Youth policy is carried out in cooperation with the young people themselves. Consultations with young people, their involvement and active participation are encouraged.
At a national level
Youth Parliament
The Youth Parliament (Parlement des jeunes) is a platform where young people aged between 14 and 24 years old, who live in Luxembourg, can discuss and debate on subjects that interest them, that concern their everyday life and that relate to action and policies for young people at a national and European level. Thematic committees write up opinions and resolutions which are presented to the Chamber of Deputies each year in a plenary session.
Conseil supérieur de la jeunesse
The Conseil supérieur de la jeunesse (Higher Council for Youth) is an advisory body which formulates opinions for the government on youth-related issues. It can decide to deal with any topic deemed useful by its members.
Members are:
- 8 representatives of youth organisations;
- 4 representatives of youth services;
- 4 representatives of organisations acting for the benefit of young people;
- 2 representatives of pupils and students;
- 4 other representatives among which one representative of the sector of research on young people, a representative of the association of Luxembourg cities and municipalities (SYVICOL), a representative of the National Youth Council of Luxembourg (Conférence générale de la jeunesse du Luxembourg, CGIL – de Jugendrot) and a representative of the minister in charge of youth.
The Council may furthermore choose up to 3 members who are experts of the youth sector. The members of the Council are appointed by the minister for a renewable term of 3 years.
At school level
Student councils
Student councils are elected in every secondary school. Every two years, secondary school students can elect or be elected to a committee that represents the students vis-à-vis the school management and authorities. The council makes proposals concerning school life and the students’ work, informs young people about their rights and obligations, organises cultural, social or sports activities within the secondary school, etc.
National Students’ Conference in Luxembourg
The National Students’ Conference in Luxembourg (Conférence nationale des élèves au Luxembourg, CNEL) is the national platform for representing students; it can submit opinions and proposals on all issues concerning the life of students and their work within secondary education to the minister responsible for national education. The CNEL is made up of members from the student councils elected within secondary schools.
At a municipal level
Youth centres
Youth centres (maisons des jeunes) play an important local role when promoting involvement by young people, which may be expressed for example through the development of municipal youth plans or by facilitating young people’s ad-hoc participation in decision-making or within the framework of municipal youth councils.
One of the main tools is the Youth Dialogue, which facilitates regular discussions between young people and the political decision-makers (also read European cooperation on youth policy).