Mapping youth work development at the European level 2026 Survey

Following the successful 4th European Youth Work Convention (EYWC), held in Malta in 2025, a report and a roadmap have been proposed to guide the actions of all youth work stakeholders at European and national levels to take youth work policy and practice forward.

This mapping activity is for the European Reference Group on youth work to track the development of youth work according to the three pillars of the 4th European Youth Work Convention (youth work core, youth work environment and youth work systems), and aligned to the Roadmap where relevant. This study focuses on activity and developments at the European level in 2026 and will support the collection and sharing of evidence, helping to map the initiatives, gaps, and opportunities for strategic development and support knowledge exchange on European level developments. This is not a pan-European survey looking to collect everything happening at various levels, but a survey focusing on European strategic development.

We expect respondents to primarily be members of the Reference Group. If there are key initiatives for other members of your network to submit, Reference Group members should guide them in their submission.

The aim is to create a picture of what is going on and who is focusing on which objective related to youth work development in 2026, and this exercise will be repeated next year. So we are looking to collect information about policy and practice development initiatives happening in 2026 which have a strategic objective, European scope and impact under the three pillars from the Convention.

Criteria for initiatives to share

Strategic focus on European level or significant regional or transnational cooperation (for example with a minimum of 7 countries involved) – not national activities. A separate study focusing on national initiatives will be carried out in 2027.
Activities that impact strategic and policy development on youth work, where the impact is on organisations, systems and practice development at a strategic level, and policy impact and broad impact at European level.
Activities at a strategic level, not on the ground delivery.
Activities taking place in 2026 - they could be beginning, ongoing or completing this year.

The data will be analysed into a report for the autumn meeting of the Reference Group. A concise version will be published and shared with the Community of Practice and Policy Makers.

Please note that contact details will not be published – they are requested so that we can follow up on the survey submissions, as necessary.

Please submit a separate form for each activity/ initiative and as many forms as there are activities or initiatives.

The survey will be open until 15th June 2026

If you have any queries please contact Tanya Basarab or Liz Green.

Please refer to the privacy notice for information about how the data will be processed and held.

1.Institution/ organisation/ department/ partnership
If it is a partnership please include the lead organisation e.g. Europe Goes Local, JINT(Required.)

2.Activity/Initiative
Please submit a separate form for each activity/ initiative and as many forms as there are activities or initiatives.(Required.)

3.Primary contact (name and email)
Please note that contact details will not be published – they are requested so that we can check back regarding information.(Required.)

4.Secondary contact (name and email)

5.Pillar addressed (check all that apply):(Required.)

Youth work core
A shared vision for youth work and its future, which focused on definitions and descriptions of youth work, values and ethics, recognition and visibility, quality and standards, and monitoring and evaluation.

Youth work environment
Supporting young people by addressing their needs and aspirations, ensuring their access, inclusion, participation, and empowerment. This includes advocacy in youth work; the role of employed and volunteer youth workers and youth leaders, and their education, training, and recognition, as well as youth work methodologies, tools, approaches and new technologies.

Youth work systems
Policy and strategy at the European, national, regional, and local levels, covering the voluntary youth sector and youth work associations, networks, centres, and service providers. It also included cooperation between state/public and voluntary sectors at different levels, state/public and EU/EYF funding and resources for youth work, and youth work’s interaction with other policy fields.

6.Please provide a brief description of the Activity/ Initiative / Process
(max 200 words)(Required.)

7.Timescale(Required.)

To be finalised in 2026

Beginning or ongoing in 2026, to be finalised in 2027

Extending beyond 2027

8.How will it link to the strategic goal of developing youth work in Europe?
(max 150 words)(Required.)

9.What are the intended results?
(max 150 words)(Required.)

10.Please describe any synergy with other activities within your institution/organisation/partnership or with other institutions/organisations/partnerships?
(max 150 words) We are looking to identify gaps and connections

11.Please outline any partnerships and cooperation you have in place to deliver this initiative.
(Max 150 words)

12.Please share any web links to the initiative.

13.Please share any tools or resources that the initiative is developing that can be promoted and disseminated widely.

14.If you consider there are gaps in following up on European commitments, please could you share them here.
(max 150 words)

15.Please share any further reflections that you would like to, including how the intiative relates to the outcomes of the previous Conventions / European Youth Work Agenda themes.
(max 150 words)

Send me a copy of my responses via email