Youth Work: At the heart of the story

The benefits and positive impact of youth work to the development of both young people and society are immeasurable. Through engaging with young people in their communities and empowering them to explore their own identities and capabilities, youth work contributes to building inclusive, integrated societies.

To help raise awareness and spread this positive message of the value of youth work, the European Youth Forum, with support from ReRoute, conducted a digital storytelling workshop, “Tell me your story”, where 11 participants engaged in this creative process to share their personal experiences and involvement in youth organisations. These stories were captured in insightful and inspiring videos, available to view here.

The digital stories offer genuine insights into the world of youth work and invite the audience to reflect on the individual journeys of the participants. Told from their own perspectives, the videos explore topics such as the transformation from a young person into an adult, the struggle of finding a place in society, the rewards found through volunteering and youth work, and the incentive to make a difference.

The need for increased recognition and visibility of youth work has recently been highlighted in the joint Declaration of the European Youth Work Convention that took place earlier this year. Conclusions on youth work adopted by the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council last month also acknowledge the importance of its role, especially in regard to reaching out to young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs).

The European Youth Forum believes that these first-hand accounts really illustrate the positive effects of youth work and that by promoting them to a wider audience, including key political and social actors at European and national levels, it will help give youth work the recognition it deserves. For evidence of the importance of youth work and non-formal education in society there is no need to look further than the individual stories of those engaged. The Youth Forum hopes that these stories will help to showcase the need to continue investing in youth work and to strengthen its role in society.

Digital Storytelling videos

European Youth Work Convention Declaration

Council Conclusions on reinforcing youth work to ensure cohesive societies