SHORT DESCRIPTION

Initial cue

The Carnuntum district lies between the capital cities of Vienna and Bratislava in the "Centrope – Central European Region". The dynamic pace of development here challenges local and regional decision-makers to come up with a set of forward-looking development principles – for young people, too.
A programme of citizen activation throughout the region revealed that both young people and adults regarded the topic “Youth” as particularly important, and provided vital stimuli. That led to an exemplary regional youth development project being thought out and implemented.

Goal

The project was intended to enhance youth work and youth-related policy in a particular area in collaboration with young people. Participation by young people should ensure that the project was sustainable and directed toward implementation.

Sequence of events

From autumn 2003 to summer 2005 work on a regional youth development programme went on in this part of Lower Austria. Arrangements for integrated regional youth work and policies were modelled. The project, which was co-financed by the EU, focused on sustainability as the guiding principle for forward-looking work with and for young people, who were brought in as experts on their own situation at both local and regional level. Their capabilities were also enhanced in special further education modules.