At today’s sitting, the Cultural Affairs Committee discussed the “Youth Development Plan for 2014-2020” which gives an overview of the strategic activities in youth work. The aim is to create better opportunities for development and self-realisation for young people, with a view to supporting the shaping of a creative society.

“The Cultural Affairs Committee supports the strategy which highlights the sphere of youth. It is commendable that the Ministry of Education and Research has assumed the role of the spokesperson of this sphere. Since several ministries are engaged in working with youth, cooperation is of great importance,” the Chairman of the Cultural Affairs Committee Urmas Klaas said.

The Youth Development Plan focuses on five issues: supporting of creativity and self-initiative; reducing of the effects of unequal conditions of young people (development opportunities and exclusion); active participation in the community; success in the labour market; and high-quality youth policy and youth work.

The development plan points out that 7-26 year old people cannot be regarded as a homogeneous group labelled “youth”. The individuality of every young person has to be taken into account.

The Cultural Affairs Committee acknowledged the overview, presented by the Minister of Education and Research Jaak Aaviksoo, of how young people and other partners have been involved in the drafting of the Youth Development Plan. At the same time, committee members expressed a wish that the role of the youth councils of local governments be better formulated in the development plan.

“It is good to note that the aims are well formulated and the parties have had a chance to discuss the development plan among themselves. It now needs to be carried out,” Klaas said.

The Government is planning to approve “The Youth Development Plan for 2014-2020” after motions to amend will have been introduced into the text.

The Riigikogu Press Service