Youthink is a non-partisan, non-profit, policy-oriented international youth network that aims to render the contemporary world youth-led and socially inclusive. Its objective is to create safe spaces in order to enable fact-based discussions and come up with rights-based policy recommendations for youth problems. Youthink believes that the youth agenda should not be led and imposed by the particular pressure groups and that the conversations around possibly disruptive issues should be democratized. Hence, the network aims to foster collaboration among youth NGOs, think-tanks, universities, and the private sector both in Turkey and globally, in order to empower youth communities and raise young people’s voice in the debates about the implications of various present-day developments. To that end, Youthink aims to facilitate youth empowerment and to enhance youth socio-economic inclusion through the Sustainable Development Goals. The network is also a partner of the World Bank and UNDP Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Since January 2015, Youthink has organized more than 30 events including annual youth summits, expert roundtable meetings, workshop programs, capacity development trainings both in Turkey and abroad. The Permanent Secretariat of Youthink is based in Istanbul, Turkey.

METHOD -Advocating the formulation of integrated youth policies in these countries, -Founding necessary institutional mechanisms to raise the concerns and problems of the youth, hence, constituting a legal organization that formally brings together influential youth NGOs in the region and mobilizes their resources for the common goals, -Organizing youth summits, workshops, and working groups to bring together young people from the region to facilitate the interaction between them in a productive fashion, -Producing policy proposals that shed light on the problems of the youth to address to the policy-makers, and advocating these proposals with the help of international institutions, members of our advisory board, and business sector, -Raising social responsibility projects to contribute to the alleviation of certain problems in a small scale. INITIATIVE ACTION FRAMEWORK -Visits to student organizations, NGOs, media organizations, universities, think tanks and state institutions in order to widen the network of Youthink initiative, -Meetings with the high officials of the established NGOs and think tanks in the region for partnership and seeking funding opportunities for future organizations, -The organization of the international youth summit that will include panels, workshops and roundtable discussions, in which youth organizations can express their ideas, and the repetition of these summits in different countries in the next years, -Preparing the report for the conference proceedings and producing policy briefs with specific focus on the sources of discontent for the youth and the threat of radicalization and engaging in policy-oriented projects to cope with the problems of youth, -Founding a legal organization that formally brings together the partner institutions.

The decision-making structure of the network comprises of four bodies: -The General Assembly consists of the representatives of the stakeholder Institutions. These representatives shall annually meet in a consultation workshop. Each stakeholder institution is obliged to be represented in the general assembly, which is eligible to make decisions on behalf of the institution. Each stakeholder institution shall contribute to the network through the provision of technical expertise, the mobilization of young people in its country, the advocacy of the outcomes of policy proposals, and the facilitation of the social responsibility projects. The annual agenda of the network is determined by the general assembly. In case that any stakeholder institution embraces violence and discrimination, acts clearly in a partisan fashion and harms the other social groups in their field of action, its membership might be suspended or permanently ended by the general assembly upon the request of the Executive Committee. -The Executive Committee is responsible for the organization of the Consultation Workshop, Annual Youth Summit, Thematic Workshops, and social responsibility projects and for finding funds/managing annual budget in order to guarantee the sustainability of the network. The Committee is also responsible for founding an Academic Team, which leads the production of policy proposals. Between June 2015 and June 2016, the Constituent Executive Committee shall be formed by the Turkish project managers and the Regional Representatives from at least two countries. From June 2016 onwards, the Constituent Executive Committee shall found a Permanent Secretariat in Turkey that serves legally as a focal point of the network. From June 2016 onwards, the Executive Committee shall be formed by the stakeholders from one country that is selected annually on rotating basis and Regional Representatives from at least 2 countries that are selected annually on rotating basis. The specific decision-making processes for the annual election of the Executive Committee shall be decided by the General Assembly. The Executive Committee shall report to the General Assembly. -The International Steering Committee is annually elected body consisting of individuals from each country, where the Stakeholder Institutions operate. The main responsibilities of the International Steering Committee are to facilitate the activities of the Executive Committee in each country by seeking funds and providing expertise, and to ensure the active participation of Stakeholder Institutions in the activities of the network. Each country shall be represented by one individual in the International Steering Committee. The representative of a Stakeholder Institution in a given country might run for this position. All candidates from each country are voted and elected by the General Assembly on the basis of simple majority. The International Steering Committee shall report to the General Assembly. -The Permanent Secretariat shall be legally founded in Turkey by the Constituent Executive Committee from June 2016 onwards. The Permanent Secretariat shall serve as a focal point of the network and actively organize events in the name of the network. The Permanent Secretariat shall be the legal embodiment of the Youthink network and report to the General Assembly.

CURRENT PARTNERS: -OffreJoie -Albawsala -I Watch -Search for Common Ground -Tun’Act -Jeunes Indépendants Démocrates -Jeunes leaders de Tunis -Boğaziçi University Center for European Studies Student Forum -CJD Tunisie - Center for Young Business Leaders of Tunisia -ICD - International Center for Diplomacy -Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa - YALDA Morocco -Carthagina -IRAQ Builders -The National Network of Local Youth Councils OTHER PARTNERS: -Université de Tunis el Manar -Bogazici University -American University of Beirut -The American University of Iraq - Sulaimani -Koc University -Sabancı Univeersity -Bahcesehir University -Istanbul Kemerburgaz University