality and professional secrecy to all members of the school community;
- offering continuing training on well-being and mental health;
- introducing the Jugendtreff in secondary schools in cooperation with non-formal education actors.
2. Promoting well-being within youth and socio-educational structures
Youth work is based on the educational principles of non-formal education and is an important pillar of the personal and social development of young people. Relational work with young people is an essential element and the quality of this offer depends to a large extent on the educators.
In this context, it is important that skills and know-how, particularly in the area of well-being, are continuously developed. Expertise and continuing training in the two thematic areas of physical health and digital health will be strengthened.
Policy action is based on the following nine measures:
- expanding the range of training courses in sports activities;
- developing a Jugendaarbecht vade mecum;
- defining a Jugendaarbecht vun der Zukunft strategy in collaboration with young people and partners;
- strengthening skills in the use of social media and promoting digital literacy;
- setting up a mobile psychological team;
- developing the promotion of life skills;
- offering specific modules of socio-educational youth work certified in collaboration with the University of Luxembourg;
- strengthening collaboration with the providers of basic training in education (Lycée Technique pour professions éducatives et sociales);
- making young people’s resources visible and deconstructing negative stereotypes.
3. Giving young people a voice and networking partners
The various actors who are particularly committed to youth work all have the same objective: helping and supporting young people.
Discussion between the various psycho-socio-educational professionals is therefore essential to coordinate the different actions aimed at the well-being of young people and support for their mental and physical health.
To do this, it is important to facilitate the networking of hidden actors. In this sense, the channels between formal and non-formal institutions must be strengthened. Appropriate methods and means should be developed for joint activities that contribute to the well-being of young people.
At the same time, the visibility of existing offers and measures at different levels should be improved through five actions:
- strengthening the collaboration of actors in preventing addiction;
- creating a network of mental health ambassadors;
- bringing together in a national catalogue all the assistance and support measures for young people;
- providing an information and guidance application for young people in emotional and other distress;
- providing information on mental health and setting up a documentation centre.
All the objectives are detailed in the "Jugendpakt", the national youth action plan.