In line with the European Commission’s embedding of Strategic Foresight in better policymaking, DG International Partnerships uses Foresight to shift our mind-set from the here-and-now (reactive) to future-in-the-making (anticipatory). In a world facing global challenges such as climate change, digital and green transitions, health emergencies, inflation, wars, power shifts and geopolitical tensions strategic foresight helps organisations like ours to anticipate long-term change to make better decisions in the present day.
Using foresight tools can help to integrate youth perspectives into EU external action, focusing on desired futures, transition pathways, and trends. Through the Youth Action Plan in EU external action (YAP) the EU builds a partnership with young people worldwide by engaging, empowering, and connecting them through various processes and actions. The Y4F toolkit supports the implementation of the YAP, in particular the commitments to increase the voice and leadership of young people, promote their involvement in the EU external policies and actions, as well as to enhance institutional capacity and expertise of EU staff on how to engage with young people.
Youth4Foresight (Y4F) Toolkit
The Y4F toolkit is designed for EU colleagues and other experts who engage with young people as part of EU external action (such as Youth Sounding Boards at EU Delegation level, youth organisations, and any other kind of youth advisory structures at local or national level). However, the approach detailed in the toolkit can be used by anyone who wants to work with youth in the context of foresight.
We recommend that you start your journey by reading the Introduction to the Y4F Toolkit or watching the introductory webinar. The full toolkit and webinars are universally available and can be accessed here.
Our toolkit and additional materials are accessible in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
