The European Youth Forum (, YFJ) is an international non-profit association that serves as an umbrella organisation and advocacy group of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe. It works on youth rights in international institutions such as the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations.
The European Youth Forum is one of the highest-funded youth-oriented NGOs in Europe. The forum works mostly in the fields of youth policy and youth work development. It focuses its work on European youth policy matters, whilst through engagement on the global level, it is enhancing the capacities of its members and promoting global interdependence. In its daily work, the European Youth Forum represents the views and opinions of youth organisations in all relevant policy areas and promotes the cross-sectoral nature of youth policy towards a variety of institutional actors. The principles of equality and sustainable development are mainstreamed in the work of the European Youth Forum.
It consists of 44 National Youth Councils and 61 international youth NGOs, a total of 105.
History The European Youth Forum is a European international organization, which was established in 1996 by national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organizations. It works as the successor to the Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC), Youth Forum of the European Communities (YFEU), and the European Co-ordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations (ECB). CENYC and ECB had been representing youth interests since the sixties.Archived profile of the Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC), held in the European University Institute - Historical Archives of the European Union, 1994-2006 . The YFEU was set up by them in the late 1970s to work vis a vis the European Union (then called the European Community). The establishment of a single structure replacing all three was a major rationalization.
In April 2026, the European Youth Forum was designated as an undesirable organization in Russia.
Vision, mission, and aims According to the European Youth Forum their Vision, mission, and aims are as follows:
Vision To be the voice of young people in Europe, where young people are equal citizens and are encouraged and supported to achieve their fullest potential as global citizens.
Mission The European Youth Forum is an independent, democratic, youth-led platform, representing national youth councils and international youth organizations from across Europe.
The Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in society to improve their own lives, by representing and advocating their needs and interests and those of their organizations.
Aims Increase the participation of young people and youth organizations in society, as well as in decision-making processes; Positively influence policy issues affecting young people and youth organizations, by being a recognized partner for international institutions, namely the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations; Promote the concept of youth policy as an integrated and cross-sectoral element of overall policy development, namely through youth mainstreaming; Facilitate the participation of young people through the development of sustainable and independent youth organizations at the national and international level, particularly in respect to ensuring dependable, adequate funding for them; Promote the exchange of ideas and experience, mutual understanding, as well as the equal rights and opportunities among young people in Europe; Uphold intercultural understanding, democracy, respect, diversity, human rights, active citizenship, and solidarity; Contribute to the development of youth work in other regions of the world.
The European Youth Forum has the task of nominating 20 young people from its member organizations for the Advisory Council on Youth, 13 representatives from international youth organizations (INGYOs) and seven representatives from national youth councils for a two-year mandate. These are elected democratically by the member organizations, usually at the Council of Members (COMEM) in Brussels in spring.
Organisation Presidents DatePresidentNationalityNominating organization(s)2026-Mr Caillum HeddermanWorld Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)2024-2026Mr Rareș VoicuOrganising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU)2023-2024Ms María Rodríguez AlcázarSpanish Youth Council (CJE)2021–2022Ms Silja MarkkulaWorld Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), Finnish National Youth Council Allianssi ry (Allianssi)2019–2020Ms Carina AutengruberOesterreichische Kinder- und Jugendvertretung (ÖJV), International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements (FIMCAP)2017–2018Mr Luis Alvarado MartinezAssociation des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE-Europe)2015–2016Ms Johanna NymanFinnish Youth Cooperation (Allianssi)2011–2014Mr Peter MatjašičYoung European Federalists (JEF)2009–2010Mr Tine RadinjaNational Youth Council of Slovenia (MSS)2007–2008Ms Bettina SchwarzmayrEuropean Student Information Bureau (ESIB)2005–2006Mr Renaldas VaisbrodasLithuanian Youth Council (LiJOT)2003–2004Mr Giacomo Filibeck2001–2002Mr Henrik Söderman1999–2000Mr Pau Solanilla1997–1998Ms
Current Board Each board elected by the entire membership every 2 years at the General Assembly, it is made up of: President nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC) and/or an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO). Vice-president nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC) Vice-president nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO) 4 board members nominated from a National Youth Council (NYC) 4 board members nominated from an International Non-Governmental Youth Organization (INGYO) The Secretary-General attends the board meetings as a non-voting ex-officio
NamePositionNationalityNominating OrganizationCaillum HeddermanPresidentWorld Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)Chloë CauchiVice President (NYC)Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ (KNŻ)Agata Berenika CybulskaBoard Member (INGYO)World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)Aisling MaloneyBoard Member (NYC)National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)Daria BuriiBoard Member (NYC)National Youth Council of Ukraine (NYCU)David Ruíz SánchezBoard Member (INGYO)World Esperanto Youth Organisation (TEJO) Maria MarkkulaBoard Member (NYC) Finnish National Youth Council and Youth Sector (FYCS, formerly Allianssi)Marin CapanBoard Member (NYC) Croatian Youth Network (MMH)Mark HealyBoard Member (INGYO)European Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations (YMCA)Vita DavydovaBoard Member (INGYO)Young European Greens (FYEG)
Secretaries-General NameTermMr Milosh Ristovski2023–2026Mr Joe Elborn2020–2022Ms Anna Widegren2017–2020Mr Allan Pall2014–2017Mr Giuseppe Porcaro2009–2014Mr Diogo Pinto2005–2009Ms Johanna Tzanidaki2003–2005Mr Kim Svendsen2001–2002Mr Tobias Flessenkemper1998–2001Ms Hrönn Pétursdóttir1997–1998Mr Stephen Grogan1996
Funding The European Youth Forum received €30.7 million in EU funding between 2014 and 2025, making it one of the largest beneficiaries among civil society organisations supported by EU grants. In 2012, almost 87% of the Youth Forum income stemmed from annual grants from international institutions. 83.9% of the total income came from the European Communities' Budget, through a grant from DG Education and Culture, while around 3.2% was from Council of Europe grants.
Partnership projects also constitute an essential part of Youth Forum income, and such income includes the support of partner organizations for concrete activities, e.g. YFJ Member Organisations hosting YFJ meetings, or grants from foundations or other entities, such as the United Nations, Governments or Local Authorities.
Volunteer Time Contributions (VTCs) are an essential source of external funding, and which allow the YFJ to fulfill its co-funding requirements as per the European Commission. VTCs also represents the further recognition of volunteer work as an important contribution to society and to the work of youth organizations. These contributions in 2012 represent approximately 4.8% of the Youth Forum budget.
According to a 2025 report by MCC Brussels, “The EU’s Propaganda Machine: Funding NGOs to Promote EU Values,” the European Youth Forum received approximately €30.7 million in EU funding between 2014 and 2025, mainly through multiannual operating grants under the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme and its predecessors. This made YFJ one of the highest-funded youth-oriented NGOs in Europe. The report’s authors argued that EU-funded organisations such as the Youth Forum “blur the line between independent youth representation and institutional advocacy.”
Membership The European Youth Forum has 104 member organizations of two types of Membership: National Youth Council and International Non-Governmental Youth Organization, of which there are three levels: Observer, Candidate and Full member. Only full members may vote at the statutory meetings of the Forum.
According to the statues: All members have to fulfill the following general criteria: to accept and work for the purpose of the Forum; to be a non-governmental and not for profit organization; to have democratic aims and structures and accept the principles of the European Convention of Human Rights; to fully acknowledge the Statutes of the Forum; to work with young people and have a decision-making body controlled by young people; not to be subject to direction in their decisions by any external authority.
National Youth Councils Presently there are 43 National Youth Councils who are members of the European Youth Forum. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Turkey don't currently have recognized National Youth Councils.
National Youth Council members must: be the national coordination body of non-governmental youth organizations in a European State; be open to all democratic youth organizations at the national level. To be full members they must be open to all and represent most of the main democratic youth movements and organizations at the national level in that State.