Expert seminar on European and international policy agendas on children, youth affairs and children's rights

12 AM – 2 PM  Arrival and hotel check-in

2 – 4 PM Reception and registration

4 – 5 PM Official welcome by the Flemish Minister of Youth, Benjamin Dalle, Marie-Cécile Rouillon, Maria Rodriguez, Tobias Flessenkemper and Karen Van Laethem

5 – 5.30 PM Follow-up of the Spanish EU Presidency: presentation of the outcome of the European child participation meeting

• Speaker: Lucía Losoviz

5.30 – 6 PM Building on the comparative analysis of child & youth policies at EU, CoE & UN levels: presentation and evaluation of the State of the Art document on the European and International Policy Agendas on Children, Youth and Children’s rights

• Speaker: Cristina Bacalso

6.30 – 9 PM Apéro and dinner​

8.30 – 9 AM​ Registration for remaining participants ​

9 – 9:30 AM Setting the scene

• Speakers: Jana Hainsworth, Spyros Papadatos, Matteo Bartolini, Ana Morgado, Dan Moxon

9:30 - 10.30 AM Coordination between the European Commission Coordinator for the Rights of the Child and the EU Youth Coordinator

• Speakers: Marie-Cécile Rouillon, Biliana Sirakova, Jan Vanhee

10.30 – 11 AM​ Coffee break​

11 AM – 12.30 PM​ Taking a deep dive into the participation instruments: experiences and state of play of the EU child participation platform, the EU Youth Dialogue and the CoE experience of involving children & young people in policy dialogue

• Speakers: Marie-Cécile Rouillon, Nicholas Kujala, Spyros Papadatos, Cristina Bacalso

12.30 – 2 PM​ Lunch break

2 – 3.30 PM​ Break-out session 1 with four break-out rooms:​

• 1A Integrating child & youth policies at a national level
  Speakers: Linda O'Sullivan, Dorien De Vries, Ann-Kathrin Fischer, Nina Priebsch
• 1B Integrating child & youth policies at a national level
  Speakers: Carola Meier and Alina Seel
• 1C What research tells us about EU child & youth policies & the potential for greater synergies
  Speakers: Dr. Frederike Hofmann-van de Poll, Dr. Howard Williamson, Chiara Carla Montà, Dr. Astrid Podsiadlowski
  
  • Dr. Hofmann-van de Poll & Dr. Williamson will present the study: “European Youth Strategies - A reflection & analysis”
  • Chiara Carla Montà will present the study: "Child Participation – An analysis of international & European policies on children’s rights”
    
• 1D Monitoring implementation of EU child & youth policies
  Speakers: Sladjana Petkovic, Giulia Salvetti, Pietro Gagliardi
  • How are we measuring the implementation of the EU’s child rights and youth strategies? We will hear from experts responsible for monitoring frameworks in the youth sector from the EU, OECD & UN.

3.30 – 4 PM​ Coffee break​

4 – 5.30 PM​ Break-out session 2 with four break-out rooms:​

• 2A Brainstorming & sharing of experience on integrated child & youth policies at a national level
  Speakers: Linda O'Sullivan, Dorien De Vries, Ann-Kathrin Fischer, Nina Priebsch
• 2B Brainstorming & sharing of experience on integrated child & youth policies at a national level
  Speakers: Carola Meier, Alina Seel, Joan Weber
• 2C Brainstorming & sharing of experience on integrated child & youth policies
  Speakers: Dr. Frederike Hofmann-van de Poll, Dr. Howard Williamson, Chiara Carla Montà, Cristina Bacalso
• 2D Institutionalising child and youth participation in EU agenda-setting
  Speakers: Karen Van Laethem, Adriana Negueruela Macias, Ana Rizescu
  • The EU Youth Dialogue has established mechanisms for youth engagement which influences the design and implementation of youth policies. Systematic and meaningful children’s participation is still in its infancy.

6.30 – 10 PM​ Dinner

9 – 10.30 AM Break-out session 3 with four break-out rooms:

• 3A When & how to involve children and youth in public decision-making?
  Speakers: Simon Truwant, Marta Kuljon
  • The Belgian Children's Rights Knowledge Centre Keki will present their tool “The participation circle” on why, when & how to engage children in a meaningful way in public decision-making.
• 3B Minimum age policies & associated challenges
  Speakers: Dr. Ally Dunhil, Alina Seel, Cristina Bacalso
  • What lessons can be drawn for EU child and youth policies? What is the scope for convergence across the EU on minimum age policies?
    
• 3C Mental health support for refugee & migrant children & young people
  Speakers: Sibille Declercq, Jolien Potemans, Aagje Ieven and Ronja Ulvfot
  • 4 short presentations of different practices responding to the mental health needs of children and young people, followed by a discussion.
    
• 3D Reflections on child & youth mental health & access to services
  Speakers: Sarah Meys and Fatima Awil

10.30 – 11 AM Coffee Break

11 AM – 12 PM Break-out session 4 with four break-out rooms:

• 4A Inclusive communities through active participation
  Speakers: Mieke Schuurman, Lorella Gatt, Vica Hortobágyi
  • The Malta Foundation will present how they have involved children and young people in the design and creation of safe open spaces in the community. 
  • Eurochild will present how their participation work is reaching the most marginalised groups of children and youth.
  • SOS Children's Villages International will present the "Together" project.
• 4B Child and youth participation in urban planning
  Speakers: Mona Meienberg, Bettina Schwarzmayr, Dr. Maria Herczog
  • How do we make and maintain child- and youth-friendly public spaces and sustain meaningful and inclusive child and youth participation over time?
• 4C Ensuring children’s and youth health & safety in public spaces
  Speakers: Sander Van Thomme, Roméo Matsas, Gitte Van der Biest and Jessica Vosters
• 4D Child-Friendly cities label – presentation and good practice in Leuven
  Speakers: Katelijne Wouters, Imke Pichal
  • Bataljong will present the child-friendly city label.
  • A representative of the city of Leuven (our host city) will speak about its journey to become a child-friendly city.

12 – 12.15 PM Coffee break

12.15 – 1.15 PM Reflections from the seminar Rapporteur Dan Moxon and official closing statements by the Flemish Minister of Youth, Benjamin Dalle and Olena Chernykh.

1.15 – 2.30 PM Lunch break 

2:30 PM – 5:00 PM Departure of participants