EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE
YouAct works to empower young people to take an active role in their communities and organisations and to advocate for Sexual and Reproductive Rights as Human Rights. We believe that decisions which affect young people should be planned and formed by young people themselves. Young people should be taken seriously as capable and productive individuals. Meaningful Youth Participation in the designing, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs and services aimed at young people, is crucial for their success.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to empower young people in their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) by joining forces in Europe to make our voices heard.
OUR VISION
We believe that active and meaningful youth participation is essential to reach the following goals: We envision a world where sexuality is accepted as a positive aspect in life and where the SRHR of young people are realised: young people have access to accurate information and youth friendly services and can decide freely and responsibly about all aspects of their sexuality and reproductive lives.
We aim to achieve our mission and vision by:
We aim to achieve our mission and vision by:
Advocating for the SRHR of young people at the National, European and International levels.
Achieving youth participation in the field.
Organising and enabling active youth in the field of SRHR to collaborate more effectively and be heard.
Promoting and supporting awareness raising activities on SRHR of young people.
Our Achievements:
Our Achievements:
Young people in Europe and internationally have gained new and developed existing skills in advocacy and SRHR through YouAct training.
YouAct members have participated in events and high level meetings including sitting on discussion panels, representing YouAct on working groups and as participants, ensuring the European youth voice on SRHR is present.
YouAct’s independence process has been a source of learning for other youth led organisations wishing to follow a similar process.
YouAct’s partner organisations Internationally and in Europe have been supported by YouAct to encourage meaningful youth participation in their governance and developing, implementing and evaluating programmes, as a direct result of YouAct’s work with many of these organisations, they now have youth board members and have developed plans on youth participation.
As a source of information and knowledge YouAct has supported young people interested and enquiring about our work including students, young people working in other areas and marginalised young people.
YouAct has engaged young people from across the world in exploring SRHR within their local context and supported young people to explore this creatively through for example the ZoomIn! Project and a photo exhibition on HIV and SRHR linkages.
Opportunity has also been provided by YouAct for young people outside of the membership from across Europe to attend a number of trainings, conferences and high level meetings focusing on SRHR and HIV&AIDS.