Nilüfer Municipality gives young people a permanent seat at the table, embedding youth participation directly into strategic planning and local governance.
FROM PASSIVE BENEFICIARIES TO DECISION PARTNERS
Young people are too often consulted without being heard. Join the Future, developed by Nilüfer Municipality in collaboration with civil society and international partners, set out to change this. The project established a sustainable participatory governance model that integrates youth perspectives directly into municipal strategic planning. Key actions included international training sessions with participants from six countries, local workshops focusing on city rights, and the development of a national Youth Participation Guide, building a strong foundation for meaningful and lasting youth engagement in local governance.
YOUTH AT THE HEART OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
What sets Join the Future apart is the depth of youth involvement. Rather than one-off consultations, young people served as active co-designers on the 2020-2024 and 2025-2029 Strategic Plan committees, directly shaping local policies. A permanent Youth Commission was established within the municipality to evaluate youth-related activities across departments twice a year, creating a transparent and accountable governance loop. This shift from symbolic participation to structural partnership transforms young people into genuine auditors and co-creators of urban management.
FROM NILÜFER TO NATIONAL IMPACT
The project has significantly strengthened the sense of urban belonging and civic responsibility among participants. Beyond Nilüfer, the National Youth Participation Guide provides a replicable roadmap for other local authorities seeking to embed meaningful youth participation into their governance structures. By institutionalising these mechanisms across two consecutive strategic planning cycles, Join the Future demonstrates that sustainable democratic inclusion is not only possible but replicable, offering a model for municipalities across Türkiye and beyond.
