Future Agents NOW
Future Agents NOW was a project, which aimed to support the participation of young people in international decision-making processes. This was done by strengthening the management and enhancing the diversity of youth delegate programmes, as well as building the capacities of youth delegates.
The project was managed by DUF, in cooperation with Allianssi and Eesti Noorteühenduste Liit (ENL), which are the national youth councils of Finland and Estonia respectively.
The project started in 2021 and concluded in 2024.
Future Agents NOW was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
Key Results
Future Agents NOW produced the publication: ‘Practical Guide for Youth Delegates to the United Nations: Tips from Fellow Youth Delegates’. The goal of this is to provide practical advice to Youth Delegates to the United Nations, based on the experience of the Youth Delegates that have come before them. The Practical Guide tackles subjects such as what to expect at international events and how to prepare for them, how to organize a side event, how to create a (social) media strategy and how to plan national events.
A set of minimum standards for European youth delegate programmes to the UN was produced. The goal of these standards is to provide a list of key characteristics, which are necessary to be met, in order to ensure quality youth delegate programmes across the European region. Read more here.
Future Agents NOW produced the report Global Youth Voices, which maps the functioning of youth delegate programmes to the UN in 27 different countries. The report was launched in New York in cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations on the margins of ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023. Read more here.
A virtual training on youth delegate programmes was developed. The training is designed to provide its users with a deep understanding of youth delegate programmes, empowering young people to engage effectively in global youth advocacy and decision-making processes. The training is targeted to those aiming to start a new youth delegate programme or improve their existing one.
Future Agents NOW arranged three international in-person trainings in 2023. Two of them were aimed towards youth delegates and held in Finland and Estonia. The third one focused on youth delegate programme managers and was held in Denmark.
A webinar in cooperation with the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations was organised in the autumn of 2023. The webinar focused on best practices of youth delegates programmes to the UN and was aimed towards youth delegates and representatives of ministries of foreign affairs.
As part of the Future Agents NOW project, DUF organised a best practice sharing lunch event in Copenhagen for Danish civil servants from different ministries working with youth delegates.
- The project conducted an in-depth analysis of diversity challenges within youth delegate programmes coordinated by the Danish, Estonian and Finnish youth delegate programmes. The analysis concluded with a set of recommendations to tackle such challenges.
