Youth

The political participation of marginalized young people has gained increasing attention in both research and policy. This study examines the role of funding programs as meso-level infrastructures that mediate political strategies and local practice, aiming to strengthen the political participation of marginalized young people. Drawing on desk research and two expert focus groups at national and European levels, it explores how such programs can be designed to effectively reach and support young people who have not yet participated, or have only rarely participated, in political processes. The analysis focuses on four key dimensions: (1) conceptual frameworks and contextual factors, (2) the positioning of programs within broader structures and cross-sectoral strategies, (3) the inherent logic of administrative structures, and (4) programs’ responsiveness to the needs of practitioners and young people. Results show that finding answers to the question of how programs need to be designed in order to better promote the political participation of marginalized young people, cannot be obtained by looking exclusively at the program level but require an analysis of the relationships to the macro- (political strategies, concepts, structural changes) and the micro-level (implementation practices in projects by professionals and young people). The findings highlight the critical mediating role of programs as both a bridge and a lever between policymakers and young people/professionals in shaping access, and identify several enabling factors: moving beyond deficit-oriented narratives, strengthening bottom-up feedback mechanisms, increasing flexibility and support in administrative procedures, and recognizing the importance of local infrastructures. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the implementation dynamics at the meso-level and underlines the need for long-term, coherent, coordinated, and context-sensitive approaches in youth participation policy. Full article