Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum

The Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum (BSRYF) is a youth-led body that represents the voices and interests of young people in the Baltic Sea Region. It is a platform that aims to give voice for young people to express their ideas and partake in real policymaking on a macro-regional level. It specifically advocates for meaningful youth involvement in organisations and institutions while encouraging their active participation in policy-making. 

The Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum has as its primary focus to support the implementation of the Vision for the Baltic Sea Region by 2030 – the Vilnius II Declaration.

The diverse interests and experiences of young people are seen as a driver for change in current macro-regional activities. The CBSS aims to equip young people with the knowledge needed to be and become value-based decision-makers, the next generation of region builders.

Through its activities, the BSRYF seeks to support young people in gaining valuable experience, making connections, and initiating work on policy-related topics they are passionate about.

If you are a young individual or represent a youth-driven organisation and wish to get involved in Baltic Sea Region work, you can apply to drive change in the Baltic Sea Region.

It is a great opportunity to learn about how an international organisation such as CBSS works with youth involvement and other youth-related questions, and also how Baltic Sea regional cooperation operates.

Simon Jyrkäs, member of Committee of Youth Representatives

The BSRYF is guided by the following aims:  

  • Create networking possibilities for youth organisations, initiatives, and individuals in the Baltic Sea Region to ensure a broad representation and impact of young people active in the region.  
  • Educate young people on decision-making in the Baltic Sea Region and decision makers on how meaningful and valuable youth participation is ensured.  
  • Convey opinions and facilitate communication on initiatives between young people and decision makers in the Baltic Sea Region.  

Members

Backed by the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the BSRYF’s members include youth organisations such as regional and national youth councils, as well as young individuals who strive to make a difference in the BSR, alongside other stakeholders.

How to participate

The BSRYF is open to all pan-Baltic organisations and networks, national and regional youth councils, and youth organisations in the Baltic Sea Region. Individuals or groups engaged in activities related to the scope and purpose of the forum are also eligible to participate. 

Depending on your availability and motivation, there are several levels of participation in the BSRYF:

  • Simple member of the BSRYF. To become a member of the BSRYF, you simply need to register. You will then receive regular updates and information about the BSRYF and youth-related events and initiatives in the Baltic Sea Region. In addition, if you are between 16 and 30 years of age and residing in one of the current CBSS Member States or being a national thereof, you can also vote in the BSRYF elections. Voting information is distributed via member mailing list. 
  • Member of the BSRYF Committee of Youth Representatives (CYR). Members of the CYR are elected during the BSRYF Election Meeting, which takes place once a year, usually in late spring. Membership is open to young people aged 16-29 residing in one of the current CBSS Member States or being a national thereof.
  • Member of the BSRYF Steering Group (SG) – individuals. To become a member of the Steering Group (SG), candidates need to first have been successfully elected to the CYR before being appointed to the SG.
  • Member of the BSRYF Steering Group (SG) – organisation. To become a member of the Steering Group (SG), interested organisations must show that they operate in the BSR and in accordance with the values of the CBSS, and work on youth-related topics. 

CYR and Steering Group organisations’ elections are planned for 22 April 2024. The application window will open on 15 March 2024 and close on 16 April 2024. For more information, visit the Open Calls section.

REGISTER AS A SIMPLE MEMBER OF THE BSRYF
 register for the elections to the top bodies of the BSRYF

Objectives

Overall, the BSRYF seeks to drive meaningful youth participation and youth cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region. Its specific objectives are to:

  • Create networking possibilities for youth organizations, initiatives, and individuals in the Baltic Sea Region to ensure a broad representation and impact of young people, active in the region, 
  • Educate young people on decision-making in the Baltic Sea Region, and decision makers on how meaningful and valuable youth participation is ensured,
  • Convey opinions and facilitate communication on initiatives between young people and decision makers in the Baltic Sea Region. 

Activities

The BSRYF activities include: 

  • Organising regular online networking meetings
  • Developing and publishing policy recommendations
  • Hosting an annual stakeholder meeting for youth organisations
  • Supporting the CBSS presidency to hold a CBSS Youth Ministerial Forum
  • Coordinating specialised sub-groups and youth working groups
  • Supporting activities within other fora
  • Implementing a communication strategy 
  • Conducting research, analysis, and monitoring of issues within the BSRYF scope

Structure

The BSRYF is an open format for youth cooperation and meaningful youth participation in the Baltic Sea Region. Its governing body is the Steering Group (SG). The Committee of Youth Representatives (CYR) is its legislative body, developing proposals for its work on the CBSS’s key themes and priorities.

The Committee of Youth Representatives (CYR) – the legislative body

The Committee of Youth Representatives (CYR) is the legislative body of the BSRYF, exploring new perspectives and policies concerning core themes of the CBSS, facilitating youth participation and promoting the operations of the BSRYF. The CYR consists of a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 persons between the aged of 16-29. The CYR elects its own chair and co-chair and other relevant officers, and appoints its representatives to the Steering Group. The role of the CYR is to explore new perspectives and policies concerning core themes of the CBSS, facilitate youth participation and promote the operations of the BSRYF. 

Steering Group (SG) – the executive body

The BSRYF is governed by its executive body, the Steering Group (SG). It is constituted of five persons, namely three representatives of the BSRYF CYR, and two representatives of the BSRYF partner organizations and networks. The Steering Group is appointed every year by the CYR.

Role of the CBSS

To maintain some flexibility and ensure that it is youth-driven, the BSRYF is not embedded in the official structure of the CBSS.

Nevertheless, the Secretariat of the CBSS executes administrative tasks within the CBSS Secretariat and coordination point of the BSRYF, in close collaboration with the CBSS Presidency and the CBSS Committee of Senior Officials (CSO), which maintains an overall advisory and supervisory role. 

The BSRYF is the institutionalised successor of the Baltic Sea Youth Platform (BSYP), a CBSS-led project on meaningful youth participation that ended in 2022.

Key documents

Mandate

Engagement of young people in the development of the Baltic Sea Region was highlighted in the CBSS Ministerial Declaration A Vision for the Baltic Sea Region by 2030 – the Vilnius II declaration, with the following text:

“Young people participate and are represented in a meaningful way in institutions and decision-making processes giving impetus to efforts to reach a more resilient, gender equal and safe Region.”