Symposium:  Youth Work in Europe
Channel: Roter Baum Berlin
Date: 2021-12-15

Youth work is interpreted very differently in Europe. At a symposium we will explain and discuss the different facets.
The term "youth centers" (hereafter also YC) describes a place where young people can meet, develop their competences and cooperate with each other. However, between different regions and legal frameworks, there is quite a different understanding about the context and framework for it.
We want to promote the idea of youth centers where young people can meet in an informal way (also known as open youth work), spend their free time, get support through counseling and develop their own ideas. From this starting point, youth centers work with young people to develop non-formal educational activities in the area that interests them. Through this approach, young people are involved in the decision-making process, which leads to greater participation in projects. Likewise, it creates a youth-friendly atmosphere that is driven by the youth and their interests and contains information that the youth are interested in. We strongly believe that this approach is beneficial for all youth and that it is a very inclusive way of working with youth. Our experience is that for young people who have difficulty adapting to a formal setting (school, vocational training, etc.), participation in informal and non-formal activities can be a step towards a better future or even back towards a formal educational pathway.
Still in many countries there is no youth work in this sense (OYW), and even in the countries where it exists, it is very often the playground for economic cuts in the state budget. Therefore, it is necessary to make the idea known not only among social workers and youth workers, but also in society and among political actors.
Within this context we would like to agree with you on how open youth work in Europe should be equipped at least.
Symposium Agenda
- Welcome Martin Kleinfelder
- Welcoming Heiko Tille Director Youth Welfare Office Marzahn-Hellersdorf
- Introduction to the project Introduction to the project OPEN YOUTH WORK FOR OPEN SOCIETY Chiara Maggi
- Rooms and equipment (Jose Messina)
The project participants will present their work in terms of rooms and equipment. 
- Youth Worker:s Profile (Cosmin Catana)
We have created various role profiles of youth workers. This includes learnable skills as well as personality requirements for youth workers. 
- Intervention Elke Josties
Review of the history of open youth (cultural) work in Germany / Current discourses on the social construction and change of youth in Germany / On the conception of youth (cultural) work / Plea for free spaces!
- Factsheet
We have created an argumentation aid about open youth work. It is addressed to decision makers and administrations. It summarizes the opportunities and results of open youth work and puts them in a context of positive social development. Before we translate it into different languages, we would like to discuss it.