Youth work in the spotlight

A user-friendly guide to the recommendation that will inspire and motivate many to put youth work in the spotlight and to advocate for its quality and development, from the local to the European level.

Guide to Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to member States on youth work

Young people are involved in youth work throughout their transition from childhood to adulthood. Youth work offers young people a space for being young together, enjoying this period of life and learning useful things, such as how to be an active citizen, or how to live and work together with different people, or how to prepare for the job market. For young people who experience difficulties such as exclusion or bullying, youth work and youth workers are in many cases a hugely important support factor.

To help its member states to make youth work a reality, in 2017, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4 on youth work, which is the first internationally agreed policy document that focuses explicitly on youth work, its value for society and the way ahead for its quality development in Europe.This publication is an accompaniment to this recommendation and aims to bring its content closer to potential users: policy makers, youth workers, managers of youth work activities, youth leaders, educators of youth workers, youth organisations, and so on, and provide step-by-step information and guidance on the implementation of the recommendation. The publication also offers advice and examples of actions to take and policies to develop so that youth work can be put in the spotlight of youth policies and can make a difference in young people’s lives.