Valtteri Tervala elected as new chairman of the CTIF youth commission
Iain Hoey
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Meet the new leader taking over the CTIF youth commission
Valtteri Tervala from Finland has been elected as the new chairman of the CTIF International Youth Leader Commission following a meeting held in Bern, Switzerland.
The organisation confirmed the appointment took place during the third weekend of April 2026.
Seventeen countries and 30 delegates participated in the meeting.
Seventeen of the attendees held voting rights during the proceedings.
Tervala will officially start his position as Chair of the International Youth Leader Commission (CTIF) on 1 September 2026.
Experience and leadership in youth inclusion
Tervala described his professional background as a digitally oriented community developer with a focus on service design.
The new chairman previously served as a member of the commission for eight years between 2010 and 2018.
He noted 15 years of experience working in the field of inclusion with children, young people and adults across various organisations.
Tervala said: “I am a digitally oriented community developer with a passion for dialogue and service design.
“I believe in young people and experimental culture.
“My strengths include dialogue, communication, and interpersonal skills, as well as exceptional organizational and training abilities.
“I believe that with the combination my skills and experience, I am able to lead the commission in firm and determined way.
“I have extensive experience and expertise in leadership and management in producing and developing various services.
“In addition to that, I have diverse experience in project management, leadership in general, participation, and service design.
“I have been working in the field of inclusion with children, young people, and adults in various organizations for over 15 years.
“I have been a member of the CTIF Youth Leader Commission for over 8 years from 2010 to 2018 and I believe that in co-operation with all the commission members we can create a wide variety of opportunities for young people to grow as an active and safety aware members of society.”
A more thorough report from the meeting in Switzerland is expected to be released on the official website soon.
