Youth participation
In The Netherlands, there is no specific definition of youth participation. Participation is a generic term. On one hand, participation can be described as young people’s opportunities to influence decision making structures. On the other hand, it also relates to young people’s opportunities to take initiatives to be actively involved in society.
The responsibilities for preventive youth policy, including participation, are laid down in various sections of the Social Support Act. In practice, youth participation is getting more and more attention here due to the growing positive approach to youth policy.