Latvia

Youth policy in Latvia, according to the EU Youth Wiki, is an interdisciplinary policy implemented by various public administration and local government authorities, as well as youth organisations.

The Youth Law (2009) creates the foundation for youth policy in Latvia, laying out the purposes and principles of youth policy and youth work, competencies and responsibilities of different actors, and funding guidelines.

The Youth Policy Implementation Plan 2021-2023 (draft) serves as a medium-term policy planning document for the implementation of the Youth Policy Guidelines 2021-2027 (draft) for the next three years. The aim of this plan is to ensure the coordination and development of youth work in Latvia with information, methodological and financial support in order to improve the life of young people and help them become independent, responsible members of society.

The yearly National Youth Policy Programme (currently for 2022-2024) is "designed to ensure the implementation of the tasks and measures set out in the youth policy development planning documents."

As stipulated in the Youth Law (2009) and several other policy documents, the Ministry of Education and Science has the primary responsibility for youth policy and youth issues. Its major tasks include development, organisation and coordination of youth policy; promoting cooperation within the field; organising trainings for youth workers; and enabling access to information. The Agency for International Youth Programs (JSPA) is part of this ministry and promotes youth activity and mobility and participation in non-formal education. A Youth Advisory Council exists to promote a coherent youth policy and encourage youth participation in decision-making and public life.

The Latvian Youth Council (LJP) acts as an umbrella for over 40 youth organisations in Latvia. Its main goals include:

• representing the interests of member organisations;
• developing youth work by strengthening the member organisations;
• informing society about youth policy; and
• promoting civic participation of young people.

According to the LJP's Operational Strategy for 2021-2023, ((no direct link exists, change link to YPL domain address once document is uploaded to library)) the majority of their funding stems from various project competitions (projektu konkursi) - making up 87% in 2019. Other sources of funding are membership fees and donations. The LJP is a member of the European Youth Forum.

The national Youth Law (2009) defines youth work as "a set of planned youth-oriented practical measures." It establishes four basic objectives of youth work:

1. Support and promote youth initiatives, creating favourable conditions for their intellectual and creative development;
2. Provide young people with the opportunity to acquire life-skills, knowledge and competences through non-formal education;
3. Enable young people to use their free time effectively;
4. Provide young people with access to information relevant to their needs.

According to the Youth Law, municipal governments provide the institutional framework for youth work, while being bound to a number of requirements and entitlements listed in the law.

Latvia's Youth Policy Implementation Plan 2021-2023 (draft) also includes a distinct policy outcome focusing on providing a support mechanism for youth workers. A 2019 interim evaluation of the previous Youth Policy Implementation Plan 2016-2020indicated that issues such as a high staff turn-over have a negative influence on achieving indicators related to this policy outcome.

According to Latvia's 2022 state budget, the Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) dedicated EUR 8.7 million (USD 9 million), or 2.2%, to the implementation of youth policy in 2022. This is an increase of EUR 1 million as compared to the 2020 state budget. The Youth Policy Implementation Plan 2021-2023 itself includes a yearly budget calculation for its implementation - which, in 2022, amounts to a total of EUR 24.8 million (USD 25.7 million). The largest allocation is dedicated to the IZM, but other ministries are also accounted for in the budget, reflecting the plan's cross-sectional nature.