Youth Policies Priorities: Understanding young people pathways in Border Regions of Portugal

This work aims to explore how youth policies at European, national and regional level are addressing priorities towards a positive youth development in the border regions of Portugal. Empirically, we did interviews in these regions with local policy makers and document analysis of European and Portuguese youth policies. The results shows a strong understanding at regional level of the crucial role that policies and actions play in engaging young people in positive pathways, although there is little reference to regional sensitivity in policy priorities at European and National levels. We argue for the need to design territorialized policies that are able to report on young people's situated experiences and to reduce the gap of opportunities between territories.