Road map

The 4^th European Youth Work primarily aimed to outline the structures, measures and initiatives that are essential for developing and implementing a strategic approach to youth work development across Europe.

The subsequent Roadmap reflects the collective vision and conclusions that were discussed at the Convention. It is divided into four phases, with the aim to inform and underpin European and national youth policies and strategies in the coming years:

Phase 1 (2026-2027)

• • European institutions, national agencies, member States and wider youth work community to consider and act on the Convention’s key conclusions
  • European Commission to make proposals for the Convention’s conclusions to be reflected in the new EU Youth Strategy
  • Youth Partnership to implement these conclusions under three central pillars: youth work systems, youth work environment and youth work core
  • European Youth Work Agenda to be reviewed and aligned with these conclusions

Phase 2 (2026-2027)

• • Youth Partnership to focus its work programmes on promoting, coordinating and following up implementation of the Convention’s conclusions
  • Joint Council of the Council of Europe (CMJ) to establish a Task Force to amend, where appropriate, the Recommendation on Youth Work
  • EU Council Presidencies to propose measures, through the Youth Working Party, to put into practice the Convention’s conclusions
  • Through the Directors-General for Youth, EU Council Presidencies to report on actions taken to give effect to the Convention’s conclusions

Phase 3 (2028)

• • New EU Youth Strategy to include a designated section or pillar for Youth Work
  • European Commission to establish and agree with member States on a shared vision, understanding and definition of the role and mission of youth work
  • Youth Partnership to facilitate, advise and support member States in implementing quality standards and approaches at national, regional and local level
  • New financial support programmes and targeted EU funding mechanisms to be developed through national agencies for EU youth programmes
  • Member States to ideally establish a legal or administrative instrument to formally recognise youth work as a practice discipline, provide governance and administrative support structures nationally and regionally, as well as allocate funding annually to support youth organisations providing youth work programmes

Phase 4 (2028-2030)

• • Preparations to begin for the 5^th European Youth Work Convention
  • Preparations for the new Council of Europe Youth Sector Strategy to include key elements of the 4^th Convention’s conclusions

For more information about the Convention’s programme, keynote speeches and conclusions, you can consult the full report of the event here.