UBC Youthful Cities Commission

20/12/2024

Dear friends, we would like to thank you all for another dynamic and interesting year we have spent together.
As the festive season begins, let us wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Photo by Kevin Bidwell

08/10/2024

This autumn's issue of the Baltic Cities Bulletin will focus on youth and its topic will be “Baltic Sea cities implementing European Youth Goals”.

Some of the topics we are planning to cover in the Bulletin:
- Developing sustainable solutions for improvement of young people’s mental health and well-being;
- Empowering young people to become agents of change in the cities and ensuring meaningful youth participation;
- Cherishing youth organisations, youth clubs and youth subcultures;
- Devising tailor-made support measures for youth with fewer opportunities and young people at risk;
- Fostering employability of young people and promoting youth entrepreneurship;
- Designing youth-friendly spaces in the cities;
- Creating opportunities for intergenerational dialogue.

Do you have a story from your city that you would like to share?
Please submit it by 16th October.

More info: https://ubc.net/call-for-stories-to-the-baltic-cities-bulletin-autumn-2024/

08/10/2024

We are looking forward to meeting you all at the next UBC Youthful Cities Commission's meeting already in November in Espoo (Finland).

Two full working days are planned on 6-7 November.

During this meeting, we will go into details of the Youth Board. We will also take a close look at different practices and projects of Youthservices in Espoo while also exploring the city of Espoo.

As usual, we encourage the city officials to bring a youth representative with them to the Commission’s events.

More information about the event and registration link available here:
https://ubc.net/event/youthful-cities-commissions-meeting-in-espoo/

Deadline for registration: 15th October.

27/03/2024

On the 19-22th of March, the UBC Youthful Cities Commission had a meeting in Gdansk. In the meeting participated representatives from Espoo (Finland), Kolding (Denmark), Guldborgsund (Denmark), Gdansk (Poland), Riga (Latvia), Palanga, Klaipėda district and Klaipėda (Lithuania) municipalities.🌍

During this meeting, the commission's goals and tasks and the 2023 activity report were reviewed. Discussions revolved around organizing thematic clusters and debating their necessity. 💬

Consideration was given to establishing a UBC Youth Board to enhance youth representation. During the fruitful duscussions we explored ways how it could function and what it role could be. Findings will be presented to UBC Board during its next meeting.✅️

What is more, topics for the next UBC booklet focused on youth were brainstormed. Mental health, inclusion and active youth participation were among proposed ones. In the world café session represented municipalities had a chance to share examples of participatory budgeting, volunteering, and digital youth work topics.💡

Also, commission members were informed about the possibility of cooperating with CBSS and BSRYF, including preparation of a joint international project that would allow the Youthful Cities Commission to grow its capacity and make the commission more active. 🤝

Commission members visited Gdansk municipality where we learned more about municipality's programme to support young pepole's mental health. Also, the commission had a chance to visit the "Blue Sneakers" Niebieskie Trampki - kroki ku życiu youth center located in the shopping mall and participate in its activity. During the concert organised for youth by the Blue Sneakers, we had a chance to be on the stage and say in our languages the moto of the event "Blue sneakers are steps to life". 👟🌟

20/02/2024

As previously announced, UBC Youthful Cities Commission will be meeting face-to-face soon again. Already on 19th - 22nd March, this time in Gdansk (working days - 20th and 21st March).

We will be discussing:
- creation of UBC Youth Board,
- improvement of YCC thematic clusters,
- content of the upcoming youth-focused UBC Bulletin,
- development of YCC capacity building project.
Of course, we will also be exploring youth work practice of Gdansk and other involved cities.

Invitation, agenda and practical information available here:
https://ubc.net/event/youthful-cities-commission-meeting-gdansk/?fbclid=IwAR0fTaOWkiIZps9Cmtma_8KUgIjKbnECkmpYMQZlIYJbsrn6hsHaBa6230I

See you all in Gdansk!


Photo by Julia Volk via pexels.com

28/12/2023

Dear friends,

2023 has been a busy year indeed, also for the UBC Youthful Cities Commission. We tried out new formats how the Commission can be more instrumental for the Union of the Baltic Cities member cities, we helped the voice of the youth to sound louder on the shores of the Baltic Sea and we all met together in Palanga to create a powerful youth conference that will stay in our heartwarming memories.

Now, as year 2024 is just around the corner, we would like to say "THANK YOU" to each and everyone of you who contributed, supported us and was there for the youth of the region.

The plans for 2024 are already on paper and we are happy to share just few of the upcoming events:
- On 10th January at 14:00 CET we will meet online for a partnership building event for the upcoming Erasmus+ calls. Learn more about the event here https://ubc.net/event/erasmus-youth-projects-meeting/ and don't hesitate to join, even if you don't have a project idea of your own yet.
- The Commission's face-to-face meeting will take place in Gdansk on 20th - 21st March 2024 (travel days 19th and 22nd March). Book the days already now. More information will follow.

We would like to wish you a very successful, joyful and colourful new year!

Photo by cottonbro studio

14/11/2023

It seems that we met just a moment ago at the UBC General Conference, BUT the time has come for another online meeting of the Commission.
Save the date and see you on 28th November.

We are happy to invite you to join an online meeting of the UBC Youthful Cities Commission that will be held on 28th November at 2 p.m. CET. During the meeting we will continue discussions started at the UBC General Conference in Palanga and establish roadmap for upcoming activities.

More info: https://ubc.net/event/youthful-cities-commission-online-meeting-2/

25/10/2023

Here we are - 4 days into the programme of and shining at the Union of the Baltic Cities General Conference. A lot of discussions and valuable input.
Young people of the , you are amazing! Thanks for your courage and trust!

23/10/2023

Finally! This year there's an in-person Union of the Baltic Cities General Conference taking place in Palanga. And this means young people are meeting for their own Youth Conference and will join the General Conference already tomorrow.
These are the great young people from Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine you will see all around Palanga in the next few days.

10/03/2023

Our partners from Lithuanian youth affairs association are looking for partners for a Earsmus+ KA2 project related to development of youth volunteering system (see detailed info below).
If interested, please contact Vilma Bačiulė ([email protected]) before 4 p.m. on Monday.

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KA2 cooperation partnership in the field of youth

Deadline to submit application form: 22nd of March, 2023

Duration of the project: 24 months

Lead Partner: National youth affairs association
Other Lithuanian Partners: Institute for Policy Research and Analysis, Youth Affairs Agency under the Ministry of Social Security and Labor, Lithuanian Youth Council

International Partners:
Serbia : Krovna organizacija MLADIH SRBIJE
Portugal: DOTS

National youth affairs coordinators association (https://www.njrka.lt/) from Lithuania in partnership with Institute for Policy Research and Analysis (www.institutas.eu) are initiating a KA2 project with the aim to develop a short-term volunteering system in Lithuania. We are searching for partners with similar interests or experience in this field.

Problem/situation:
In Lithuania national volunteering program exists, but the difference between long term volunteering (called Youth Voluntary Service) and short term volunteering is obvious. Youth Voluntary Service is legally defined and funded by the state and municipal levels. Short-term volunteering does not have the same status, it is not recognized, cases of exploitation of young people appear, and quality assurance and motivation systems for volunteers do not exist. Competences acquired during short-term volunteering are not evaluated and do not become an advantage in employment.
Moreover, there is no statistics collected on short term youth volunteering and as a result it is difficult to capture effects on specific target groups and main fields where activities take place and what competences youth gain, do they have support, training and mentoring from individual organizations they volunteer.


With the project, we aim: to create a short-term volunteering system, that would comprise the legal framework and practical implementation of volunteering at local (municipal) level. However, at the same time, it would create an opportunity to volunteer outside of your municipality.
The system would develop support and mentoring from individual organization they are volunteering, motivation tools for volunteers and recognition of competencies gained during volunteering, maybe would help a young person get a job.

Idea: To create a unique methodology for short-term youth volunteering system at the local level and to test it in pilot municipalities, by involving interested groups: public sector and NGOs as hosts for short-term volunteers and the private sector and as part of the motivation system. Also, to define short-term volunteering monitoring mechanism, financing issues, as a part of continuity of the project.

10/03/2023

Ocean Youth Summit Aarhus

The City of Aarhus would like to invite students and young professionals to take part in the Ocean Youth Summit, in connection with The Ocean Race Stopover Aarhus from May 30 to June 2, 2023.

More info: https://ubc.net/event/ocean-youth-summit-aarhus/

28/02/2023

Hey! Have you registered for the kick-off meetings of the UBC Youthful Cities Commission thematic clusters?
They have been set up in order to promote exchange of experience among youth field professionals on a continuous basis and development of cooperation projects. All three clusters will have their first meetings this month - on 1st March, 2nd March and 8th March.
You still have a chance to register and join us at the meetings:

Youthful Cities Commission has set up 3 thematic clusters that are intended to work on a permanent basis to promote exchange of experience among youth field professionals and development of cooperation projects. Youth workers and youth policy officers of UBC member cities are invited to join the clu...