Highlights report - Young LEADER Forum

The Young LEADER Forum, organised in close cooperation with the European Commission and Finnish National Network,  was the first opportunity for the EU CAP Network to bring motivated young people from rural areas and people connected with LEADER at local level together with organisations and administrations from regional, national, and EU levels. The key characteristic of the Young LEADER Forum was its participatory nature - Forum activities were co-led by the young participants, who were actively involved in the facilitation of group discussions, reporting, team navigation in an exciting orienteering session, and communicating event outcomes.

The intensive two-day programme was informally opened on the evening of the participants’ arrival. The Finnish hosts prepared a networking dinner, with the opportunity of meeting Finnish Local Action Groups (LAGs) from the area, and organised a task-card game. In parallel, a transnational cooperation (TNC) corner welcomed participants interested in finding a TNC partner, provided information on EU CAP Network support to TNC, and offered a space for participants for informal discussions on TNC.

The formal opening of the Forum, on the morning of Wednesday 12 June, included welcome messages, followed by inspiring insights into the involvement of young people in LEADER. The programme continued with an intense World Café session devoted to the role of young people in implementing LEADER. Young participants were involved in facilitation and reporting back on the outcomes. Four main topics guided the group conversations: Youth leadership in civic activity and democratic engagement through LEADER; Youth involvement in LEADER decision-making; Connecting & promoting people and place; and Involvement in LEADER Projects. A more comprehensive overview of the topics discussed and main takeaways is available on the event page.

The afternoon session was devoted to a dynamic participatory activity on fostering an international young LEADER community. In a reflection on the afternoon interactive session, ELARD representatives – inspired by the proposals presented and the exceptional enthusiasm of participants - announced that they would take a first concrete step and launch the Young LEADER Community following the event.

The EU CAP Network will look to incorporate the Forum outcomes into future work, as well as involving participants in foreseen EU CAP Network activities, including Thematic Groups and networking clusters, whilst also highlighting the role of young people in the Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards (ARIA).