LATVIA – EDUCATION
On Tuesday, 20 December 2022, the Government approved the «Guidelines for Child, Youth and Family Development 2022-2027», prepared by the Ministry of Welfare, which was established in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and other line ministries, with the involvement of a wide range of non-governmental organisations, including youth organisations.
In order to strengthen the development of quality of life and youth participation in the guidelines, it is envisaged to promote youth work, facilitate youth participation and enhance the development and acquisition of skills and competences needed for the labour market and independent living.
For greater and more active youth participation, it is important to develop the civic competence of young people, to promote their political and civic participation, to increase digital literacy, and to promote understanding of and participation in environmental and climate issues.
One of the basic principles of youth policy is the principle of equal opportunities – to enable young people to actively participate in social, political, cultural and economic life without discrimination, so it is important to provide targeted support to young people with disabilities to promote their inclusion.
According to the Youth Act, young people are persons between 13 and 25 years of age. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science ensures the development of a unified state policy on youth policy and its co-ordinated implementation, while maintaining a system of measures for working with young people. On the other hand, work with youth is carried out by state and municipal institutions, associations and foundations, including youth organisations and youth initiative groups.
As of 1 January 2023, a new Municipal Act will take effect, which also includes basic provisions for the strengthening of youth work. Importantly, the Act defines youth work as an autonomous function of the municipality, which is an important next step in the development of sustainable youth work and provides new mechanisms for the participation of young people from the age of 16.
The guidelines on child, youth and family development for 2022-2027 approved by the government and their annexes can be found on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers.
