Status in National Legislation

At present, there is no specific institutional framework regulating the professional status of Youth Workers in Greece. However, Law 4763/2020 includes a reference to the possibility of drafting proposals for the establishment of a regulatory framework concerning the recognition and protection of both volunteers and those working with and for young people (Youth Workers) within the context of youth policies.

No specific minimum qualifications, professional criteria, or mandatory pedagogical and educational competences have been established for exercising this activity. A descriptive approach to the role of the Youth Worker is outlined by the Hellenic Youth Workers Association, according to which a Youth Worker designs, implements, and evaluates educational and social programmes that:

• Aim at supporting and enriching the personal and social development of young people through their voluntary participation and contribution 

• Are complementary towards the formal, academic or vocational education and training of young people 

• Are implemented – mainly – by youth organizations and non-formal learning bodies

Education, training and skills recognition

To date, there are no specifically established diplomas, university degrees, or postgraduate programmes in Greece that lead exclusively to the practice of the Youth Worker profession. In practice, individuals working with and for young people often come from higher education fields such as social work, sociology, psychology, educational sciences, and other related social or humanities disciplines. However, engagement in Youth Work is not limited to a specific academic field, allowing the participation of individuals with diverse academic and professional backgrounds, particularly when they possess skills in cooperation, communication, and group facilitation for young people.

As Youth Work falls within the broader field of non-formal and informal learning, prospective Youth Workers may enhance their competences through Lifelong Learning programmes, training seminars, European educational activities, and capacity-building initiatives focusing on the development of transversal skills, group facilitation, and non-formal education methodologies.

A Youth Worker may be active:

• In Youth structures of the public sector (Youth Centers, Youth Information Centers, Support educational structures, youth policy-making bodies, public organizations, etc.).

• In youth structures of the private or non-profit sector (youth organizations, NGOs, associations, educational institutions, social bodies, etc.).

• By providing independent or consultancy services to relevant organizations and programmes.

In the direction of strengthening the quality of education and training in the field, methodological tools from adult education and non-formal learning are utilized, with emphasis on principles such as experiential learning, participation, the active engagement of young people, and social inclusion. These approaches function as a reference framework for the development of educational activities and guides to good practices in the youth sector.

Mobility of Youth Workers

Erasmus+ Youth Key Action 1 offers exchange and cooperation opportunities at international level through the Youth Worker mobility scheme. It contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the EU strategy for youth 2019-2027 — and in particular more specifically in strengthening the quality of work with and for young people.

More specifically, mobility projects for staff in the youth field aim to:

• Provide opportunities for non-formal and informal learning for the educational and professional development of youth workers, strengthening both their individual practice and the organizational development of their institutions.

• Build a European community of professionals and volunteers in the youth field, capable of supporting the quality of programmes and activities for young people both within and beyond European programmes.

Advance local Youth Work practices and develop the competences of participants and their organizations, with a tangible impact on day-to-day work with young people.