Lithuania’s Agency of Youth Affairs develops and implements the national youth strategy and co-ordinates policies and services relevant to young people across ministries and agencies. The Agency meets annually with municipalities to establish youth policy objectives and set evaluation criteria, ensuring alignment between policy planning at the national level and implementation at the municipal level. Specific indicators are established in consultation with each municipal administration and their designated youth affairs co-ordinator, aligning with national priorities outlined by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. The Agency collects activity reports on the implementation of youth policy, which are used to evaluate the performance of municipalities. The assessment is carried out in accordance with the criteria outlined in the Methodology of Youth Policy Implementation Assessment. This Methodology is defined according to the Youth Policy Framework Law and targets young people aged 14-29. It aims to maximise the efficiency of the measures and programmes implemented concerning youth policy at the local level.
Methodology of Youth Policy Implementation Assessment – Lithuania
Abstract
The assessment is based on four youth policy fields: youth work, volunteering, youth participation and evidence-based youth policy. It considers a range of factors, including the role and functions of the youth affairs co-ordinator outlined in the Youth Policy Framework Law, the job description of the municipal youth affairs co-ordinator and the measures implemented in the area of youth policy. The data collected is analysed according to nine indicators: preconditions for policy implementation, youth participation, support for young people, non-formal education, training and counselling for young people, youth information, inter-agency dimension, cross-sectoral dimension, integrity of youth policy, improvement and innovations of youth policy, and international relations and co-operation. These assessments are conducted in co-operation with representatives of young people and municipalities. To strengthen regional youth policy, the recommended targets emphasise the reinforcement of municipal youth affairs councils. These councils consist of representatives delegated by the municipal administration and/or municipal council, along with representatives aged 14-29 designated by youth organisations operating within the municipality. This allows for better identification of the needs of young people, fosters the emergence of new leaders, explores innovative methods to engage disenfranchised young people in civic activities and fosters intergenerational solidarity. Monitoring is performed quarterly and an evaluation report is prepared annually. The methodology provides different points for the results achieved depending on the size of the municipality (number of inhabitants and young people). It also provides guidance on data collection across municipalities to provide the main criteria for the evaluation of youth policies.
The Youth Policy Implementation report published by the Youth Affairs Agency in 2022 demonstrates that 76.2% of 60 municipalities implemented the recommendations of chapter II, Section 5 of the Law on Youth Policy Framework in Lithuania. More than 70% of the recommended youth policy targets were implemented by 42 municipalities in 2022. Only four municipalities have integrated less than 50% of the recommendations. In the field of youth work, 76% of the tasks were implemented by 38 municipalities. Growing municipal financial budget on youth work is observed, new staff positions and new youth centres are established. In the area of youth participation, empowerment and representation, municipalities achieved 72.2% of the recommendations. 77.4% of municipalities have implemented recommendations on volunteering, including 14 municipalities who implemented all of them. Municipalities are enhancing awareness of youth volunteering by organising events and disseminating information in schools and through social networks. A constant increase in the number of accredited host organisations and number of young people participating in the programme is observed.
Further reading
Jaunimo Reikalų Agentūra (2022), Jaunimo Politikos Įgyvendinimo Apžvalga; Jaunimo Reikalų Agentūra (2022), Jaunimo Politikos Jgyvendinimas Savivaldybėse; Jaunimo Reikalų Agentūros Direktorius (2023), Įsakymas Dėl Jaunimo Politikos Įgyvendinimo Vertinimo Metodikos Patvirtinimo.
This practice also supports the implementation of provisions IV.3, IV.5 and VI.1 of the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People.
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