P3: Strategic Plan 2025-2030

Introduction

FYEG experienced a significant growth in organisational capacity and political
impact in the past decade. With the Green Wave in the EU elections 2019, FYEG’s
resources increased and the popularity of green topics as a whole also grew
among the general public, especially young people, as well as in institutional
spaces. Major milestones at the European legislative level, like the European
Green Deal, are hard to imagine as a reality if it wouldn’t have been for the
rising popularity of climate activism and political ecologism. In 2020, the FYEG
Executive Committee started a process for organisational change aiming to ensure
that FYEG would continue to develop and grow in a coherent and sustainable way
to be able to continuously work for a stronger young green European movement. As
a consequence of the comprehensive management of the increased capacities and
strategic planning, FYEG institutionalised its growth and impact in the European
Green family and in the youth-led European activist landscape. After the
exponential development under the strategic framework approved in May 2022, FYEG
is today ready to take the unfolding of its strategies to the next level,
envisioning a 5-years Strategy.

FYEG’s Strategy 2022-2025 was a milestone in our organisation, shifting from 2-
year strategic plans to a 3-years one. This document is meant to bring us to the
next step, with a 5-years strategy, in line with the integration and
systematisation of the consequences of our expansion. The Executive Committee
and the Office started to work on this process in February 2024, together with a
consultant, Organisation Development Support (ODS). They assessed FYEG’s
Strategic Plan 2022-25 and its associated framework, suggested avenues of
participation for FYEG’s bodies to contribute to this plan, and guided the FYEG
EC and Office to analyse, evaluate and prioritise the input in order to build
this strategy.

The investment in quality of our events and processes, the systematic and
compiled evaluation processes, and the general increase of resources and skills
of the leadership, professionals and volunteers, has many ways of materialising.
FYEG is today the Political Party Youth Organisation at the European level with
the biggest presence in almost all social media platforms, we have a
distribution list with 14,000 subscribers with an open rate above average for
similar lists. Internally, we count with an extensive set of guidelines to
facilitate handover processes upon election of Executive Committee members,
making it easier to set up the needed structures of the everyday management of
the organisation. Through the support of an Office that is bigger than ever and
with a staff retention rate without precedent, the EC can focus on political
work, bringing forward FYEG’s vision and ensuring the political relevance of our
activities.

This Strategic Plan is the result of the organisational change process. It is
based on a Member Organisations Survey and strategic focus discussions, as well
as in outcomes and takeaways of discussions held between the members of the
Executive Committee (2023-24, and 2024-25) and of the Office. It acknowledges
the relevance of the four strategic focuses approach of the previous strategy,
and builds on them to set new objectives, that will be translated into specific
actions in the annual Financial and Activity Plans to come.

According to our Political Platform, FYEG’s main goal is a feminist, diverse,
democratic, sustainable and social Europe. In order to achieve our goal we use
different channels, political arenas and tools.

Strategy 2025-2030 consultation process
takeaways

The survey sent to Member Organisations focused on (1) capacity-building, (2)
the quality of the network opportunities and capacities provided by FYEG, (3)
the evaluation of the focuses of the Strategy 2022-25, and on (4) diversity.
59.5% of FYEG’s MO participated in the survey, with the following regional
representation:

Regional distribution of the respondents to the survey:

Participation to the survey per region:

Based on the input provided, interpreted by ODS and also analysed with FYEG’s EC
and Office vis-à-vis the results collected in the Strategic Framework 2022-25,
and other monitoring tools, like the inclusion audit and MO assessment, the
following conclusions were drawn as guides of this Strategy 2025-30:

Along with FYEG’s monitoring and analysis of members' engagement with FYEG
activities, the results of the survey were fundamental in understanding the
needs of the member organisations and incorporating them in FYEG’s strategy.

Vision, mission and strategic focus

Vision

FYEG’s core vision is a just, feminist, diverse, democratic, sustainable Europe
where people are happy and free. Run by young people, for young people, FYEG’s
core mission is to empower young people to bring forward their perspectives in
order to realise this vision, in line with green values.

Strategic focus

In order to realise its vision and mission, FYEG will continue to focus on:

Practical implementation

To realise its mission, FYEG is led by its Executive Committee and run by the
Office. The FYEG Executive Committee is elected by FYEG’s member organisations
at the annual General Assembly. The FYEG Office is based in Brussels, Belgium
and is managed by the Secretary General, who is elected at the General Assembly
every 3 years. In realising its mission, FYEG is guided by its Political
Platform that is adopted by Member Organisations at the General Assembly and
lines out the organisation’s political positions and values in detail.

Strategic objectives

Find below the strategic objectives for each strategic focus:

1. Strengthening the FYEG Network and Membership
Coordination

FYEG will reach its 40 years of history during the implementation of this
Strategic Plan. During decades, young Europeans have joined forces at the
European level as part of their activism and affiliation to dozens of different
Young Green organisations across the continent. Multiple generations of Young
Greens have unified their aspirations, learnt from each other, and brought their
demands to the European level. As a result, we today count with a solid
organisation that does not only navigate and overcome challenges inherent to a
youth organisation, but does it while providing support to the organisations of
its network, its individual members, and beyond. Through the implementation of
the previous strategic plan, that included the analysis of the participation of
the MOs in the avenues to shape our activity and the assessment, this Strategy
2025-2030 will focus on optimising and reviewing the participation of the MOs to
make sure that the network is a faithful representation of the MOs that
constitute the Federation.

The previous Strategy presented FYEG’s long term goal as to maintain and develop
a strong and well coordinated federation where member organisations are actively
engaged and where FYEG’s work complements the work of its member organisations.
This Strategic Plan 2025-30 aims to make this goal more tangible by critically
assess the health of the MOs, linked to their participation in the network, and
politically prioritise FYEG’s intervention and support to the MOs based on
solidarity, fairness, democracy, and optimisation of resources. FYEG has also
since the past strategic plan developed online platforms, most notably the Green
Base, to increase personal exchanges and better network the different member
organisations enabling them to achieve more European coordination on their work.
In the next five years, FYEG will increase work in this field and work on having
more organisations present in our online spaces.

FYEG will focus on its current members, investing efforts on addressing their
participation in FYEG and investing resources on ensuring the reflection of the
Young Greens active in the MOs, rather than expanding and growing the number of
MOs. Therefore, expansion will only be pursued with organisations that are
already connected to other Green family actors such as EGP, GEF or CDN, in
countries where FYEG is not yet represented and when FYEG has the capacity to
implement a meaningful welcoming process for and with the incoming organisation.

In order to achieve these objectives, FYEG will focus on 7 strategic objectives
in the coming years:

1.1. Tailor FYEG member organisation coordination and communication to the needs
and demands of the member organisations;

1.2. Improve the engagement of FYEG’s member organisations from the Centre,
especially to ensure they are more proportionally represented in FYEG’s
political work and long term planning;

1.3 Continue supporting and coordination with the Cooperation and Development
Network Eastern Europe (CDN), a crucial sister organisation to FYEG committed to
developing Green ideas in Eastern Europe. Engage FYEG’s member organisations
from the East to be more active in CDN and the federation by politically and
strategically synchronising with CDN.

1.4. Invest in its candidate member organisations to implement a meaningful
integration process;

1.5 Facilitate the associate member organisations of FYEG into the political
network and review their statuses.

1.6. Review the status of struggling member organisations;

1.7. Facilitate political exchanges at the federation level.

2. Capacity-building

As a European international organisation, FYEG’s work is centred on the European
and international level and reaches the regional and national level through its
member organisations who, in turn, reach and impact the provincial and local
level. This is why FYEG’s political papers and proposals are focused on actions
to be taken at the European level; and also why FYEG focus on promoting the
inclusion of the European and international angle in all sectors of political
action – the modern challenges will not be overcome only by a single country.
Likewise, FYEG’s educational events and training events aim to provide the young
greens organised in our Network, and beyond, the tools to participate in the
creation of FYEG’s positions in a meaningful way. The systemic change that FYEG
strives for needs citizens engaged at the European level, that promote change at
the European level through actions and proposals that superate borders.

As an organisation-based network, and also in line with the inherently Green
political understanding that systemic change is possible as result of collective
and democratic efforts through individuals organised in movements, FYEG
acknowledges the role and necessity of existence of each Member Organisation to
bring about change in their own context. Therefore, FYEG put in place training
for its Member Organisations to make them resilient, and ensure the quality of
their work so that the contribution to the network of each MO is long-term and
enriches the rest of the members of the network. In parallel, FYEG empowers
young people to be skillful and impactful change-makers that are equipped and
confident in developing radical ideas.

This twofold approach to capacity-building started to be implemented during the
implementation of the previous Strategic Plan. In the current framework, the
focus will be on embedding these two tracks of capacity-building (organisational
and individual), fostering an optimisation of FYEG’s resources, and also
effectively creating a system of communicating channels between the MOs building
their capacities through FYEG’s organisational training and the individuals
increasing their skills through our educational events.

Throughout its activities, FYEG will work to develop and foster critical and
analytical thinking as well as creativity and progressive ideas among young
people, through quality non-formal education, capacity building and
intercultural exchanges. FYEG will also encourage and promote inclusive and
active participation of young people in democratic processes, especially for
young people from racialised communities and other underrepresented groups.

To realise these goals, FYEG will focus on 4 strategic objectives in the coming
years:

2.1. Improve the capacities and resources of FYEG’s member organisations and
develop their competences in empowering young people at the national level;

2.2. Increase youth participation in electoral processes, specifically the
number of young greens running for political mandates at the national and
European level;

2.3. Create a space for young people to develop progressive ideas with relevant
and meaningful political output;

2.4. Increase the level of inclusion and diversity within the membership of
FYEG’s member organisations and at FYEG’s educational activities.

3. Bringing forward the Young Green vision

The presentation of FYEG to the external world serves different aims. By being
present and reaching the general public, FYEG amplifies the voice of the members
of its network and that of other like-minded organisations. FYEG’s
communications in all forms contribute to a cultural and political change that
promotes equality, inclusion, personal liberties and freedoms, social welfare,
and the thriving of our planet. FYEG’s communications are not a mere reflection
of the values as collected in our political documents, but also a reflection of
the means we use to ensure this change takes place. The cross-border nature of
the fora where FYEG’s positions are created are both means and ends to achieve
the implementation of our political agenda.

During the previous strategic plan we have developed our communication in a new
and ambitious online direction. We have developed a holistic approach towards
communications. As FYEG has worked via social media to make FYEG have a clear
face and voice and thereby being more present in our members' lives. FYEG has
also worked on not only being present on social media, but using digital
campaigns and online coordination platforms as a channel and vector for change,
connecting with its audience directly and offering them a role in FYEG’s
campaigns, which they can do either by offering their time, their voices, or
other resources. FYEG will more rigorously track direct and digital campaigns
and ensure they stay relevant and represent strong young green voices amplified
with the support of volunteers.

Besides bringing about the change by engaging the general (young) public, FYEG’s
impact is also connected to our impact on policy-making processes and
institutions. Our communications reach an audience of engaged (young) citizens
that interact, contribute, spread and support the Young Green vision, but our
contribution to systemic change is not only based on fostering popular support
for the Young Green vision. Another essential part of bringing forward our
vision is the tangible influence in the policy-making process, with the aim to
translate our ideals into specific legislation that objectively increases the
quality of life of all citizens. We do this through advocacy campaigns,
developing our partnerships with the European Green Party and the Greens/EFA,
being active in the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe, and
participating in other high-level spaces, like the COP.

To realise these goals, FYEG will focus on 5 strategic objectives in the coming
years:

3.1. Disseminate FYEG’s educational activities and political statements to a
broader audience, utilising communication and media tools;

3.2. Communicate directly with the audience of FYEG using digital campaigns and
other direct online communication tools. Utilise strategic online fundraising to
facilitate stronger FYEG campaigns.

3.3. Improve the interest and engagement of FYEG’s member organisations and
young people in European and EU politics through joint campaigns and
communications;

3.4. Improve FYEG’s political impact at the European level by focusing on
existing partnerships with EGP and the Greens/EFA Group in the European
Parliament and, when relevant, by fostering networking with the European Youth
Forum and other youth organisations;

3.5. Increase youth participation by bringing young green voices via a strong
and impactful EU elections campaign for the European Parliament in 2029.
European Parliament in the EU elections in 2024 via an impactful elections
campaign.

4. Maintaining Organisational Capacity

In order to achieve a meaningful and sustainable unfolding of activities,
processes, and actions in line with the three Strategic Focus presented above,
FYEG’s bodies must continue to engage in the maintenance of the inner workings
of FYEG. FYEG is not immune to the effects of fast-paced generational changes
that are natural (and valuable!) to youth organisations. Transfer of knowledge
and generational memory should be upheld and prioritised to optimise the efforts
invested in the organisation by those who came before us and, more importantly,
to make the activism of those who come after us more relevant, streamlined, and
effective.

FYEG’s organisational capacities as developed in the past decade must be
maintained. This strategic focus is very tightly related to the 1st strategic
focus. The development of capacities of the MOs (and their members), and the
contribution to upskilling individual young greens, ultimately impact the
quality of the structures and bodies of FYEG.

More specifically, this will take place by a greater internalisation of multi-
annual plans and monitoring efforts linked to this Strategic Plan and its
associated monitoring framework. The role of the Executive Committee and the
Office in the establishment of specific qualitative and quantitative objectives
vis-à-vis the indicators of each objective will be streamlined.

This will be the first 5 year Strategic Plan proposed by the FYEG EC with the
aim of systematising long term planning and continuity within FYEG’s structures.
This is coupled with the recent adoption of a 3 year mandate for the Secretary
General, ensuring better institutional knowledge is retained with FYEG.

To realise these goals, FYEG will focus on 3 strategic objectives in the coming
years:

4.1. Solidify FYEG’s internal management, governance processes and transfer of
knowledge;

4.2. Monitor the working conditions and retention of FYEG’s staff and Executive
Committee;

4.3. Facilitate monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Strategic
Plan and to ensure adequate use of resources and capacities when creating the
Activity Plans.