Update: 2026-08-27
The Bolesławiec County Council unanimously adopted the resolution in question—with 21 votes in favour. We will return to the topic.
Let us recall. On 21 August, we reported that during the August session of the Bolesławiec County Council, councillors would consider a draft resolution on approving the establishment of the Bolesławiec County Youth Council. According to the draft’s statement of reasons, the new council is intended to be another way of supporting the idea of self-government among young people and enabling them to become more involved in matters concerning the county.
Why is the new council to be established?
The statement of reasons for the draft indicates that its aim is “to enable activities in Bolesławiec County to support and promote the idea of self-government among young people residing in Bolesławiec County and for the benefit of those young people, particularly in the field of civic education.”
The authors of the draft point out that youth councils already operate in Bolesławiec County, although their scope is limited to individual municipalities. (The Bolesławiec Municipality Youth Council, the Bolesławiec City Youth Council and the Nowogrodziec Municipal Youth Council were listed.)
The draft states:
It follows from the above that the youth councils operating in Bolesławiec County have a municipal scope, and candidates for those councils may be people who have not yet turned 18.
The planned Bolesławiec County Youth Council would therefore cover young people from the entire county, while different rules concerning candidates’ ages would apply to it.
Not only minors
People residing in a given municipality who are under 18 may stand for election to the existing youth councils. In the case of the Bolesławiec Municipality Youth Council, the criterion is also linked to attending a primary school within the municipality.
In the case of the Bolesławiec County Youth Council, the possibilities are to be broader:
(…) the establishment of the Bolesławiec County Youth Council will also support the idea of self-government among young people residing in Bolesławiec County who have reached the age of 18.
The possibility of standing for election is also provided for those who are not school students:
In addition, not only male and female students but also people fulfilling their compulsory schooling or education outside school, as well as other people under 21—for example, high school graduates—will be able to stand for election as councillors of the Bolesławiec County Youth Council.
The county anticipates costs
Establishing the council will also involve certain expenses. However, the statement of reasons for the draft indicates that these will primarily concern reimbursing councillors for travel costs:
The potential financial costs will be funds reimbursed to councillors of the Bolesławiec County Youth Council for travel. Funds for this purpose have been secured in the County’s budget.