Through laying the groundwork for the professionalisation of youth work and
delivering a set of outputs related to the evidence-based education and training
of youth workers, the project will strengthen capacities of youth workers and
contribute in the long term to the overall quality of youth work provision in
project partner countries (Croatia and Slovenia). Existing research and
recommendations for youth work policies, both at the EU and national levels,
have pointed to the need for quality education and training of youth workers as
one of the preconditions for achieving quality youth work. The project activities
include a research of youth workers’ education and training needs in Croatia
and Slovenia. This will be achieved by mapping the existing education
and training opportunities for youth workers, by identifying and analysing the
existing training activities and programmes in both project partner countries, by
mapping and analysing the existing study programmes which train youth
workers in Europe, with the aim to help identify contemporary trends in youth
work education and training and the educational pathways for youth workers
across Europe. Also, a field research of the needs in youth work training and
education in Croatia and Slovenia will be carried out, which will target youth
workers and their employers, as well as young people and decision-makers.
The field research will combine quantitative and qualitative research methods
(online questionnaires, focus groups and interviews). The project goals include:
the development of proposals for occupation and qualification standards for
youth workers, the development of a curriculum for a life-long-learning study
programme for youth workers and the development of a curriculum for a
tertiary-level study programme for youth workers.