Context and background

 

The European Youth Work Conventions (EYWCs) have been held regularly every five years since 2010 and became a significant forum mainly for youth work practitioners, but also involving other actors whose contribution is critical, such as policymakers, researchers, voluntary youth organisations and youth service providers.

They aim at strengthening youth work development and identifying directions to further support the youth work field in its roles.

The work and declarations of the three previous EYWCs (2010, 2015, and 2020), other related EU and Council of Europe recommendations and resolutions, and Youth Partnership research underpinned, informed, and provided the knowledge base for the Convention in Malta.  The 4th edition was therefore framed around the outcomes of the three previous conventions:

The following initiatives and key policy documents also informed the process:

The 4th Convention in Malta provided participants the opportunity to set out strategic vision, priorities and objectives for youth work in Europe over the next five years and a roadmap on how they can be included in and become an essential pillar of all youth policy both at European and national levels. It also aimed to build on and advance the work of the European Youth Work Agenda (EYWA) to ensure both symmetry and continuity in promoting youth work policy development and implementation, recognition and quality practice.

 

Programme and events

Under the theme “Youth Work Xcelerate”, the Convention in Malta offered a robust programme of plenary sessions, workshops, good practices and speakers.

It sought to build on and advance the work of the European Youth Work Agenda (EYWA) and ensure both symmetry and continuity in promoting youth work policy development, implementation, recognition and quality practice.

In this context, the programme was designed to place particular focus on:

  • The work and outcomes of the Strategic National Agencies’ Cooperations (SNAC);
  • The European Conference on Local Youth Work and Democracy (2024) and its background documents;
  • The EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership projects related to youth work, including the Youth Work Strategy Manual (2023);
  • The tools of the Council of Europe’s revised and updated youth work portfolio to support the recognition, quality and development of youth work across Europe
  • Erasmus+ support measures available for youth work and its development

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Media event to launch the Convention

The event took place on 27 February 2025 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, Malta.

Distinguished speakers included Matjaž Gruden, Director for Democracy at the Council of Europe; Michael Teutsch, Acting Director for Youth, Education, and Erasmus+ at the European Commission; and Nina Grmuša, Chair of the Joint Council on Youth. Additionally, representatives of the Maltese authorities, including Keith Azzopardi Tanti, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research, and Innovation, addressed the audience.

 Check the press release in French and English.

Preparatory process and steering group

The Steering Group was the main platform for the preparation of the 4th EYWC and offered room for regular exchange of information between the European Commission and the Council of Europe, and those who play a role in youth work development at European level.

It involved representatives of the partner institutions of the Youth Partnership, namely the European Union and the Council of Europe, and the European Youth Forum, the statutory bodies of the Council of Europe (Steering Committee on Youth (CDEJ) and the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ)), national agencies of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes, SALTO Resource Centres as well as of the community of youth work practitioners.

More information

Recent Events on Youth Work