Adolescencia y participación: una visión panorámica en los países de la Unión Europea

Abstract

The social participation of adolescents is influenced by changes in the values oftheir social context. These changes have an impact on the values in families and lifestyles, and thus in their process of socialization. This article presents data from surveys administered in a range of European countries. The data show how value systerns have changed in recent decades, and have affected the motivation of the young to participate in different social dynamics. The young Europeans appear to be less and less interested in participating socially. This seems to be related with their sensation of lacking a specifc social space in which to act and to take on responsibility. The author stresses the need for youth associations and organisations to change their forms of action, afiliation and participation, and suggests that municipal bodies should offer more possibilities for active participation to the young.