This contribution aims to present the initial findings of a narrative literature review (Bourhis, 2017) which is currently undergoing around the topic of youth participation.

Youth participation is at the heart of international and European policies. It is seen as an essential right, and at the same time as a matter of social justice, thus in terms of the concrete possibilities that each young person has to participate in and contribute to his or her own life project and society.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development considers youth rights essential to the development of a sustainable, equitable and peaceful world. Although often described as a vulnerable group, young people are also seen as critical agents of change for a better future (UN General Assembly, 2015).

According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), all youths have the right to participate in procedures affecting them. The Committee on the Rights of the Child (2009) subsequently identified participation as one of the four principles of the UNCRC and thus it has been recognized not only as a right, but also as a cross-cutting interpretation and implementation of all other rights.

Although youth participation is formally recognized, previous research has shown that in reality this is not always the case, pointing out how most young people do not participate effectively in the decision-making processes that affect their lives (Van Bijleveld et al., 2015). At the same time, youth participation has been linked to positive outcomes (Kriz & Roundtree-Swain, 2017), such as making better care and intervention decisions (Vis et al., 2011); higher levels of well-being (Lloyd & Emerson, 2017); improving youth development by preparing them to be active citizens in society (Dedding et al., 2013).

The review therefore aims to explore the concept of youth participation, taking into account both the major policies and the possible gaps between the declared and the experienced, providing the basis for the development of a culture of education sensitive to social justice.

The narrative literature review (Bourhis, 2017), still under development, is organized according to thematic criteria emerging from the research questions concerning the concept of youth participation. The literature review is being carried out using major databases in the human sciences, such as EBSCO, Scopus, Web of Science. Some of the key terms used for the research are: participation, youth participation, youth participation and life project, youth participation and social sustainability. This contribution will focus on presenting the international panorama. Official policies and peer-reviewed articles are being analysed, along with key publications on the issue.

This contribution aims to present the first findings from the literature review, at the end of which it is envisaged to have a better understanding of the concept of youth participation. This review is intended to be the initial point on which to build the theoretical and methodological framework of my doctoral research. Major debates on the issue will then be identified, as well as research conducted in the field, paying attention to interrelate stated policies with experienced practices. It is desirable to find connections around the themes of youth participation also in terms of building their life project and fostering social sustainability.

-Bourhis, J. (2017). Narrative literature review . In M. Allen (Ed.), The sage encyclopedia of communication research methods (pp. 10761077). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. -Committee on the Rights of the Child. (2009). General Comment No12 (2009). CRC/C/GC/1(12), 21–38. -Dedding, C., Jurrius, K., Moonen, X., & Rutjes, L. (2013). Children and youth in scientific research: Ethics, methods, and results from research with youth. Amsterdam: Boomuitgevers. -Kriz, K., & Roundtree-Swain, D. (2017). “We are merchandise on a conveyer belt”: How young adults in the public child protection system perceive their participation in decisions about their care. Children and Youth Services Review, 78, 32–40. -Lloyd, K., & Emerson, L. (2017). (Re)examining the relationship between children’s subjective wellbeing and their perceptions of participation rights. Child Indicators Research, 10(3), 591–608. -UN General Assembly (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 November 1989, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577. -UN General Assembly. (2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A/RES/70/1. -Van Bijleveld, G. G., Dedding, C. W. M., & Bunders-Aelen, J. F. G. (2015). Children's and young people's participation within child welfare and child protection services: A state-of-the-art review. Child & Family Social Work, 20, 129–138. -Vis, S. A., Strandbu, A., Holtan, A., & Thomas, N. (2011). Participation and health – A research review of child participation in planning and decision-making. Child & Family Social Work, 16, 325–335.