Invest in youth, invest in the future

The European Youth Strategy is one of the most topical issues of European politics, as its principles and priorities have an effect on the generation on which our future depends. We - as the largest political group in the European Parliament - have tried to do our best to give adequate answers to the challenges facing our youth nowadays.

Encouraging young people to actively participate in society

The economic crisis has hit young people particularly hard. The disparity between socially active and socially passive young people has also grown, with some of them having increasingly lost their place in social and civil life.

This situation is further aggravated by the fact that, for some of them, there is a risk of social passivity (youngsters neither in education nor in employment), exclusion and isolation and even violent radicalisation.

We have to support and motivate young generations to learn languages, learn continuously and participate in smaller and larger communities to be active citizens of their country

We think it is necessary to create equal opportunities for all young people - to get quality education, training, jobs  - and to boost EU and national investment into young people. We have to support and motivate young generations to learn languages, learn continuously and participate in smaller and larger communities - in school life, in a youth organisation, in a faith community - to be active citizens of their country.

Some necessary life skills can be acquired or developed via non-formal education, volunteering, sports and artistic activities. These skills are useful for getting a job and for life in general as well.

There are some life skills that should be acquired by young people, such as complex problem-solving skills, critical and creative thinking, team work, leadership abilities and entrepreneurial attitudes, which can be acquired or developed via non-formal education, volunteering, sports and artistic activities. These skills are useful for getting a job and for life in general as well.

A good first job is very important, because it can affect the whole life of a young person. Initial success can motivate someone to improve themself and to try new fields and move forward. On the other hand, a bad first experience can result in frustration for young people that blocks their progress and decreases their level of motivation and self-confidence.

It is necessary to create equal opportunities for all young people - to get quality education, training, jobs

The importance of early work experience

I was lucky because I got my first job as a final year student at university. As there was a lack of English teachers in a secondary-grammar school in my hometown, I was offered the opportunity to teach there part-time.

Teachers have a huge effect on the young generation’s views, motivation and prospects for the future

It was a great experience, as a student in a Teacher’s Training Institute, to really experience working in a school from the inside and to really teach. I liked that year very much, though it was difficult to cope with my studies and with the duties of a teacher at the same time. Pupils were kind and they showed real interest in learning English, so I was motivated to bring them new exercises, games, songs and other activities from lesson to lesson, and tried to make my courses interesting and successful.

It was a great experience, as a student of a Teacher’s Training Institute, to really experience working in a school from the inside and to really teach 

Though to be a teacher is not too popular nowadays, I think this profession is highly important because teachers have a huge effect on the young generation’s views, motivation and prospects for the future.