A figure stands out: less than one in five young people in France claims to feel regularly involved in civic action. Institutional mechanisms are multiplying, yet youth seems to be looking elsewhere. Some local authorities are experimenting with participatory budgets reserved for those under 25, but these initiatives remain timid across the territory. Despite the record abstention recorded during the last European elections among 18-24 year-olds, new formats of engagement are emerging, shaking up the traditional codes of activism and volunteering.
Why youth engagement is a major issue for society
The way young people are involved in public life impacts today’s society as well as that of tomorrow. Yet, the reality persists: less than 2% of parliamentarians worldwide are under 30. The contrast does not go unnoticed, as INJEP regularly publishes studies on the expectations and practices of youth, highlighting the gap between what young people want and the little space they are given in political institutions.
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Dropping a ballot in the ballot box: this act is just one face of engagement. Many others take shape in associative action, the creation of citizen collectives, and the animation of online campaigns. Concerning gender, worrying disparities persist: young women and girls face persistent barriers, although the demand for representation is asserting itself. Accessing training, speaking up, and making decisions remains a hurdle to overcome for fairer collective dynamics. Some policies are bridging this gap, but real change is written over time.
The spectrum of engagement is widening: digital forums, independent groups, mobilization via social networks… Associations have no choice but to completely rethink their mechanics to truly involve young people in the life of the project, not just on paper.
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For a striking example of this energy at work, simply discover Adivak on Jeune et Actif: an initiative pathway that places youth in concrete action, far from the clichés of disengagement.
What innovative initiatives are emerging to stimulate civic participation among new generations?
In the face of feelings of exclusion or institutional distrust, youth is taking action on the ground. Without delay, youth civic initiatives are popping up all over France. The European Union and the European Commission are investing in mechanisms where the opinions and creativity of young people truly matter, whether locally or at the continental level. The challenge: co-construct and mobilize around concrete projects.
The Civic Service offers thousands of young people aged 16 to 25 each year the opportunity to participate in various missions: educational assistance, intergenerational solidarity, or environmental education. Getting involved in this way allows for skill acquisition and strengthens integration on multiple levels.
The speed at which forms of engagement are changing pushes associations to include young people in strategic decisions, to multiply action formats, and to adapt their communication to social networks. Some foundations, including Hippocrène, AG2R LA MONDIALE, and Société Générale, are focusing on youth projects, supporting civic innovation and social cohesion.
The OFAJ fosters Franco-German cooperation, generating exchanges and civic involvement on both sides of the Rhine. Other organizations like e-graine support young people in developing, managing, and implementing projects, giving them the keys to their own autonomy.
Social media plays an accelerating role: flash campaigns, digital mobilization, communities gathered around specific causes. This shift, analyzed by Jean-Gabriel Contamin, questions the transition from mere digital positioning to substantive involvement. It highlights a break: citizenship, for the new generation, is structured differently.
Portraits of concrete actions: inspiring examples driven by and for young people
Digital mobilization and grassroots actions
Recently, several new modes of engagement illustrate the creativity and determination of a generation:
- Digital mobilization: Social networks now serve as a sounding board: hashtags like #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, #ClimateStrike… These movements, sometimes born in just a few days, gather immense communities around shared struggles and mutual listening. Engagement becomes instantaneous, massive, and visible.
- Climate marches: Echoing Greta Thunberg, young people everywhere are leaving school to demand environmental measures. The action combines street presence, viral dissemination, and direct confrontation of decision-makers. Each of these mobilizations pushes the limits of passivity.
Feminist actions and inclusion
Here’s how some collectives have claimed public space to advocate for equality:
- Feminist posters: In many cities, organized groups, often led by young people, cover walls with messages denouncing violence and femicides. This action, quick and anonymous, forces the debate where others fear it, shaking up urban routine.
Individual engagement and leadership
Some individual journeys are as valuable as a collective manifesto. Two examples embody this dynamic:
- Bérangère Noureau works to bring out motivated students and ambassadors in schools through training and support. Kerry Bomayako embodies the ability to raise awareness, engage peers, and turn her own commitment into an example. It is these discreet, sometimes invisible stories that, when put together, redefine the collective strength of youth.
Youth, far from stereotypes of detachment or resignation, reveals every day its capacity to invent, gather, and occupy public space with its own codes. It is not disinterest that should be seen, but a renewal of means to act. Each generation must seize the baton before it slips through their fingers.