Youth Development

OVERVIEW

A youth policy, also known as a youth development policy or strategy, is usually a holistic, positive, non-political policy document that sets out a government’s long-term investment priorities and goals related to youth.

Based on a survey of youth development policies around the world, including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mongolia and Macau (SAR of China), it is found that youth development policies commonly contain these elements: an overarching vision, an analysis of the current situation of youth backed by statistics, a review of existing measures pertaining to youth, stakeholders’ views and future policy directions.

Of course, there is no single approach to youth development. Some countries are more paternalistic in their views of young people (that young people must be protected and/or taken care of), or fragmented in their policy measures (the laundry list approach), or both.

Read more to find out!