The Fundamental Importance of Youth Work Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on Youth Work Ms Antje Rothemund, Head of the Youth Department 30/04/2019

Introduction A vision for youth work for Europe: aims to broadly recognize and support youth work Adopted by the CM on 31 May 2017 18-months drafting process Definition of Youth Work “social practice working with young people and the societies in which they live, facilitating young people’s active participation and inclusion in their communities and in decision making”

Content of the Recommendation Preamble Scope and purpose of the Recommendation Definition and scope of youth work Principles Measures Recommendations to Member States Explanatory memorandum Glossary

Drafting Process Process lasted 18 months December 2015: Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) Consultative Meeting on the draft recommendation Beginning of 2016: Creation of a Drafting Group (4 CDEJ members, 3 CCJ members, a representative of the European Youth Forum (YFJ), 6 representatives of youth work organisations, 1 representative of the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA), and the General Rapporteur for the 2nd European Youth Work Convention) Throughout 2016: Continuous exchange of feedback and advice between the drafting group and the CMJ. Continuous consultation of the drafting group with CoE bodies and stakeholders in the field Beginning of 2017: Draft Recommendation is ready

Why a recommendation on youth work and why now? Young people as a force for good and not as a problem to be solved Transitions for young people more challenging than in the past Youth prospects nowadays precarious, uncertain and insecure Access to youth work is unequal and variable across Europe Young people need a “package” of enabling and formative experiences in addition to formal schooling to both make effective transition to adulthood and play an active part in civil society and the labour market youth work provides this “package” through non-formal learning.

Why a recommendation on youth work and why now? (continuation) Youth work is fundamental in the 21st century, it provides: Space for young people Commitment to support bridges for personal development Urgent need of developing quality youth network equally and uniformly all over Europe

Recommendations to member States Establishment/further development of quality youth work to be safeguarded; pro-actively supported within local, regional or national youth policies Establishment of a coherent and flexible competency-based framework for the education and training of paid and volunteer youth workers Support for the initiative of the CoE’s youth sector to set up an ad hoc high-level taskforce of the relevant stakeholders in youth work in Europe Fostering of national and European research on the different forms of youth work and their value, impact and merit Support of the development of appropriate forms of evaluation of the outcomes of youth work; reinforcement of dissemination and impact of CoE Youth Work Portfolio Promotion of CoE Quality Label for Youth Centres Contemplation of measures and principles proposed in Appendix

Principles (appendix) Design and delivery of youth work are underpinned by: Voluntary and active participation Equality of access Openness and flexibility Youth work should be: rights-based inclusive youth-centred

Two specific measures (appendix) 1. Establishment/further development of quality youth work is safeguarded; pro-actively supported within local, regional or national youth policies Appropriate environment and conditions for youth work practices Dual approach: facilitation of cross-sectoral cooperation between youth work and other sectors Promotion of co-ordination between local, regional, national and European levels of youth work Promotion of the importance of participating and delivering youth work Promotion of equal access to youth work Fostering of knowledge – research, experience and practice Subsidiarity: respect of freedom of youth organizations and NGOs doing youth work

Two specific measures (appendix) 2. Establishment of a coherent and flexible competency-based framework for the education and training of paid and volunteer youth workers Development of a set of expected core competences of youth workers with relevant stakeholders Establishment of frameworks, strategies, programmes and pathways for the training of youth workers Validation, certification and recognition of their competences Boosting the importance of the recognition of non-formal and informal learning

Follow up Roadmap for implementation 2018-2021 Ad hoc high-level task force on youth work to monitor the implementation (with a QL centre representative) A seminar to review progress made after three years (2019/20) Examine the implementation of the Rec after five years (2023) Finnish meeting… 3rd youth work convention/Germany… ….

Thank you for your attention!

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