The Joint Programmatic Commission on Youth was created during the International Conference of NGOs that took place from 14th to 16th December 2005 in Paris, with the explicit support of the UNESCO Youth Section.

The JPC unites international Youth NGOs in relations with UNESCO. They are coordination bodies and networks of large numbers of national and regional organisations all around the world. The work of these organisations 'on the ground' is various, as well as their member's profiles. Youth NGOs mobilise the social capital of millions of young people around the globe. They empower youth to positively shape their societies and assume their roles as active citizens. Most Youth NGOs use methods of non formal education to develop ideas and activities with young people. The NGOs of the JPC work with and for young people, for example university students, volunteers and religious groups.

The JPC on Youth seeks to develop:

Advocacy:
- promote a vision of youth as a positive force, capable of shaping today's world.
- highlight the financial and legal frame conditions to successfully implement youth and volunteer projects.
Complementary partnership:
- ensure a continuous dialogue between UNESCO and NGOs on youth issues;
- serve as experts and reference on the perspective on "youth" for UNESCO,
- support the diffusion of UNESCO's programmes amongst youth and youth organisations from the international to the local level;

Policy:
- promote the implication of youth in the functioning and in the decision making processes of UNESCO.

Challenges for cooperation:

Get to know each other better and build trust:
- improve the information flow between NGOs and UNESCO at HQ and national level
- develop training modules for UNESCO staff and NGOs on links between UNESCO and civil society in general and youth NGOs in particular

Open effective doors for cooperation
- include NGOs at all levels from planning to execution
- develop mechanisms for cooperation and consultation on regional level.

Three organisations are currently in charge of its coordination - namely Pax Romana / MIEC, CCIVS and WOSM.

You can contact CCIVS for more information on the JPC on Youth and check the website of the Liaison Committee to know more about the relations between NGOs and UNESCO.

You can also check the following documents:

Declaration of principles on the JPC on Youth, November 2005 (in French).

Short film introducing the JPC on Youth. Other heavier versions of the fim are available on request.

Speech introducing the JPC Youth on the occasion of the Open Forum, 28th September 2006, by CCIVS Director Simona Costanzo Sow.

Working with and for youth, directory of best practices of youth activities, UNESCO Section of Youth, Youth Open Forum of the NGO Committee of the 175th Session of the Executive Board, 2006.