Municipality of Gaia
https://www.cm-gaia.pt/pt/cidade/juventude/, 4400 Gaia, Portugal
Concrete tool
The main objetives of Gaia Participatory Budgeting for Youth are:
– To emphasize the quality of democracy and its tools, spreading the good values of democracy;
– Promote youth participation in decision making processes;
– to rehinforce the commitment of Gaia different youth(s);
– To support glocal approaches, strenghtening european citizens and SDG’S;
– To make a clear contribution to the city global development – smart investment, resilience and, in the last chapter, raising life quality standards;
Gaia Participatory Budgeting for Youth is an opportunity that the Municipaly of Gaia provides to all young people of Gaia (13-30 yo) to be effective change makers on the daily life of the city.
On 2023 GPB + Youth edition, a slice of 240 thousand euros of municipal budget were reserved to projects thought and defined by young people. It is divided in three areas: creativity, culture and sports; environment and sustainability; and social inclusion. Projects can be submitted until a total amount of 40 thousand euros. Through voting process, young people select two winning projects per area. Winning projects are implemented in the following year.
There is a submission period, in where youth workers go to schools and parishes in order to present GPB + Youth and show project’s concrete benefits. After that period, a technical committee composed by several municipal departments/members of youth council/ youth national representatives select which projects can or can’t have green light for the voting stage.
After the voting stage and the public ceremony, projects are implemented by municipal services. In all the process, there is full presence of young people.
This is the 4th edition of GPB and participation of young people has increased from edition to edition.
The clear involvment of young people in the decision making process and a clear statement: if you vote you can make the difference. If you vote things happen;
The implementation of several projects is making the difference: a first animal park was born in Gaia due to GPB + Youth; a gym for the elderly; a project called “STOP Bullying”, composed by a handbook and a board game destined to prevent bullying in elementary schools and kindergarters; a sensorial garden; a multigenerational park for all; and “Believe in Future”, a project destinated to make a solid bridge between companies and young people in universities are some examples of what’s being implemented so far;
On an immaterial approach, we can realize that GPB + Youth is an effective contribution for the feeling of belonging to Gaia, and an effective tool to promote youth participation. In fact, even the areas of participation are defined together with young people.
Youth work policy