piano giovani 2021

A PROJECT BY
> RETE GIOVANI 2021 <

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the project

The Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent socio-economic crisis have made even more evident the profound generational inequality that afflicts Italy: the new generations are faced with discouraging and uncertain prospects for the future. Already in the pre-Covid era, Italy did not shine in terms of number of inactive people or youth employment rate, and the health crisis has undoubtedly worsened this picture. The demands of young people and not to focus on issues such as investment in school and research, youth employment, the need for development that focuses on sustainability and innovation, have often been overshadowed. Moreover, these voices have not been given the importance and attention they deserve: the result is evident in the few policies that embrace a long-term vision for the country. Today we are facing a transition phase which, if exploited with courage and foresight, could reserve new opportunities and bring back to the centre of attention issues that are close to the hearts of young people and, above all, central to Italy's future. It is therefore essential to ensure that this period of reconstruction represents a tangible qualitative change, an opportunity to put the future in the hands of those who will be the protagonists: the time has come to bring young people to the centre of the debate and the political agenda and make them an active part of the decision-making process of those choices that will have an impact on their future. This change must be structural and must involve young people, students and workers, from North to South, expat and non-expat, in an inclusive and disruptive way. In April, while Italy was facing the peak of the health emergency, we were repeating #everythingwillbefine as a mantra. Many of us wondered how to lend a hand and, in their small way, to contribute and be protagonists of the economic and social challenges that would inevitably be part of the restart. This desire to show the country that we young people are here, has given birth to many virtual initiatives that have shared the same desire to activate change. These initiatives were born from our urgent need to make our voice heard, build a dialogue with influential personalities and participate in the relaunch of Italy by creating spaces where we can meet, team up and plan concrete proposals. These initiatives have shown us that we can count on the confidence and willingness to engage in dialogue of academics, professionals and entrepreneurs who are ready to welcome our requests to give us the space we deserve. We also realized the need to build a stronger and more extensive network and gather the contribution of all young people, a fundamental basin to lay the foundations for a more inclusive, sustainable, innovative Italy. The signal given by the Government, in receiving the representatives of the National Youth Council to the States General of the Economy, which took place in Villa Pamphili on 13 June 2020, is a small step forward compared to a political debate that was not very inclusive and which did not consider us, as a generation, as a fundamental carrier of interest. We realised, therefore, that in order to create a space in this debate, a channel of communication and coordination is necessary, an amplifier of the energy of all Italian youth realities, a space where they can meet, discuss and draw together ideas and proposals: this is how the Youth Network 2021 was born.

THE PLAN: IL PIANO GIOVANI 2021

The Youth Plan 2021 represents the first elaboration developed by the Italian youth associations and realities belonging to the Youth Network 2021 in order to collect concrete proposals concerning crucial issues for the future of young people. With this document, delivered to the Government in view of the next Budget Law, we want to bring back to the centre of the debate and of the political choices the demands and interests of young people. The first draft of the Plan comes from the meetings of 4 and 18 July 2020, when the first 17 associations of the Youth Network met virtually to draw up an initial action plan. Adopting the methodological approach of the Sustainable Development Objectives (SDGs) of the United Nations, we identified three macro-objectives: Inclusive Society, Culture of Innovation and Environmental Sustainability. After an initial moment of comparison, the invitation to participate in this process has been extended to all Italian youth associations and entities. On 27 July, the Network delivered a letter to the Government, in which the initiative was presented and a first document exemplifying the 2021 Youth Plan, which today is the result of the work of 45 youth organizations. The Plan fits appropriately into the context of the ambitious Next Generation EU plan, an already eloquent name in itself, which requires the adoption of a far-sighted political agenda that lays out the basis for the future of the next generations through ambitious investments and structural reforms that have been set aside for years and thus opens up new scenarios for a rebirth of the country. We draw attention to the paradigm shift that the very definition of the plan itself requires: not a Recovery Plan, as we continue to define it, not to return to the status quo ante but to project ourselves into the future, towards the next generations and above all into a new trajectory of growth which, we will not tire of repeating, we want to be inclusive, sustainable and innovative. The Youth Plan 2021 represents the first elaboration developed by the Italian youth associations and realities belonging to the Youth Network 2021 in order to collect concrete proposals concerning crucial issues for the future of young people. With this document, delivered to the Government in view of the next Budget Law, we want to bring back to the centre of the debate and of the political choices the demands and interests of young people. The first draft of the Plan comes from the meetings of 4 and 18 July 2020, when the first 17 associations of the Youth Network met virtually to draw up an initial action plan. Adopting the methodological approach of the Sustainable Development Objectives (SDGs) of the United Nations, we identified three macro-objectives: Inclusive Society, Culture of Innovation and Environmental Sustainability. After an initial moment of comparison, the invitation to participate in this process has been extended to all Italian youth as appropriate. On 27 July, the Network delivered a letter to the Government, in which the initiative was presented and a first document exemplifying the 2021 Youth Plan, which today is the result of the work of 45 youth organizations. The Plan fits appropriately into the context of the ambitious Next Generation EU plan, an already eloquent name in itself, which requires the adoption of a far-sighted political agenda that lays out the basis for the future of the next generations through ambitious investments and structural reforms that have been set aside for years and thus opens up new scenarios for a rebirth of the country. We draw attention to the paradigm shift that the very definition of the plan itself requires: not a Recovery Plan, as we continue to define it, not to return to the status quo ante but to project ourselves into the future, towards the next generations and above all into a new trajectory of growth which, we will not tire of repeating, we want to be inclusive, sustainable and innovative.

The model adopted for the drafting of the plan follows the methodological structure of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Specifically, the document is organised into three macro-areas, which define crucial objectives for the future of young people. Within each macro-area, there is a further subdivision into sub-themes, which detail the objectives into specific themes. Finally, for each sub-theme there are two different sections: indicators to measure the actual achievement of these objectives, and the description of specific and concrete proposals. Despite the fact that there are many issues that are particularly close to our hearts, the need to act effectively and in a limited time frame has led us to limit the content of the Plan to the areas of Inclusive Society, Culture of Innovation and Environmental Sustainability, strategic and absolutely priority areas for our future that we believe have not received enough attention so far.

the network: rete giovani 2021

The Youth Network 2021 (RETE GIOVANI 2021) was born last July from the union of dozens of young people who wanted to work together to represent young people in political debate and become the voice of an entire generation. The Network has been working from the beginning to work on a paradigm shift, a new approach that allows to bring concrete proposals to the centre of the political debate in a coordinated, inclusive, synergistic and structured way. For this reason, a model has been designed to offer a structure to collaboratively develop requests to be presented to the institutions. This process of involvement, which we think should become systematic and recurrent annually according to the preparation of the Annual Budget Report, provides for the definition of crucial macro-objectives for the future of young people, sub-themes that go to detail these objectives, indicators that measure their effective implementation and the definition of specific proposals. The forerunner initiative promoted by the Network for the grounding of this model and the promotion of a future that gives an active role to the new generations takes shape in the elaboration of this document: the 2021 Youth Plan.

© taken from: Piano giovani 2021, pg.6-9
translation by jacquard of living

how to take part

If you are a young Italian association and you would like to know more about the project or to be part of the network, do not hesitate to send us an email to info@jacquardofliving.com , we will be more than happy to work with you!