Policy Jam Berlin – From Youth Voice to Youth Influence
On 8 September 2026, the Policy Jam Berlin brought together close to 30 youth workers, activists, educators and musicians from across Europe with experts working in political education, youth participation, children’s rights, policy and music.
At the centre of the discussion was one key question: What needs to change so that young people do not only have a voice, but real influence?
Drawing on experiences from different European countries and using the European Youth Goals as a common reference point, participants explored barriers to meaningful youth participation, the importance of reaching young people who are often excluded from political processes, and how institutions can build greater trust, transparency and accountability.
The discussion resulted in five recommendations for more meaningful youth participation:
- Make participation lead to something
- Start from young people’s realities – especially those we are not hearing
- Build long-term relationships, not one-off participation
- Communicate differently – and go local
- Use music and culture as spaces for participation
A central message emerged from the Policy Jam: giving young people a voice is only the beginning. The real challenge is to make their participation matter.
The recommendations will now feed into the Songs for Rights advocacy and policy dialogue activities, helping bring the experiences and perspectives of young people and youth practitioners into dialogue with decision-makers at local, national and European level.
