About YIMD

Youth IMD (YIMD) is the youth branch of the Dutch Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy. The NIMD is an institute of political parties for political parties and set up by the Dutch political parties PvdA, VVD, CDA, D66, the Green-Left party, the Christian Union and SGP. Its aim is to encourage the process of democratisation in young democracies and transition countries. The political youth organisations affiliated with the political parties cooperating in the NIMD together form the Youth IMD.

Profiting from the firsthand experiences held within the Dutch political youth organisations, NIMD and YIMD aim to incorporate the component of political youth participation into the NIMD programmes.

Mission and organisation

The mission of the YIMD is specifically to add value to NIMD programmes by supplying knowledge and participation on the component of political youth participation.

Enthusiasm to participate!

The lack of enthusiasm among young people for the political trade, often accompanied by a degraded image of politics and politicians in transition countries and young democracies stands in sharp contrast to demographics. With a share of young people near half of a country's total population, it should be clear that participation in politics is vital for young people to safeguard their interests, now and in the future. Therefore, it is necessary that young people want to participate and are shown an incentive to do so by actually being heard and listened to. YIMD, a cooperation of Dutch enthusiastic political youth hopes to contribute to foreign youth's engagement.

By young people for young people

Themselves being youngsters, YIMD believes to be in a privileged position to contribute the youth factor to the work of the NIMD. Hailing from personal experiences and having the same age lowers barriers to exchange experiences between young people.

Exchange of experience and expertise

In comparison with young democracies, the Dutch political youth movement and organisations are – unsurprisingly – rather well developed in aspects of organisation and influence. Many Dutch political youth organisations tend to supply their members with trainings and workshops on how to participate in politics, how to perform in a debate, how to present oneself.

Organisation

YIMD is organised using as flat as possible an organisation scheme, in order to maintain maximum attention for practice and projects.

The steering committee is formed by one representative from each participating political youth organisations and handles organisational and coordinating activities like long term prospects and plans and the regular reporting to NIMD. However, each steering committee member is also a participant in one of YIMD's project groups, facilitating communication and focus on implementation rather than organisation and management.

The project groups are the most important parts of YIMD. They are organised per country and in principle staffed by a member of each political youth organisation. In addition, steering committee members participate, creating project groups of around 8 people. These project groups are responsible for YIMD's cooperation with NIMD's programmes in the project country. Tasks include communication (national, with other Dutch youth as well as international with e.g. counterparts in the partner country), organisation of visits, participation in seminars, organisation of discussions on topics specific for this country, etcetera. There is also plenty of liberty for members to implement new ideas and thoughts in order to continuously improve the work and reach more young people.

Up till now

Soon to follow: short history of YIMD

Member PYOs

YIMD consists of the political youth organisations affiliatied with the Dutch political parties comprising NIMD. Members of CDJA, Dwars, Jonge Socialisten, Perspectief, JOVD, Jonge Democraten, and SGPJ are cooperating in the steering committee and working groups of YIMD.

Contact YIMD

Each political youth organisation is represented in the steering committee which acts as a small board, while maintaining the emphasis of YIMD on the working groups. For general information and questions, please direct to the chair or secretary. For members of political youth organisations, please direct to your representative.

Marije van Schaijk
YIMD Chair and CDJA representative
E-mail:

Marieke Wagter
YIMD Secretary and Dwars representative
E-mail:

Judith Verkuil
Jonge Socialisten representative
E-mail:

Truus van der Sloot
Perspectief representative
E-mail:

Michelle van der Burg
JOVD representative
E-mail:

Stefan van der Esch
Jonge Democraten representative
E-mail:

*Vacancy*
SGPJ representative