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 Slovak Republic

Youth work in Slovakia is mainly implemented by non-governmental organizations in which most of the youth workers are volunteers. Youth work in Slovakia is funded through the grant scheme of MESRS, funds from municipal resources, funds from the resources of higher territorial units, donations and contributions from legal entities and individuals, advertising revenues, business income, European Union funds and other resources.

Act No. 282/2008 on Support of Youth Work defines youth work as mainly an educational activity, a societal activity, an informational activity or an advisory activity for youth, young leaders, youth leaders and youth workers. The main goal of youth work is to ensure personal, professional, and social development of target groups through non-formal education. 

Non-formal education in the field of youth work is further education of youth, young leaders, youth leaders and youth workers organized by educational facilities with the aim of gaining new knowledge, practical experience and skills needed for youth work, which enables its participants to complete, broaden and deepen their reached acquirements.

The important component of youth work is youth participation. It is an active involvement of youth in the process of planning, decision-making and developing project and events within the frame of social and economic life.

Act on Youth Work Support defines several positions in youth work as follows:

  • young leader: a person of age 15 -17 and actively participates in the organization of youth activities led by a youth leader or youth worker;
  • youth leader: a person of minimum age 18, who is responsible for conducting and coordination of youth activities;
  • youth worker: a person who supports young people in their personal development and their knowledge, skills, and competences; prepares and organizes events or programmes in the field of youth work, can be in an employment relationship, conducts business on the basis of a trade license in the field of youth work or carries out voluntary activities in the field of youth work;
  • lecturer/trainer in youth work: a person who develops, through educational activities, the competences of youth workers, youth leaders, young leaders, and other persons active in youth work;
  • youth work coordinator: a person who plans, directs, and coordinates youth work in relation to the competences of the municipalities or regional governments in the field of youth work.

Three positions linked to youth work are included in National Qualifications Framework (hereafter “NSP”):

  • youth worker (pracovník s mládežou )
  • lecturer/trainer in youth work (lektor v práci s mládežou )
  • youth work methodologist (metodik práce s mládežou ).

NSP as a united informative system describes standard requirements for the labour market for recognised professional qualifications. The NSP defines the requirements for professional and practical skills which are needed for the work activity in the labour market. Its main aim is to create a united national reference register of national job standards.

In 2013, the Declaration on the Recognition of the Contribution of Non-formal Education in Youth Work was created. The Declaration is a tool that raises the profile of non-formal education and brings together all those who realize that non-formal education has an important role to play in educating the young generation. The declaration has so far been signed by more than a hundred prominent representatives of the state, private, public and non-governmental sectors.

In Slovakia, there is no national model for validating the skills acquired through youth work. Act no. 568/2009 Coll.  on the Lifelong Learning Act created at least some preconditions for further progress. In § 21 it defines the National Qualifications Framework as “a publicly accessible register containing a description of partial and full qualifications distinguished and recognized in the Slovak Republic required in the form of qualification standards and assessment standards” and in Part 3 it defines the eligible educational institutions and the process of recognition of the results of further education. The created qualification standards serve only as inspiration in the creation of educational programs and are not yet regulated by the law.

National ESF project KOMPRAX - ‘Competences for Real Life’, implemented by IUVENTA in 2011-2015, was the largest national initiative to support non-formal education in youth work. The project aimed to enable young people and youth workers to have access to the renewed and flexible acquisition of competencies in youth work with comprehensive counselling services.

The specific objectives were:

  • to support the quality of educational programs in youth work with the aim of preparing graduates for lifelong learning;
  • to develop the level of key competences of youth leaders and youth workers to facilitate their access to the labour market;
  • contribute to the recognition of competences acquired in youth work in the field of formal education and labour market;
  • to promote social recognition of youth work and ensure the development of information channels and databases on youth work and the education system in this area.

As a part of its role in promoting quality youth work and providing education and training for youth workers, IUVENTA undertook a national project PRAKTIK – Practical skills through non-formal education in youth work, over a two-year period (2013-2015). The project was co-funded by the European Social Fund. The PRAKTIK project focused on developing practical skills in youth work for both youth workers and youth leaders as well as contributing to change and innovation in youth work and non-formal education. The project aimed to improve the quality of youth work in leisure activities and to ensure the development of practical skills; provide space for youth leaders to actively participate in the preparation and implementation of activities; and ensure the transfer of know-how from youth workers to youth leaders. 

The PRAKTIK project was implemented in all regions of Slovakia, apart from Bratislava. Within the PRAKTIK project, there were 35 facilitators working in the regions to ensure the implementation of the project at regional level. The project comprised three main activities with accompanying outcomes. 

(From the Youth Wiki)