JULY 7-10 > Ghent
1st European Youth Work Convention
- > From 7 to 10 July 2010, Ghent
- > Combine it with the History of Youth Work Conference (5 to 7 July 2010, Ghent)
- > Delegations are invited to stay for both events
Taking youth work a step further
The 1st European Youth Work Convention is a unique opportunity to elaborate on the role of youth work, its different assets, its needs, its features, its strengths and contributions to society; but it also strives to set pathways, orientations and boundaries for future developments and discussions on a European level.
What can you expect at the Youth Work Convention?
- Discover the wide diversity of youth work throughout Europe and its impact on young people and society.
- Youth workers from all 50 signatory countries of the European Cultural Convention will give the Convention a truly pan-European dimension.
- Join the European youth work discussions and youth policy processes on strategic themes and give impetus to new processes.
- The Convention aims to boost European cooperation and networking amongst youth workers in order to reinforce youth work.
- The final results should be messages to member states, to the European Union and European Commission, to the Council of Europe, the European Youth Forum...
The Belgian EU-presidency will take on board these messages in the political follow-up of this 1st Youth Work Convention.
Who is invited to participate?
Official delegations from the signatory states of the Cultural Treaty of the Council of Europe will be invited to both this Youth Work Convention (7-10 July 2010) and the Conference on the History of Youth Work and Youth Policy (5-7 July 2010).
The delegations should be composed of:
- representatives from the ministry
- one representative from the national youth council
- one representative from the national agency (Youth in Action-programme)
- one researcher doing (applied) research in the field of youth (work)
- youth workers/practitioners, representative of the diversity of youth work in your country and who have practical experience in working with children and young people and/or experience with (lobbying towards) policy and decision making structures
- youth policy or youth work policy officers of local authorities
Where does this Youth Work Convention come from?
The renewed EU framework for cooperation in the field of youth (27 November 2009) highlights the need to "support and develop youth work". At the same time, the European Commission, in its Youth in Action workplan, had the intention to organise a conference for youth workers. The Council of Europe from their side adopted ‘Agenda 2020’ about "The future of the Council of Europe youth policy" (2008).
- All these developments inspired the Belgian EU-presidency to commit itself to focus on youth work during its presidency activities.
- Also, the Convention involves strategic partners such as the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the Youth Partnership, European youth researchers, the YiA National Agencies, the European Youth Forum and the Advisory Council.
An important feature of this Convention will be its ambition to involve youth workers from all 50 signatory countries to the European Cultural Convention. Youth work is present and active in similar forms in all these countries. This pan-European assures that networking, mutual support and learning during the conference leads to reinforcing youth work throughout Europe.
Invitation from minister Smet
download invitation (.pdf)
Practical information
download practical information (.pdf)
