UNDER 30'

How can youth organisations move beyond chasing grants and build a sustainable future without compromising their values? In this episode of Under 30, we explore the new edition of T-kit 9 on funding and financial management with two of its authors. Discover why good fundraising starts with a clear mission—and how practical tools can help organisations strengthen their independence and long-term impact.

Guests: Tamás Mahner, Spyros Papadatos and Tanya Basarab.

Host: Dariusz Grzemny

Link to download the t-kit: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/t-kit-9-funding-and-financial-management

For almost three decades, since 1998, the Youth Partnership - one of the longest-standing cooperation programmes between the European Commission and the Council of Europe - has been building bridges between institutions, connecting youth policy, youth work, and youth research around issues that matter to young people and to democracy in Europe.
This Episode will discuss the new chapter of this cooperation (start date 1/01/2026) and explore what it means for young people, youth workers, and youth policy across Europe.

Guests:
Ingrid Bellander Todino - Head of the Youth and Intergenerational Fairness Unit in DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture in the European Commission
Tobias Flessenkemper - Head of the Youth Department in the Directorate for Democracy of the Council of Europe
Clotilde Talleu - the Manager of the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership

Host: Dariusz Grzemny
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Link
The Youth Partnership 2026-2028 workplan: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/activities

This episode of the Under 30 podcast of the EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership focuses on the brand-new edition of T-Kit 3 on project management, a key resource for everyone leading or dreaming up youth projects. Together with Mara Georgescu from the European Youth Foundation, editor and co-author Sebastian Schweitzer, and Tanya Basarab from the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership, the conversation explores what has changed since the first edition in 2000 and why this fully renewed T-Kit matters so much for today’s youth work.

Host: Dariusz Grzemny

Link to the T-kit: https://go.coe.int/NLvaV

This episode of UNDER 30 explores what recent research says about youth participation and civic space in Europe and beyond, and why the conditions created by laws, policies and funding matter so much for young people’s democratic rights.
You will also learn about tools and initiatives that can help youth organisations, activists and youth workers better understand these trends and strengthen their work in challenging contexts.

UNDER 30 is a podcast by the EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership, connecting research, policy and practice around issues that shape young people’s lives.

Guests: Ana Mosiashvili, Carlotta Magoga, Gilda Isernia
Hosts: Dariusz Grzemny and Lana Pasic

Links:
Global Youth Participation Index - https://gypi.epd.eu/
EU-Council of Europe youth partnership website on participation - https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/participation

This episode of Under 30 dives into the results and reflections from the 4th European Youth Work Convention (EYWC), which took place in May in Valletta, Malta, under the theme "Youth Work Xcelerate". Guests Alice Bergholtz and Jim O'Donovan (co-rapporteurs) and Laszlo Milutinovits (EU-Council of Europe youth partnership) discuss the convention's energy and momentum. They unpack the "noise" (perennial issues like funding and quality) and the "silence" (overlooked discussions, such as the struggle for recognition and the stark divide in support across Europe) in the youth work community. Finally, they touch on the convention's conclusions—including the new European code of ethics for youth workers—and the future roadmap for European youth work.

Check out all the resources and outcomes from the Convention here (including the graphic recordings)
Link to Coyote Youth Work Magazine Issue #38 on the Convention

This episode of UNDER 30 reviews the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership’s new study on rural youth transitions before and after COVID-19. The guests - Francisco Simões, co-author of the study and Ketrin Kastehein from Rural Youth Europe -  highlight data on changing opportunities, challenges, and transitions to adulthood for rural youth. They discuss slower progress and persistent gaps in education, jobs, and infrastructure, especially for young women and remote regions. Informal networks—family, friends, and youth organizations—emerge as critical support systems. The conversation addresses improvements needed in national and EU policies, such as access to digital tools, funding, and program outreach. Recommendations include creating multi-functional community spaces and ensuring Erasmus+ and youth programs reach rural youth more effectively.

Links:

Research on rural youth - https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/research-on-rural-youth

In this episode of UNDER 30, we explore the challenge of youth brain drain from the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, and Türkiye. Our guests Gökay Özerim and Samir Beharić explain why so many young, educated people are leaving, what this means for societies and youth work, and the hidden drivers behind the trend. We also discuss the demographic and social consequences across these regions, and look at the policy responses needed to address the issue.

Host: Dariusz Grzemny

*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this episode shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations' Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

Link:
Youth brain drain from the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership and Türkiye

This episode explores the evolving concepts of youth mainstreaming and youth perspective(s). Researchers Marco Kovačič and Tomaž Deželan emphasize that youth are not a homogeneous group, so it's essential to consider plural perspectives. The podcast contrasts these  terms with traditional ones like youth participation, showing how the new concepts better address policy integration. Case studies from Austria, Germany, and Croatia highlight varied national and local approaches. International organizations like the UN, OECD, and OSCE are also engaging in youth mainstreaming, though coordination among them remains limited. The episode concludes with the following recommendations: ensure political mandates, build coordination infrastructure, and create meaningful mechanisms for youth input in policy processes.
Hosts: Dariusz Grzemny and Tanya Basarab (EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership)

Links:
Youth Mainstreaming: the international perspective, by Tomaž Deželan, Slađana Petković and Marti Taru (2025)
Learning from national and local approaches to youth mainstreaming and the use of youth perspective in policy making across Europe by Dan Moxon, Marko Kovačić and Veronica Ștefan (2025)

In this episode, we explore findings from a new study on quality tools in youth work across 15 European countries. The discussion reveals that most national frameworks focus on structural policies and funding, with few practical tools for local youth workers. Notably, young people's voices are rarely included in defining quality, despite being central to youth work. Our guest highlights the need for more youth participation and practical, locally relevant approaches. 

Guests: Tomi Kiilakovski, Tanya Basarab
Host: Dariusz Grzemny

Link to the study: https://go.coe.int/GASb5

This episode of UNDER 30, the podcast of the European Union - Council of Europe youth partnership, delves into the topic of youth mental health and wellbeing. The discussion features Aagje Rottiers from Ambrassade in Belgium and Paavo Pyykkönen from the Finnish National Agency for Erasmus Plus and the European Solidarity Corps. We explore the increased importance of youth mental health post-pandemic, the role of youth work in supporting mental health, and specific initiatives like training modules for youth workers. Lana Pasic from the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership highlights the findings from ongoing studies and the role of youth organizations in providing mental health services. The episode also emphasizes the need for youth workers to understand their limits, recognize when to engage professional mental health services, and develop essential competencies to support youth mental health effectively.

Host: Dariusz Grzemny

Links:
Seminar on youth mental health and well-being