The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe invites young people aged 18 to 30 to take part as youth delegates in its 52nd session (23-25 March 2027) and 53rd session (26-28 October 2027) in Strasbourg, France, and to develop their own grassroots project at home. Travel, subsistence and accommodation are covered by the organisers, and applications close on 30 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the official call and set out every condition below. This is a Council of Europe programme: it is not part of Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).
Rejuvenating Politics at a Glance
🏛️ Organiser: Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
📍 Place: Strasbourg, France
🗓️ Sessions: 52nd session on 23-25 March 2027 and 53rd session on 26-28 October 2027
🎂 Age: 18 to 30 years old on 31 December 2026
🌍 Who: young people who live in and hold the passport of one of the 46 Council of Europe member States
🎥 Video: a short video of no more than 30 seconds is part of the application
Not an Erasmus+ or ESC Project: Please Read First
⚠️ Different programme: Rejuvenating Politics is run by the Council of Europe's Congress, so the funding rules of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps do not apply
💶 Costs: the call lists no participation fee; the expenses it covers are set out in the travel and accommodation section below
🔎 Source: all details on this page come from the Congress's call for applications dated 4 November 2026
What the Congress Is
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is the Council of Europe's political assembly dedicated to strengthening local and regional democracy and upholding human rights and the rule of law at grassroots level in the organisation's 46 member states. It brings together elected representatives from local and regional authorities and provides a forum for political dialogue. The Congress monitors the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, observes local and regional elections and supports local and regional authorities when putting the Council of Europe's fundamental values into practice.
How the Congress Involves Young People
Since October 2014 the Congress has invited young people from different backgrounds, including youth activists, youth workers, students and youth political leaders, to take part in its sessions and meetings, express their views in debates and exchange with Congress members on the issues on its agenda. Since 2016, youth delegates have also been required to develop their own projects at local and regional level in between the sessions.
Three Parts of the Programme
🪑 Sessions in Strasbourg: youth delegates sit in the hemicycle alongside the Congress members
🛠️ Grassroots project: a local or regional project developed and implemented between the March and October sessions
🎤 Other events: possible participation in committee meetings, seminars, conferences and other Council of Europe or external events during the year
Taking Part in the Two Sessions
During the sessions, youth delegates sit in the hemicycle alongside the Congress members. A two-day preparatory meeting is held before each session. It is not a training session: it familiarises youth delegates with how the Congress works, and candidates should already have the public speaking skills to prepare short speeches and be able to analyse policy documents.
Youth delegates must commit to the whole of both sessions in 2027:
📅 First session: from Saturday 20 March (19.00) until the debriefing session on Thursday 25 March (17.00)
📅 Second session: from Saturday 23 October (19.00) until the debriefing session on Thursday 28 October (17.00)
🍽️ Dinners: organised before (20 March and 23 October 2027) and after (26 March and 28 October 2027) each session
Participation in only one session is not possible.
The Grassroots Project Between the Sessions
Between the March and October sessions, youth delegates develop a local or regional project related to the Congress's priorities or to thematic debates held during its 2027 sessions. Projects can take different forms, such as a conference, a mobile application, a presentation to a school or a podcast. Trainers support delegates through mentoring sessions to develop and assess their ideas.
💶 Funding: the Congress does not provide funding for project development
✉️ Introduction letter: delegates receive a letter to act as a visiting card in their dealings with local or regional authorities
📄 Materials: the Congress may also provide information documents and other material if needed
📘 Examples: the summaries of the projects of the 2026 youth delegates show the range of possibilities
────────────────────────────────────────
🌍 All opportunities in France →
────────────────────────────────────────
Aims and Objectives
The Congress wants young people to express their opinions directly to local and regional elected representatives, to make sure youth perspectives are heard and to promote young people's ongoing participation in democratic processes at international level and at home, in line with the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life. The specific objectives are to:
🤝 Involve young people directly in all aspects of the Congress's work
📢 Raise awareness among young people of the Congress's work and the tools it has developed to support youth participation
💬 Exchange with young people and raise Congress members' awareness of how local and regional youth participation can be boosted
🗣️ Bring youth perspectives to all thematic debates within the Congress
🔁 Multiply the experience: motivate and empower delegates to pass on what they learn at home, in particular through their own projects
🧩 Share information about existing models of youth-led structures
📣 Inspire young people to spread the word about the Congress's work
🏘️ Promote co-operation between Congress members and youth delegates
🗳️ Show national delegations the importance of officially including more young people as members
Compulsory Activities
The entire youth delegates programme is compulsory. Youth delegates who do not take part in one or more of these aspects are replaced by their national substitute delegate.
🎧 Preparation: all preparatory activities with the trainers, including possible online meetings, before each session
🏛️ Full attendance: both sessions, including the preparation days on the eve of each session and the evaluation meeting on the last afternoon of each session
💻 Videoconferences: several meetings with trainers between April and September to prepare the grassroots project
🛠️ Project: implementation of the project between April and mid-September 2027
Who Can Apply
All youth delegates should:
🌱 Motivation: be open, committed and motivated to develop and strengthen dialogue between young people and elected representatives at local and regional level
🎂 Age: be aged between 18 and 30 on 31 December 2026
🌍 Residence and passport: live in and hold the passport of one of the 46 Council of Europe member States
🧑🤝🧑 Youth work: be active in youth work at local and regional levels
📆 Availability: be available for the whole activity, including preparing the grassroots project
🏙️ Policy interest: have an interest in actively participating in policy-making at local and/or regional levels
🔁 Multiplying: be able to pass on the information obtained during the session on their return home
✍️ Skills: have good writing and public speaking skills
🌐 Teamwork: be committed to working in an intercultural team
🗨️ Language: speak English fluently; English is the working language of the non-formal sessions held alongside the official debates and committee meetings
Who Cannot Apply
🚫 Elected representatives: candidates must not be elected representatives at local, regional, national or European level
🔂 Previous participants: candidates must not have taken part in the initiative before
How to Apply and How Selection Works
Applications are submitted through the online application form. The written form includes detailed questions and may take some time to complete. Candidates must also submit a short video via an online link, sent together with the application.
🎥 Video length: no more than 30 seconds, preferably in English
🏷️ Video title: only the applicant's name and country
❓ Video content: do not spend time introducing yourself with name and country; answer the question indicated in the application form
⏱️ Availability: the video must stay accessible to the selection panel until 28 February 2027
📎 Part of the application: the video is an integral part of the application
The selection panel includes the Congress Spokesperson on Youth, the youth trainers and two members of the Council of Europe's Advisory Council on Youth. It ensures that the selected applicants form a balanced group in terms of gender, cultural background and experience. Applicants are informed of the results by 15 February 2027.
Travel, Subsistence and Accommodation
✈️ Travel and subsistence: covered by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities according to the Council of Europe's rules
🏨 Accommodation: provided and paid for by the organisers, in single-occupancy or shared rooms according to availability
🚫 Elsewhere: the organisers cannot cover the cost of accommodation elsewhere
Additional Participants: Morocco and Belarusian Democratic Forces
🇲🇦 Morocco: following a Congress Bureau decision of 5 December 2024, a youth delegate with Moroccan nationality may be designated in respect of Morocco in 2027; travel and subsistence are borne by the Moroccan delegation to the Congress, and applications follow the procedure described above
🕊️ Belarusian democratic forces: following a Congress Bureau decision of 15 December 2025, one youth delegate may be designated in respect of the Belarusian democratic forces; this delegate does not need to hold the passport of a Council of Europe member State but must live in one of these States and be able to travel to Strasbourg to take part in person; application forms are circulated by the Belarusian democratic forces and the completed form must be emailed to congress.youth@coe.int by 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET
Why Take Part
Being a Congress youth delegate is a chance to gain international experience as part of a diverse group of young people, to network and to make an impact by bringing youth perspectives to Congress debates. Looking for similar programmes? Browse more Others opportunities on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can become a Congress youth delegate in 2027?
Young people aged 18 to 30 on 31 December 2026 who live in and hold the passport of one of the 46 Council of Europe member States, are active in youth work and speak English fluently. Elected representatives and previous participants cannot apply.
Do I have to attend both sessions?
Yes. Participation in only one session is not possible. Delegates must attend the whole of the 52nd session (20-25 March 2027) and the whole of the 53rd session (23-28 October 2027), including the preparation days and the debriefing.
What costs are covered?
Travel and subsistence expenses are covered by the Congress according to the Council of Europe's rules, and accommodation is provided and paid for by the organisers in single-occupancy or shared rooms. The Congress does not provide funding for project development.
Is Rejuvenating Politics part of Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps?
No. It is a Council of Europe Congress programme and is not run under Erasmus+ or ESC.
What do I need to send with the application form?
A short video of no more than 30 seconds, sent as an online link together with the application. Its title should contain only your name and country, and it must answer the question indicated in the application form.
What happens if a delegate skips part of the programme?
The programme is compulsory. Delegates who do not take part in one or more of its aspects are replaced by their national substitute delegate.
When will applicants hear back?
Applicants are informed of the selection results by 15 February 2027.
Deadline
⏳ 30 November 2026
Links
🔗 Official call for applications: https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/call-for-applications-for-young-people-to-take-part-in-the-2027-edition-of-the-congress-rejuvenating-politics-initiative
🔗 Call for applications (PDF): https://rm.coe.int/call-for-applications-2027-yd-en/48802ea170
✉️ Contact: congress.youth@coe.int
