Sweden’s best youth forum is in Boden

“For us young people here in Boden, it’s completely natural to have a dialogue with our public officials and politicians,” says Julia Nordekvist, chair of the Youth Council.

The interest in young people’s opinions was clearly noticeable. The council chamber filled up quickly and extra chairs had to be brought in as young people, politicians, public officials, and organizations arrived to participate.

“We are not only Boden’s future but also its present,” says Ronja Olsson, who received the Youth Forum of the Year award in Stockholm together with Salim Abbassi.

The entire board expresses that Boden Municipality stands out in Sweden with its ability to capture the voices of young people here in Boden.

LONG-TERM WORK THAT DELIVERS RESULTS

The Youth Council in Boden was launched in 2007. Since then the youth initiatives have been complemented with a Youth Forum consisting of the Youth Council, the Youth Council’s board, advisory groups at the youth centers Chillet, Hörnet and Toppen, as well as youth representatives from the municipality’s service points. This Youth Forum is now inspiring both the municipality and the rest of the country with its work. Throughout the year, the young participants meet regularly to gather ideas, pursue issues, and create activities for other young people.

Every year, around 500 students take part in the Youth Council process. The work begins with workshops in schools and continues with a Preparation Day, during which the young people themselves select representatives for the issues to be discussed and for dialogue sessions.

Last year, Boden also became the first municipality in Sweden to establish an international youth council.

Youth representation in Boden is an important part of ongoing dialogue work and serves as a referral body for a wide range of issues. This well-established work, which truly makes a difference, combined with the international dimension of involving the municipality’s rapidly growing English-speaking educational programs, forms the basis for the Youth Forum of the Year award in Sweden.

“Our young people are leading the way and have enormous potential,” says Peter Holmbom, head of Recreation and Youth Services, Boden Municipality.

YOUNG PEOPLE’S VOICES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

This year’s Youth Council was held in both Swedish and English and included dialogue cafés, panel discussions, and opportunities to submit motions. The young participants raised everything from school meals and leisure activities to buses, lighting, culture, rural areas, and entrepreneurship.

Several proposals from previous years have already become reality, such as evening opening hours at youth centers and a minibus that transports young people between the town center and rural areas.