Southern European Summer University: youth autonomy and youth empowerment.

What are the key rights for ensuring autonomy to young people? Which are the barriers that young people nowadays face to accessing those key rights? What is the role of the EU in monitoring the access of those rights?

From the 29th to the 2nd of August OBESSU, together with several representatives of the Member Organisations of the European Youth Forum, met in Alghero, Italy, to take part in the Summer University organised by the Italian Youth Council (Forum Nazionale Giovani).

The aim of the meeting was first of all to discuss on and tackle the main topic of the upcoming round of Structured Dialogue, which will focus on youth autonomy and youth empowerment.

OBESSU took part to the discussions stressing the fundamental role of free education and welfare mechanisms as key factors to ensure the emancipation of young people.

As result of the discussions the participants created some reports which will contribute to the bigger Youth Conference planned for October in Rome, under the Italian Presidency of the European Union.

The Summer University was not only meant to discuss these topics but to ensure a possibility for the Member Organisations of the Youth Forum to cooperate and network more closely, exchange news and ideas, and to work on the future development of youth activism in Europe.

Written by Daniele Di Mitri, OBESSU Board member