The recognition of youth work asks for political engagement and will to take responsibility in the policy making process. This will get manifest through clear long term aims and short term objectives and the strive for necessary continuity regarding both aims and funding. Local youth work policy frames and guides local youth work.
Youth organisations, NGOs and other independent organisations should however always be free to set their own aims and objectives. If these organisations are funded by public money it is also important to keep in mind and respect the core principle that youth work should promote critical thinking, and its related mission to support and defend young people’s right to argue and act for changes even when it puts them in conflict with other actors, might they be local politicians or school authorities.
To what degree does our local youth work meet this bullet point?
Are there sides/aspects of it that are not reached?
Are there differences related to different activities?
Are there differences related to different groups of young people?
Are there differences related to different youth work providers?
Are there other differences? Related to what?
What different steps do we need to take in order to meet this bullet point?
Do we miss any knowledge that we need?
Do we need to take contact with stakeholders not present in our discussions?
Do we need to develop new competences, methods, work processes or organisational structures?
Can we find good practices or tools that might help us to improve this?
Do we have positive experiences from other areas of youth work that we can use also in this case?
Are there other organisations that we can contact and learn from regarding this?
Do we need to take other measures?
Do we have to revise our perspectives and/or priorities regarding youth work?
