Calling all those who are building a better world for young people!
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, check out how we have been harnessing the potential of expertise and research to use as building blocks for a better future for young people.
Throughout the year, we will highlight our most important and impactful resources.
Follow us on social media and share your best moments with us.
Join us as we celebrate this milestone!
highlights
Developing youth work
Are you full of ideas on how to make youth work better? #YouthWork should be developed by, with and for young people. If you think you know what needs to be changed, or have an idea but don’t know how it might fit into the wider context, then have a look at our “Insights into developing the youth work environment” which can help you make a change rticipation in #democracy is vital. It's only by getting involved and standing up for their rights that they can help effect change.
We've got many resources about how young people participate, find out more →
#YouthWork supports young people as they acquire the essential competences they need in life. It also fosters core values, like solidarity and inclusion, and gives young people a voice while empowering them and boosting their confidence along the way.
For over 10 years, many people involved in youth work have called for better recognition at political, social, professional and personal levels. What is the reality today?
To find out what recognition of youth work looks like and where it stands in Europe, check out the Visible Value e-library →.
Creating impact: training and education of youth workers
Career development and lifelong education for youth workers are vital, both for their personal progression and the whole sector. The better the education opportunities are, the higher the recognition of youth work can be. Our research gives an overview of the different paths youth workers take and the policies supporting them all over Europe.
Well-designed and high-quality learning mobility programmes enrich the lives of young people and youth workers. They are unparalleled opportunities to develop, connect with others from different backgrounds and cultures and gain new knowledge and skills, while shining a light on core values such as solidarity, inclusion and diversity.
The Youth Partnership’s resources can help you on your journey towards quality learning mobility →
What moments/achievements of the Youth Partnership have you appreciated most during the last 25 years,
and what do you wish for the future?
Howard Williamson
Professor of European Youth Policy, Wales, UK
Having been involved with the Youth Partnership from the very start, I have seen it grow from an exclusive focus on European level youth worker training (and the ATTE - Advanced Training the Trainers in Europe - course) to work plans that have embraced research, Euro-Mediterranean co-operation, youth policy development in South-East Europe, the history of youth work in Europe, and much more besides. Long before I became involved with the European institutions that oversee the Youth Partnership, I was a qualified and practising youth worker in the UK and closely involved in Uk (and Welsh) youth policy development and implementation, so it is great to see how the Youth Partnership has contributed to both youth policy and youth work development at a European level. Of course, I would like to see more partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of youth - in policy advocacy, practical programmes and research. But, as all politicians say, though there may still be a long way to go, it is important to recognise how far we have come, and indeed where we have come from. Happy 25th birthday, Youth Partnership; as someone who was sometimes the '5th Beatle' (the extra member of the Partnership's professional team) and sometimes the 'No.12' (the substitute when one was needed), I am proud to have been close to you throughout your life. Like me, you have to keep the diet and exercise going if energy is to be sustained, but I believe and hope it will. Congratulations on getting this far. Keep going!
Adina Marina Serban
Youth Sector Professional - CSCD Romania, Romania
Dear Youth Partnership,
Thank you for all the great work and for having an essential contribution to the evolution of the complicated youth sector geometry! I am grateful for all the learning opportunities, for the great professional network developed and for the wonderful personal connections developed!
Happy birthday!
Dr. Frank Tillmann
Youth researcher, Germany
Young people got a strong voice by the Youth Partnership on the European level. In the future, it is important that they get a (maybe virtual) self-organised space here to attend to their genuine interests as well.
Dora Giannaki
Political Scientist, Research Associate at the Centre for Political Research, Panteion University, Greece
To me, the most important achievement of the Youth Partnership was the creation of a very strongly held together community at a pan-European level; a community that promotes intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, the exchange of knowledge and good practices in the youth field and, ultimately, a pro-youth ethos.
Maria-Carmen Pantea
Professor, Romania
Happy 25th birthday! The Partnership fostered a community specializing in Youth Studies in countries with limited avenues for research on young people. Professionally, I have found a home in the academic-policy environment of the Partnership and feel fortunate to be part of such a unique community. It created a space where researchers could contribute to European policy-making processes and write with purpose. Congratulations on doing this in a way that is constructive, meaningful, and always kind! Happy Anniversary!
Marzena Ples
Educator, researcher, consultant, United Kingdom/Poland
Dear Youth Partnership,
On the occasion of your 25th birthday, I wish you further fruitful and meaningful initiatives allowing dialogue and understanding between various stakeholders on topics important in the youth field. It is essential, above all, to listen to and respond to the needs of young people in various countries. Youth Partnership invariably follows this path by preparing projects and publications and researching burning issues.
It is a great pleasure and privilege to represent PEYR at the European Platform on Learning Mobility, coordinated by the Youth Partnership. This network works towards the understanding and raising the quality of learning mobility in the field of youth. Recent conference “SustainMobility”, tackling not the easy topic of sustainability and learning mobility, was a significant achievement and a reflecting point for practitioners, researchers, policymakers and young people.
I wish you continue with successful initiatives allowing meetings and exchanging of the opinions and practices. As well as research that, apart from the knowledge, gives us an impulse for positive change.
Ana Cristina Fernandes Tavares da Costa Garcia
Senior Office of the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth - Responsabile for the area of programs at the Regional Direction of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Portugal
25 years of excellent work for youth, with dedication and surrounded by a wonderful team that add smiles and joy to our daily lives. PARABÉNS!
Sofia Laine
Research Professor, Finland
Happy Anniversary Youth Partnership! It has been a privilege to work with you for many years already! I wish planetary wisdom with global ethics for your bright future - and sustainable living for the future generations whose development your work also supports!
Ondřej Bárta
Freelance Youth Researcher, Czech Republic
The Youth Partnership is an important player in the youth field, it contributes to research, to education, to creation of knowledge sharing platforms, and most importantly, it brings together people with the same goal: To support young people in Europe. We are now celebrating 25 years of this important body, and I wish the Youth Partnership another 25 years ahead, full of researching, educating, and bringing people together.
Dan Moxon
Director - People Dialogue and Change, United kingdom
The community and network that the partnership builds cannot be underestimated, they bring together policy focused youth researchers in a way that brings maximum benefit to the work of the youth sector. I hope in the next 25 years these communities double triple or quadruple in size!
Hilary Tierney
Programme lead Community work & Youth work MAYNOOTH University; PEYR AG IRELAND
I appreciate the people who make the Youth Partnership such a pleasure to work with - your commitment and passion shine through - you inspire!
Wales, UK
Romania
Germany
Greece
United Kingdom/Poland
Portugal
Finland
Czech Republic
IRELAND