🇭🇺 Erasmus+ Seminar in Hungary 🏛️ Why Municipal Youth Participation? 🗳️

Youth participation is decided, in practice, at the local level — in towns, districts and regional councils — yet that is exactly where the tools and standards are often weakest. "Why Municipal Youth Participation?" is a joint Erasmus+ Seminar of the Council of Europe Youth Department (within its "Youth revitalising democracy" project) and the Democracy Reloading Partnership of Erasmus+ national agencies, taking place at the European Youth Centre Budapest, Hungary, from 16 to 21 November 2026, bringing together 50 municipal youth-policy practitioners. At Youth Works Hub we gather funded Erasmus+ and European youth-policy opportunities, and this one goes straight to the people who design and run local youth participation.

What the Seminar Is About

The seminar supports local and regional municipalities in designing and implementing participative youth policies in line with the new European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life. The Charter is the key standard for youth participation at local and regional level: first adopted in 1992, it was thoroughly revised in 2024–2025 with input from more than 400 stakeholders, and adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2026. The Council of Europe and its partners at international, national and local level are now taking measures to secure the implementation of the Charter's provisions — and this seminar is part of that effort.

🗳️ New to this area and what it covers? Here's the essential guide: What Are Erasmus+ Youth Participation Activities? → https://youthworkshub.org/youthparticipation

Objectives

🏛️ Become familiar with the provisions of the new European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life, and identify ways to implement them in participants' own realities;

📚 Learn about Council of Europe standards for local youth participation in democratic life, and understand the Democracy Reloading concept and its tools supporting municipal youth participation in decision-making;

🤝 Share experience and practices among participants;

🔎 Gain insight into the practices of municipal youth participation in the municipality of Budapest and its district municipalities.

Programme

The programme will include an introduction to the Council of Europe's key standards on youth participation; an introduction to the Democracy Reloading concept and its tools; study visits to local practices of municipal youth participation in Budapest; and a presentation of relevant tools and resources of the Council of Europe and the Democracy Reloading Partnership.

Who Can Apply

The seminar is for municipal youth policy officers and their partners — locally elected political representatives, local youth councils and youth civil society — engaged in planning and implementing local or regional youth participation policy and practice. It is recommended for youth leaders, youth policy makers and youth policy officers. To take part you should:

✅ Be resident and work in a Council of Europe member State (exceptions possible if duly justified);

✅ Be able to communicate independently in English.

Priority will be given to participants from the partner countries of the Democracy Reloading Partnership, but not exclusively. The seminar is open to participants from Erasmus+ Programme countries, Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries, plus Andorra, Monaco, Morocco, San Marino, Tunisia and the United Kingdom.

🧭 Want to understand this activity format itself? Here's the guide: What Is an Erasmus+ Seminar? → https://youthworkshub.org/erasmus-seminar

Costs and What's Covered

There is no participation fee — participants are pre-selected by the sending Erasmus+ national agencies and SALTOs. Accommodation and meals are provided by the Council of Europe at the European Youth Centre Budapest (meals from dinner on Monday until breakfast on Saturday). For travel reimbursement, participants should contact their Erasmus+ national agency or SALTO Centre for details. Participants are expected to arrive on Monday 16 November and may leave on Saturday 21 November, and receive a Youthpass certificate.

🇭🇺 Also drawn to Hungary? Take a look at this ESC Volunteering — Activity Leadership and Engagement in 🇭🇺 Hungary → https://youthworkshub.org/22595

About the Organisers

The seminar is organised by the Council of Europe — Europe's oldest and leading intergovernmental organisation dedicated to human rights, democracy and the rule of law — together with Democracy Reloading and, as a co-organising Erasmus+ national agency, the Bureau International Jeunesse (BIJ).

🕵️ Prefer another project on democratic values and critical thinking? See this Erasmus+ Youth Exchange — Truth Seekers: Media Literacy in 🇨🇾 Cyprus → https://youthworkshub.org/erasmus-youth-exchange-truth-seekers-media-literacy-cyprus

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Who is this for? Municipal youth-policy officers, locally elected representatives, local youth councils and youth civil society working on local/regional youth participation.

❓ What are the dates and venue? 16–21 November 2026 at the European Youth Centre Budapest, Hungary.

❓ What does it cost? No participation fee; accommodation and meals covered by the Council of Europe; travel reimbursement handled via your Erasmus+ national agency or SALTO.

❓ What are the language and residence requirements? Independent English, and residence/work in a Council of Europe member State (exceptions if justified).

Deadline

⏳ 15 September 2026 (24:00 UTC), with selection results by 28 September 2026. This closes soon — Youth Works Hub keeps time-sensitive Erasmus+ opportunities like this in one place so you can apply before they close.

How to Apply

📝 Apply online through the joint Council of Europe – Democracy Reloading application form. Note that participants are pre-selected by sending Erasmus+ national agencies and SALTOs, so also coordinate with your national agency.