Youth work in rural area – what is that?

In European countries that recognize or use on some level Youth Work there are many different but still similar definitions and examples of what is Youth Work, who is doing it, where and how.

For the need of understanding of this article we will try to define simplest possible what is Youth Work so all the citizens can understand it. Based on that we can say that Youth Work is an organized free time in which trained / prepared persons (Youth Workers) prepare or implement diverse range of activities in direct work with young people.

The excellent thing with Youth Work is that it can happen everywhere, like: spaces for youth (like youth clubs, centers, schools), spaces where young people are gathering (on festivals, street, by the river/lake/beach etc.), in house, in a NGO/charity/institution in nature basically everywhere.

Today in Europe in almost every city there are at least some providers of youth work or in majority those are NGO’s. The real problem is to deliver Youth Work in small settlements & rural areas who poor or not have at all infrastructure for activism of young people. In order to include young people in activism we use outreach Youth Work.

This is an approach with has many methodologies but the general idea is to prepare an set of activity, information’s or campaign that will last / be repeated over at least 3 months. Goal of this is to send information to target group and add space and time to be attracted / used on new possibilities. When they are ready for discussion or participation on activities that Youth Worker is delivering then the real Youth Work is starting.

An excellent and powerful tool (as practice has showed) to reach out to youth in rural areas are European mobility projects as they attractive to youngsters and with them we can more easily attract their attention and include them in their selfbuilding.

Projekt: Why Youth Work is Good? 
Organizacja koordynująca: Udruga IKS, Chorwacja
Organizacje partnerskie: Fundacja CAT, Polska; SOCIALNA AKADEMIJA, Słowenia; SDRUDZENIE ZNAM I MOGA, Bułgaria; ALTER EGO, Grecja; Asociación Cazalla Intercultural, Hiszpania;
Okres realizacji: 01-02-2019 - 31-03-2020