The purpose of this video course is to introduce Reflexive Policy Making, which is the approach to policy co-creation that we used in the UPLIFT project. This approach has three main tenets:
- Policies are made with the target group (based on a deep understanding of their needs and strategies) and not for the target group. This means that young people are actively involved in the creation, development, implementation and evaluation of new policies and tools.
- The voice of young people is expressed by so-called Youth Boards. These Youth Boards are inclusive and representative groups of young people that are structurally involved in the co-creation process. Together with the institutional stakeholders, the Youth Board co-creates and agrees on a shared Reflexive Policy Agenda. The Reflexive Policy Agenda contains a set of proposed policy interventions that fall under the competences of the stakeholders involved, and that aims to address the issues that the young people are struggling with.
- The policy makers and service providers that participate in the co-creation process need to be committed to take the voice and input of the target group seriously. Ultimately, this should result in the creation of new and durable collaborative structures.
In this process of Reflexive Policy Making, different phases can be discerned:
- Problem identification and definition;
- Institutional preparation;
- Involvement of young adults / recruitment of a Youth Board;
- Carrying out the actual co-creation process;
- From co-creation outcomes to policy implementation: impact and follow up of the co-creation process.
The videos address all the phases, providing both methodological and practical recommendations for those who want to initiate a policy co-creation process. The final aim of this video course is to provide useful tools for researchers and organizations to engage in Reflexive Policy Making.
If you want to know more about why Reflexive Policy making is necessary you can read our Policy Brief on Participatory Policy Making.
1 - Problem definition for Reflexive Policy Making
In this video Nóra Katona from the Metropolitan Research Institute of Budapest explains what strategies can be used to identify the topic and scope of a policy co-creation process. Problem definition can start from existing policy priorities, from in-depth research, from bottom-up concerns, or from a combination of all these approaches.
Have a look here for some practical input and tips to reflect and implement this first phase in your own context.
For a summary of our findings on young people’s problems that can be addressed with Reflexive Policy Making, you can read our Transferability Report.
2 – Preparing for policy co-creation: setting up a stakeholder network
In this video, Laura Tiitus outlines all the crucial recommendations to successfully involve relevant institutional stakeholders in a co-creation process. The main points to take into account when engaging institutions, policymakers and organizations are their role, their motivation and attitude and also their decision-making power.
Have a look here for some practical input and tips to reflect and implement this second phase in your own context.
If you want more details about this phase of the co-creation, you can check out Chapter 5 of our Guidebook to Reflexive Policy Making.
If you want to know more about the co-creation process in Tallinn, you can read their Reflexive Policy Agenda.
3 – Setting up a Youth Board
In this video, Ildikò Knop discusses the involvement of young people in co-creation efforts. She focuses on recruitment strategies, the role of gatekeepers, diversity and inclusiveness of the group, as well as commitment and vulnerability of the participants.
Have a look here for some practical input and tips to reflect and implement this second phase in your own context.
If you want more details about this phase of the co-creation, you can check out Chapter 6 of our Guidebook to Reflexive Policy Making.
If you want to know more about the co-creation process in Sfantu Gheorghe, you can read their Reflexive Policy Agenda.
4 – Towards a successful co-creation process: learning about capacity building and interaction
In this video, Usue Lorenz and Claudia Icaran from Orkestra, the Basque Institute for Competitiveness, explore some of the ways in which you can run a smooth co-creation process. They focus on the role of capacity building and good moderation in improving the interaction between young people and institutional actors.
Have a look here for some practical input and tips to reflect and implement this fourth phase in your own context.
If you want more details about this phase of the co-creation, you can check out Chapter 7 of our Guidebook to Reflexive Policy Making.
If you want to know more about the co-creation process in Barakaldo, you can read their Reflexive Policy Agenda.
5 – Policy co-creation: implementation of the results
In this video, Martina Gentili from the Delft University of Technology discusses the policy agenda that can emerge as the outcome of the co-creation, and how it can be implemented. Moreover, she highlights the added value of co-creation processes for policy making.
Have a look here for some practical input and tips to reflect and implement this final phase in your own context.
If you want more details about this phase of the co-creation, you can check out Chapter 8 and 9 of our Guidebook to Reflexive Policy Making.
If you want to know more about the co-creation process in Amsterdam, you can read their Reflexive Policy Agenda.
If you want to learn more about our recommendations for a successful policy co-creation process, you can read Chapter 10 of our Guidebook to Reflexive Policy Making and our Policy Brief on How to build a Reflexive Policy Making Process with Young People.