ESC: Walking around Europe VI

EThe Youth Council of Xixón / Gijón (CMX), legally established as Youth Associations’ Federation of Gijón, is used since the 16th of November 1995 as a meeting point for the youth associations’ network of the city, and for unformal groups of youngsters, associations and collectivities that, independent of their members’ age, are part of the associative movement of Gijón. During these years of operation, the Youth Council of Xixón has been developing, through various agreements, especially those established with the Gijón City Council and other means of financing, activities and services that aim at, on one hand, promoting associationism and youth participation in the political, social and cultural life of the city, through advice, training and intervention initiatives. On the other hand, the goal has also been to respond to problems that affect the youth of Gijón through publications, proposals, services and programs. Currently, there are 31 youth associations that make up the Council, which, through the General Assembly (the highest body of the entity), elect its Permanent Commission, a collegiate management. This latest is in charge of developing the management of the Center and of directing activities and interventions in different fields. The Youth Council of Xixón is an entity independent from the Administration or any other public or private body. Its main objective is to contribute to maintaining a strong and stable associative and citizen movement, which works in a cooperative and coordinated manner, and whose participation model is articulated around the ideas of tolerance, equality, democracy and social transformation. It is about an associative and citizen movement, in which youth groups play a determining role, not only with a future perspective, but also ensuring the permanent regeneration of the participation structures of Gijón. With this perspective of work, the Youth Council of Xixón develops its work on coordination, advice and training, promoting communication channels between the various agents that make up the associative movement of Gijón/Xixón, and between this latest and the citizens. The Council also plays a role of interlocutor of the associated youth before the Gijón City Council, the Principality of Asturias and other institutions, bringing the problems of young people to the different organizations, and defending their rights and interests before them