This section of the Visible Value aims to provide a quick overview of the state of the affairs about the recognition of youth work in the countries covered by EU-CoE Youth Partnership. In total it covers 53 country profiles (including 3 profiles for Belgium and 4 profiles for the UK).

The content in this section is based on several sources, including:

The sources of information are indicated at the end of each profile.

Back Hungary

There is no official definition of youth work in Hungary. With the lack of youth law, only contextual information and approach can be drawn. Strategical and policy documents often use the term youth work [ifjúsági munka], but the term ifjúságsegítő (officially translated into youth assistant, but routinely referred to as the Hungarian translation of youth worker) is also present both in strategical documents and everyday language of youth work.

It appears that in government documents and statements, the terminology of youth work has consolidated in the past years. The consequent terminology is undermined with the changes in the education, which had been called 'Social and Youth Work' between 2012 and 2016, and was reconceptualised as 'Youth Community Coordinator', whereas the Hungarian Standard Classification of Occupations still refers to the occupation as youth assistant.

In current times youth work in Hungary appears to have three pillars, three organisational modes.

  1. Certain 'grassroots' youth communities can be identified on the local level and small scale.
  2. There are NGOs and civil organisations (including the scouting movement and other religious youth organisations) active in the field. These are typically project-funded by the central government or (mostly) by EU grants.
  3. And finally, there is the public infrastructure, mainly connected to the Elisabeth Youth Foundation Nonprofit Ltd. [referred hereinafter as EYF].

EYF serves as methodological background to youth work or related to the mandatory youth activities of the municipal governments.

As youth work traditionally had many connections to community culture, some integrated community service spaces can be considered as key institutions carrying out local youth work.

The only form youth work as a distinct entity can be found in the legislation (besides the educational aspects and the references of the National Youth Strategy) is the reference to the 'youth assistant' profession of the Hungarian Standard Classification of Occupation (hereinafter referred to as HSCO) of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. That practically means that laws only consider youth workers with corresponding education and/or occupation; therefore, volunteers are under different legal understanding. 

Different laws list a range of jobs that can be held with the youth assistant occupation. According to the website of the Office, typical positions include (but are not limited to):

  • Child and youth protection officer
  • Child protection supervisor
  • Youth assistant
  • Youth officer
  • Youth education associate
  • Community development assistant
  • Community assistant
  • Community childcare advisor
  • Social educator and helper-rehabilitation  

Besides the existence of Youthpass, that can be obtained by participating in Erasmus+ Youth activities, and the possibility to have non-formal and informal learning recognised in higher education, there is no other formal recognition of skills gained through youth work.

(From the Youth Wiki)