Basic insights into the federal state structure

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Basic insights into the federal state structure

• Situation of the Flemish youth (work) policy

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Belgium in brief

• Population10.445.852 (2005)
• Surface area32.545 km2
• Federal capitalBrussels
• Head of StateKing Albert II
• Prime MinisterGuy Verhofstadt
• National languages Dutch, French and German

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Belgian state
CENTRAL STATE
PROVINCES
MUNICIPALITIES
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Belgian State - today
COMMUNITIES
FEDERAL STATE
REGIONS
PROVINCES
MUNICIPALITIES
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Federal parliament

• the Parliament legislative power
• the Government (King Albert II and 15 ministers)
  executive power
• federal laws apply to all Belgians

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Regions

• Regions refer to demarcated territories
• Flemish region
• inhabitants 5.972.781
• territory 13.522 km2
• Walloon region
• inhabitants 3.358.560
• territory 16.844 km2
• Brussels Capital region
• inhabitants 978.384
• territory 162 km2

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Belgium regions
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Competences Regions

• Economy and employment
• Linked to the region or the area
• environment, public works, water policy,
  agriculture, housing
• Supervision of municipalities, provinces,
  intermunicipalities

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Communities

• Communities include all inhabitants of a
  language area
• Flemish Community (6.000.000)
• French Community (4.000.000)
• German-speaking Community (70.000)35 of
  the inhabitants are between 3 and 30 years old

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Belgium communities
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Communities

• Communities include all inhabitants of a
  language area
• Flemish Community (6.000.000)
• French Community (4.000.000)
• German-speaking Community (70.000)35 of
  the inhabitants are between 3 and 30 years old

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Competences Communities

• Culture, youth, education
• Person-related matters (health policy, assistance
  to people)
• Language use

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The institutions in Belgium
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Flemish Community(Region and Community were
joined)

• Parliament of Flanders
• Government of Flanders
• Ministry of Flanders

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Parliament of Flanders

• legislative power
• adopts Decrees (Flemish Parliament Acts)
• 124 Members of Parliament

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Government of Flanders

• executive power
• currently consists of 10 members
• minister Anciaux is responsible for Youth

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Responsibilities of the Flemish Region - Community

• Culture
• Youth
• economics, energy
• employment
• health care
• municipalities and provinces
• international co-operation
• agriculture horticulture
• Environment
• Education
• public works and transport, water policy
• town and country planning, housing
• language legislation
• scientific research

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Ministry of Flanders

• 13 policy domains
• Services for the General Government Policy
• Administrative Affairs
• Finance and Budget
• Foreign Affairs
• Economy, Science and Innovation
• Education and Training
• Welfare, Public Health and Family
• Culture, Youth, Sport and Media
• Work and Social Economy
• Agriculture and Fisheries
• Mobility and Public Works
• Environment, Nature and Energy
• Town and Country Planning, Housing Policy and
  Immovable Heritage

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Culture, youth, sport and media
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Youth work

• socio-cultural initiatives
• for young people aged between 3 and 30
• takes place in leisure time
• participation on a voluntary basis
• takes place under educational supervision

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Flemish youth work Structure
22
scouting
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Local private types of youth work in the Flemish
Region (measured on 307 municipalities )Number
and share in terms of percentage
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Flemish agency for socio-cultural work for
youngsters

• Decree municipal, intermunicipal and provincial
  youth and youth work policy
• Decree Flemish youth policy
• National youth work
• Experimental and innovative youth work
• Information, communication and participation
  projects
• Youth culture
• International
• Decree youth accommodation centres

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Municipal youth work policy plan

• Youth work policy plan every three years
• social framework
• 8 policy domains
• support youth work
• training of youth workers
• accessibility
• participation and feedback
• youth work infrastructure
• integrated youth work policy
• space for youth
• communication and information for the youth

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Provincial part

• Youth work policy plan every 6 years
• social framework
• 8 policy domains
• support youth work
• training
• accessibility
• participation and feedback
• youth space
• guidance and information of the municipal youth
  (work) policy
• youth culture
• communication and information for youth

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Youth Division

• Decree on Flemish youth policy (29/3/2002)
• National youth work
• International youth work

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Decree on Flemish Youth Policy National youth
work

• age 3 to 30 years
• working with or in favour of youth from at least
  4 Flemish provinces
• Profiling the general conditions action in at
  least one of the following modules
• guidance of local youth movements
• provision of activities for youth
• training of youth workers
• product development
• subsidy
• recognition for an indefinite period
• basic subsidy 50,000 a year variable part
  (every 3 years, on the basis of a policy
  document, established on advice of the advisory
  committee)

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Budget 2006

• Decree on local and provincial 18.362.000
  Youth Work
• Decree Flemish youth policy
• national Youth Work 18.919.000
• experimental and 158.000 innovative
  Youth Work
• information, communication 1.776.000
• and participation projects
• Youth culture
  665.000
• International Youth Work
  364.000
• Decree on Youth accomodation 2.184.000
  centres

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Distribution of the budget
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Youth share in Ministry of Flanders budget

• Total budget 16.692.318.000

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Youth Policy Support Centre

• collection and multiplication function
• development of methodology, training and
  provision of support in the field of
  participation
• communication function
• service provision
• research function
• platform function
• budget 896.000

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Flemish Community Youth Council

• to give advice on all youth matters
• consultation body with provincial and municipal
  youth councils and the youth council of the FCC
• to represent both young people and youth work at
  national and international fora
• Budget 520.000

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International Convention on the Rights of the
Child

• 15 July 1997 Parliament of Flanders Act on the
  introduction of the child impact report and the
  testing of the government policy to the
  compliance with childrens rights
• 15 July 1997 Parliament of Flanders Act on the
  establishment of the Childrens Rights
  Commissioner's Office and the office of
  childrens rights commissioner

• Legally binding instrument (adopted by the UN on
  20 November 1989)
• 4 Treaty provisions
• non-discrimination principle
• the childs best interests
• the right to life
• participation principle
• 3 Ps
• provision
• protection
• participation