Youth co-management bodies
What is a Youth co-management body?
It is a participatory structure where young people and adults share decision-making power within an organization, institution, or governance system. Unlike advisory boards, which provide input without formal authority, co-management bodies involve young people directly in governance, granting them equal or near-equal status alongside adult/institutional representatives in decision-making processes.
Key characteristics
They function as joint governance structures, often within municipalities, national youth councils, public institutions, or civil society organizations, and usually have a time-limited mandate. They encourage intergenerational collaboration between young people and experienced decision-makers to create more inclusive policies, and include detailed rounds of feedback. Co-management bodies can exist at local, regional, national, or international levels. The degree of youth involvement varies from bodies that give young people full voting rights, while others operate on a consensus-based model (when everyone in the group assents to a decision). Generally increases institutional legitimacy and accountability with decisions reflecting a broader range of perspectives and more representative governance, and allows young people to participate meaningfully.Different types of Youth co-management bodies
CoE co-management system
National / macro-regional youth policy structures
Other models
Do NOT establish this model in case
you operate in environments where decision-makers are unwilling to share real authority / decision-making power you face rigid hierarchies or bureaucratic internal decision-making processes you plan to engage participants that might lack experience in governance or policymaking decisions need to be made quickly without time for thorough discussion you can not ensure sufficient resources to support its proper functioning