Overcoming youth marginalisation: Best practices to prevent marginalisation and criminalisation of youth in state of vulnerability

French version to follow soon

"Combating marginalisation of young people should be a priority not only for the EU, but also for national and regional authorities, as well as for all civil society organisations"; with these words the president of the European Economic and Social Committee welcomed the participants of the conference on "Overcoming youth marginalisation: Best practices to prevent marginalisation and criminalisation of youth in state of vulnerability".

Organised by the Human Rights Youth Organisation (H.R.Y.O) in partnership with the EESC and the European Parliament's Intergroup on the Rights of the Child, the conference took place at the EESC premises on May 3 and was an opportunity to discuss how best practices make an important contribution to the prevention of radicalism.

Georges Dassis had the opportunity to present his views on youth marginalisation while taking part in the opening panel alongside Conny Reuter, co-president of the EESC Liaison Group, Bart Somers, Mayor of the city of Mechelen, Hilde Vautmans, MEP of the ALDE group, Caterina Chinnici, MEP of the S&D group and Maria Cristina Pisani, president of the Italian National Youth Forum.

Mr. Dassis, apart from stressing the importance of combating youth marginalisation, underlined that concrete actions, such as the Erasmus program, are needed to bring EU closer to its young people. However, these actions should not only be addressed to students but to young workers and apprentices as well.