First, we want to thank the Nordic Welfare Centre for the valuable opportunity to work on this report. It has been highly instructive to collaborate with experienced experts such as Merethe Løberg and Clara Sommarin. We also extend our gratitude to Eva Franzén, Director of the Nordic Welfare Centre, who, along with Merethe and Clara, served on the editorial board of the project.
This report is a product of fruitful collaboration of researchers who joined forces to collect data on student councils and democratic participation of young people in the Nordic countries. A list of the researchers’ names appears
at the beginning of the report, and we extend our deepest gratitude to all researchers for the excellent co-operation during the data collection process. We look forward to continuing our Nordic co-operation, with the aim of publishing our findings in academic journals.
The main aim of the project has been to map the status of young people’s democratic participation, with a focus on student councils and how effectively these councils are used to ensure real opportunities for young people to express their voices and influence on issues that affect their lives, in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Recent global challenges – such as infectious diseases, natural disasters, and migration – highlight the urgent need to seek new solutions that are beneficial and meaningful for young people. We must build on the experiences gained during the Covid-19 pandemic while also learning from areas that could have been handled better. In future crises, it is crucial to ensure that well-defined platforms, opportunities, and resources are in place to prevent young people from being sidelined when important decisions are made. The wealth of young people’s ideas and creative solutions must not be overlooked.