General

The primary purpose of the Youth Board of Cyprus (YBC), as it derives from the Law on the Youth Board, is the submission of policy proposals that aim to a creative development of policies which focus on modern challenges and yield the greatest possible positive impact on young people.

Since 2017, the YBC has coordinated the implementation of the National Youth Strategy (2017-2022), – the first official youth policy document in Cyprus. Among the main principles of the Strategy are youth participation in decision making on youth related matters, and close cooperation among all institutions which run youth related projects and activities.

Being responsible for the submission of youth empowerment policy proposals to the state, the YBC conducts specialised surveys on the needs of youth, consultations and open discussions with young people through various platforms such as Advisory Bodies, the  Youth Summit  and the National Group of EU Youth Dialogue. In order to promote dialogue between the youth and the Municipal Authorities, the institution of Municipal and Community Youth Councils , which is supported by the YBC, is also a good practice for the involvement of young people in issues of their interest.

Moreover, the YBC participates in working groups on a national, European and international level, with active contribution to youth policy making at all levels, drawing on good practices. Specifically, the YBC participates in the EU Council Working Groups for the Youth, in Committees of the Council of Europe, as well as in the European Knowledge Centre for Youth Policy (EKCYP). At the same time, the YBC participates in United Nations conferences and meetings of the Commonwealth, and supports the participation of young people in them on Youth related issues.

Youth work is also an important area of youth policy, as it contributes to the empowerment of young people. The YBC has set up a special Working Group in order to develop and promote youth work in Cyprus.