Naslov
Development of Quality Youth Work in South-East Europe

Autori
Potočnik, Dunja ; Stanojević, Dragan

Vrsta, podvrsta
Ostale vrste radova, elaborat/studija

Godina
2019

Ključne riječi
youth work, youth policy, cross-sectoral cooperation

Sažetak
Youth work, as it is known today, emerged in South-East Europe (SEE) region1 in the early 1990s, when a number of the countries underwent turbulent transitions from socialist regimes. Supported by the international community, youth work in this region has grown into a powerful force that provides young people in the region with opportunities to enhance their potential and well-being and share their experiences with their peers in their own country and abroad. This paper will analyse the crucial aspects of the development of youth work in the SEE region, identifying its drawbacks and areas that need further improvement, as well as its strengths and potential to benefit both young people and the wider community. This will be done by reflecting on the major policy initiatives in the region and by embracing the messages delivered by the participants of the seminar organised by the partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the Field of Youth, “SEE youth work” (November 2018, Slovenia). Successful youth policies try to maintain a sensitive balance between the needs of young people and official policy agendas. Such policies can only be realised with a clear sharing of responsibilities and designated human, infrastructural and financial resources. This paper gives an overview of positive developments in the quality of youth work in the region, and gives recommendations for further improvement of youth work in the SEE region. The paper analyses the strengths of youth work in SEE, concluding that that is currently underdeveloped or unrecognised by the official youth policy. In this respect, as emphasised by the participants of the SEE seminar, “passion makes a difference”: quality youth work requires committed practitioners, policy makers and researchers. Moreover, it needs some “wind beneath the wings”, which can be primarily assured by quality provision of four basic prerequisites for quality youth work: 1) good quality evidence-based policy frameworks ; 2) stable and reliable financial resources and infrastructure ; and 3) qualified experts and youth workers and 4) supportive cross-sectoral communication and co-operation.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Politologija, Sociologija, Socijalne djelatnosti

POVEZANOST RADA