Citizen dialogues with young people in Åland during the Covid-19 pandemic

In the Åland Islands, the local government carried out consultations with their citizens about their perspectives on the Covid-19 crisis in the spring of 2020, when the crisis was not yet over. Ten consultations were conducted, of which two were carried out exclusively with young people.
The results from the dialogue were compiled in a report that was presented to the regional government. For many young people, the pandemic had been disruptive, with distance learning instead of physical classes and the suspension of many after-school activities. They felt it had been difficult to engage in their hobbies and maintain social relations and they also missed their elderly relatives. As a final reflection, the young people stated that it was good that the regional government was interested in their experiences and that they hoped to be invited to more consultations.
Key learning: Citizen dialogue with specific focus groups comprising children and youth can provide important perspectives during a crisis. However, it is important to ensure that the perspectives of children and youth are really taken into account, and to show how they have influenced decision making.
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