European Youth Work Policy and Young People’s Experience of Open Access Youth Work

Ord, Jon, Carletti, Marc, Morciano, Daniele, Siurala, Lasse, Dansac, Christophe, Cooper, Sue, Fyfe, Ian, Kotsi, Kaur, Sinisalo-Juha, Eeva, Taru, Marti and Zentner, Manfred (2021) European Youth Work Policy and Young People’s Experience of Open Access Youth Work. Journal of Social Policy. pp. 1-21. ISSN 0047-2794

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Abstract

This article examines young people’s experiences of open access youth work in settings in the UK, Finland, Estonia, Italy and France. It analyses 844 individual narratives from young people which communicate the impact of youthwork on their lives. These accounts are then analysed in the light of the European youth work policy goals. It concludes that it is encouraging that what young people identify as the positive impact of youth work are broadly consistent with many of these goals. There are however some disparities which require attention. These include the importance young people place on the social context of youth work, such as friendship, which is largely absent in EU youth work policy; as well as the importance placed on experiential learning. The paper also highlights a tension between ‘top down’ policy formulation and the ‘youth centric’ practices of youth work. It concludes with a reminder to policy makers that for youth work to remain successful the spaces and places for young people must remain meaningful to them ‘on their terms’.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Youth Work, European Youth Work Policy, Impact of Youth Work, Experience of Young People, Friendship & Sociability
Depositing User:	Ms Raisa Burton
Date Deposited:	19 Mar 2021 12:06
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2021 03:50
URI:	https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17644

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