The creation of the Youth Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was initiated by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin at the meeting of the Council of Heads of the SCO Member States (June 15, 2006, Shanghai).

The founding conference of the SCO Youth Council was held on May 4, 2009 in Yekaterinburg within the framework of the Youth Assembly of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The founders of the Council were the national youth organizations of the SCO Member States: from the Republic of Kazakhstan were the Youth wing "Zhas Otan" of the People's Democratic Party "Nur Otan" and the Youth Congress of Kazakhstan, from the People's Republic of China was the All-China Youth Federation, from the Kyrgyz Republic was the Youth Public Council of Kyrgyzstan, from the Russian Federation were the Russian Union of Youth and the Youth Public Chamber, from the Republic of Tajikistan was the Youth Union of Tajikistan.

The purpose of the SCO Youth Council is cooperation and exchange of experience among representatives of younger generation of the SCO countries in various areas of young personality development which could ensure the fundamental continuity of SCO policy and also contribute to the realization of its historical mission.

The SCO Youth Council coordinates the activities of its youth organizations, associations, movements within the framework of the activities of the SCO Member States: India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Republic of Belarus takes part as an observer in the work of the SCO Youth Council.

The national part of the SCO Youth Council consists of representatives of national youth organizations – founders, the national part of the Russian Federation is represented by the Russian Union of Youth and the Youth Public Chamber.

Meetings of the SCO Youth Council are held at least once a year.