Illustration by Coline Robin

A Postcard from Malta

 by Lorena Barić 

On the first morning of the Youth Work Convention in Malta, the Mediterranean Conference Centre smelled of coffee, freshly printed leaflets, lanyards and new badges. The building, made of warm honey-coloured limestone with tall vaulted ceilings and wide echoing halls, once served as a hospital in the 16th century. Slowly, people from all over Europe filled the space. They came to talk about youth work, a quiet kind of work that rarely makes headlines but has a big impact on young lives. Outside, the island shone bright in the sun; inside, lanyards twisted and turned, friends and colleagues hugged, hands shook, and the air was filled with joyful shouts: “Hey, long time no see!”

PHOTO FROM THE CONVENTION SHOWING ALL OF THE PEOPLE - YOUTH PARTNERSHIP HAS THE PHOTO

 Familiar faces, shared hopes

I bumped into Óli Örn Atlason, an old friend from our Eurodesk days. Óli works at the Icelandic National Agency and had wanted to visit Malta for a long time. “It took me a bit by surprise how many participants there I knew from my previous career and how people are still actively seeking changes for young people in Europe,” he told me. Youth policy is very important to Óli, both from his time as a youth worker and now in his role representing European youth programmes in Iceland.

Óli said the Convention was a clear success, focusing on “Youth policy, legislation, and recognition of youth work” - key issues for Iceland. He explained, “These are the things that we need the most, and the priority is figuring out how to achieve a common ground for a diverse field.” He also shared hope: “The Icelandic delegation has returned with new ideas that will shape our everyday work. Many of us hold important roles that can help move youth work forward.”
 

 A moment of purpose

Another familiar face was Dragan Atanasov from North Macedonia. He told me, “Walking into the Convention was powerful. The entire community had been waiting for this event for ten years. Seeing all of us gathered to talk about youth work’s future felt almost unreal. I embraced the moment and was ready to make the most of the days ahead.” For Dragan, Malta was more than a place; it was a symbol of recognition, connection, and being part of something bigger.
At one panel session entitled “Noise vs. Silence”, Dragan spoke for the Alliance of Youth Workers Associations (AYWA). He called it “a great responsibility and a special chance to speak up on behalf of AYWA. The session provoked some thoughts and inspired new discussions that go beyond what we usually talk about in the community.”
PHOTO NO 2. From the Youth partnership as Dragan didn’t send one

 Let’s do this

Kristijan Orešković from Croatia shared his feelings walking into the hall: “I felt both humbled and quietly proud. To walk into a space that only gathers once every five years — a space that shapes the path of youth work in Europe — is not something that happens every day. Coming from Croatia, a country where we’ve only recently begun building strong structures and recognition for youth work, I felt this sense of purpose rising. It was as if everything I’ve been working on — the long meetings, the slow changes, the small wins — suddenly connected to something much bigger.” He called this “a silent promise: Let’s do this.”

Later, as he wandered Valletta’s warm streets with colleagues, Kristijan realised the parts he remembered most weren’t the formal speeches, but the informal talks. “There was this quiet, collective energy — a sense of safety, of belonging, of being surrounded by people who get it. ”
The Convention went beyond expectations. Kristijan said, “The chance to meet, learn, and reconnect happened beautifully.” But what stood out was how united the European supporters of youth work were. Hearing that kind of recognition made Kristijan feel that youth work is finally being taken seriously. “The real challenge now is to make sure this recognition leads to real, lasting change.”

 Between words and reality

While the official talks sounded inspiring, much of the real work happened in between, in hallways and over coffee. Youth workers shared ideas, but also worries: short contracts, fragile funding and careers often dismissed as something done “before a real job.”
Luca Frongia from Italy, with over twenty years in youth work, was struck by how recognition is still a major topic. “It made me wonder: is the problem that we have not managed to make our values visible enough, or that national and international institutions still struggle to truly understand the importance of this form of human development?” 
Youth work needs all of us to rethink and strengthen its foundation, he added, “It’s not just about asking for more funding to support our work; I expect, and hope, for something deeper: a collective effort to rethink, evolve, and strengthen the foundations of youth work itself.”

 Democracy and inclusion

For Jenny Haglund, arriving at the Convention meant joining people deeply committed to democracy and the role youth work plays in defending it. In her home country, Sweden, where she works on KEKS network and focuses on planned, knowledge-based youth work development. At Malta, she saw how this work fits into a shared European effort to show what youth work achieves on the ground. 
Jenny said, “I will put more emphasis on the importance of youth work to strengthen democracy. Within the community of practice we know this but we need to reach outside our bubble to make sure that other stakeholders see the effect on young people, how they grow and learn, but also how youth work contributes to strengthening democratic values.”

 

Celine Martin, who works at the Irish National Agency, remembered the mix of nerves and energy when asked to speak on the main stage. After her speech, many delegates thanked her for voicing their shared call: the need for permanent, national structures to support youth work, structures that don’t disappear with political changes. 
She added, “We are always learning, I am always learning, we have difference in countries, but together we have the same values about youth work and the opportunities it brings, I learned I cannot act in isolation but I need my partners both at national and European level to achieve better outcomes for youth work and ultimately for young people.”
No 7 from the Youth Partnership - Celine didn’t send her photo

 Youth work in motion

Throughout the Convention, some ideas came up again and again. Professionalising youth work and getting it recognised were always main concerns. But new topics also appeared, like mental health, digital life, AI, and a feeling of constant change in a “liquid world.”
Luca talked a lot about this as well. Young people today grow up in a world where life feels uncertain — housing, jobs, even a clear future are not guaranteed. In this world, youth work is more than a service. It’s a strong force that creates spaces for connection, confidence and trying new things.
This work isn’t always easy or glamorous. It means managing lots of paperwork, busy schedules and balancing informal, personal help with systems asking for clear, measurable proof and numbers.
Some Convention participants quietly wondered if youth work’s way of describing itself was starting to sound like the systems it wants to change. The constant need for reports and measuring success which is important for getting official support, but sometimes seems to clash with the human, unpredictable side of youth work. But others said that struggle itself might be where youth work grows strongest. Words like democracy, participation and inclusion mean little unless youth work can show, over and over, how it truly changes lives.

 Looking ahead

What does the Malta Convention say about youth work’s future in Europe? Answers differ but share a hopeful, mature tone. Youth work must become a core part of society, not just an add-on. Recognition won’t come just from big speeches or laws but through many local changes: ministry officials who listen, towns that fund youth centres, young people realising their role is important.
For those who didn’t attend, Malta may have seemed like a lot of hashtags and photos online. But the participants shared a message of hope to you: don’t feel left out. The talks included everyone, and youth work continues everywhere.
Kristijan said, “Don’t regret not being there. We talked, reflected, and built — for you as well, and for the future you’re already shaping where you are. Because this community exists wherever we continue the work, not just where we gather.” Jenny and Celine encouraged building new partnerships and fighting for better support beyond borders. Óli invited everyone to join a bigger movement—to share, learn, and be the change.

As the last lanyard was hung up, Malta returned to its usual self - a beautiful island in the middle of the Mediterranean with the Valletta harbour glowing in the sunset. The true test of the Convention will be in youth centres, ministries, local groups, and unexpected talks with young people who might never read an official report. The Convention was less a final moment and more a postcard, a glimpse of a community growing, looking for recognition, but holding onto the reasons it started.