Purpose

The European Children and Youth Funders Group aims to enrich and strengthen foundations’ work in this area by providing a platform for learning, exchange of information, experience and expertise so that the children and young people in more and more countries in Europe and elsewhere experience improvements in their various environments that support and nurture their needs and personal development, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Objectives

• Learning from the initiatives of members that impact positively on children and young people

• Creating, maintaining and using a vibrant and communicative website that engages partner foundations and is a source of information and expertise

• Maintaining and improving the annual documenting of the strategies and approaches of partner foundations that showcases how they nurture and support children and young people within their organisations

• Sharing experience by doing joint work together in the group and with other foundations, NGO’s and other relevant stakeholders at local, national and European levels

Children and Youth Group background note

Background

Ten years ago a group of EFC members established the Interest Group called ‘Education and Youth’. This group provided the platform for mutual learning and for the establishment of a number of collaborative initiatives. Over the last 18 months, discussion has taken place about how to refocus this group taking into account new foundation members that are working in the field, as well as evolving priorities and interest areas. The convening that has been undertaken over the same period by the UEF around the ‘Education by All for the Well-being of Children’ initiative has put children clearly on the agenda, an area not adequately addressed so far within the EFC. The result of this reflection process is the decision to refocus as a Children and Youth Interest Group.

Contact

For more information or to join the group, contact: Sevdalina Rukanova, e-mail: international