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OJ C, 3.6.2024
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EN

At the intersection of culture, recreation and leisure time, education and learning, and social work 8, youth work contributes to supporting, enabling and empowering young people. This helps them to navigate pathways to autonomy and define their position in developing surroundings, providing them with opportunities to reflect on challenges and helps them to make the most appropriate choices for themselves. In addition, participating in youth work activities is proven to be beneficial to the mental health and well-being of young people: they feel connected to one another, and forge a sense of belonging, solidarity and union in addressing key challenges of our societies. 9
Youth work can therefore not only help young people develop the ability to cope with current challenges but also offers them learning opportunities and processes that help them to become more resilient and better equipped to face new and changing realities 10.

AWARE THAT:

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An empowering Europe needs emancipated, informed and engaged young citizens, believing in an open, democratic and peaceful society based on solidarity and respect for human rights and the rule of law. Youth work can support young people fulfil a role in building just, open and peaceful societies with commitment and enthusiasm. Due to its intrinsic nature and preventive strength, as well as its adaptability to changing circumstances, youth work can respond to societal challenges and is, at times, given a remedial role. However, youth work in all its diversity and with appropriate support can offer young people a specific, safe, emancipatory and unique environment in which to engage and connect.

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Barriers to engage in youth work activities persist and have been further exacerbated in recent years. In addition, societal pressure and changes in living conditions affect the engagement of young people, put a strain on youth work carried out with volunteers and lead to the emergence of and / or calls for new forms of voluntary engagement by young people.

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Creating the necessary preconditions and space for young people to explore, experiment and enjoy being together in youth work, in particular through learning by doing, including playing and other non-formal and informal learning activities, is an inherent part of youth work. In this regard, the public space is organised for, used and shared by different groups for different purposes. Also, young people with fewer opportunities tend to have a different relationship with and degree of reliance on public space 11, therefore requiring reconsideration of how it is organised. This calls for further reflection on the design of public space, including on the question how to cater for the needs and habits of different groups, so as to create the necessary preconditions and spaces needed for youth work activities.

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In order to gain further appreciation and recognition, the societal impact of youth work including at the local level needs to be made more visible and tangible. The recognition of youth work in society 12 remains an important challenge in Europe and is one of the aims of the European Youth Work Agenda. What is more, the recognition of skills and competencies acquired or developed through youth work needs to be further emphasised.

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To flourish, youth work needs to be prioritised at all levels, from local to regional and national to European and international. Quality youth work development can be achieved through a targeted policy and supportive measures at all levels, in a committed and sustainable approach. Local and regional authorities and youth organisations are closest to the daily lives of young people and play a crucial role in supporting the development of quality youth work.

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Williamson H., Coussée F., Chapter 14 Reflective trialogue: conclusions from the history project 12 trilemmas for youth work, The history of youth work in Europe, volume 7, partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of youth, 2019, pp. 193-208.
As mentioned in the Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States on a comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European Union C/2023/1337, Youth work has a significant role on promoting the well-being of young people and in the prevention of mental health issues.
In this regard, see, in the annex to this resolution, Williamson, H., Taking stock Where are we now, Youth Work in a Contemporary Europe October 2023, a publication issued under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the Field of Youth 2024.
M. Moris & M. Loopmans 2019 De-marginalizing youngsters in public space: critical youth workers and local municipalities in the struggle over public space in Belgium, Journal of Youth Studies, 22:5, 694-710.
Interpreted in accordance with the Final Declaration of the 3rd European Youth Work Convention Signposts for the Future, Bonn, 10 December 2020, pp. 12-14.

ELI: http data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/3526/oj
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