Policy/Legal Framework

In some countries, Youth Work has been formally recognized and established through a specific legal framework. In the case of Greece, Youth Work is considered to primarily fall within the sphere of non-formal and informal learning, carried out through activities designed to meet the needs of youth groups and organizations. Although the term is widely used at the European level, to date there is no standalone national legislative framework that explicitly defines Youth Work and Youth Workers. Youth Work is guided by a set of values and methods that promote voluntary participation, inclusion, and the active expression of young people’s voices from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.

In the Strategic Plan for Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning 2022-2024, This served as the foundation for the development of subsequent youth policies, which state that youth policy aims to facilitate the transition from education to employment and to strengthen social participation. Among its core principles are the recognition of the work of those who work with and for young people (Youth Workers) and the support of youth organizations.

Within the youth pillar, the strategic objectives include the gradual institutional recognition and strengthening of youth organizations, as well as the professionals and volunteers active in the field of Youth Work.

The Erasmus+ programme is directly linked to Youth Work and Youth Workers, especially through the key action 1, Learning Mobility of Individuals, which includes mobility projects for youth workers aimed at contributing to the professional development of people, exchanging good practices and improving the quality of projects for young people.

At the same time, according to the national priorities 2023 of the annual calls for the Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps programmes in Greece, the recognition of Youth Work and youth volunteering is promoted as a key pillar of non-formal learning, social participation, and youth empowerment. These priorities are linked to enhancing the quality of youth actions, disseminating good practices, and supporting the active participation of young people at both social and European level.

Funding

A key funding mechanism under Key Action 1 of the Erasmus+ programme is Erasmus Accreditation, which provides stable, multi-year funding to organizations active in the fields of youth, education, and training, aiming to improve the quality of the actions provided and the strategic development of the organizations.

The European Solidarity Corps (“ESC")is a European Union funding program that creates opportunities for young people who wish to participate in volunteering activities or implement their own solidarity projects for the benefit of local communities across Europe. The programme aims to strengthen social cohesion, solidarity, democratic participation, European identity, and active citizenship, with a focus on sustainable development, social inclusion, and equal opportunities.

The European Solidarity Corps supports activities such as Solidarity Projects and Volunteering Projects. Solidarity Projects last from two to twelve months and are organized nationally by groups of at least five young people aged 18–30, who develop initiatives to address local social challenges. Participation provides a significant non-formal learning experience that enhances the personal, social, and educational development of young people.

Volunteering Projects enable young people aged 18–30 to participate in volunteer activities either in their country of residence or abroad, individually or in groups, for up to twelve months, in areas such as social inclusion, environmental protection, and diversity. For organizations to participate, they must obtain the Quality Label, a certification process that ensures the organization meets the programme’s quality standards and principles as defined in the official Programme Guide. Applications for the Quality Label can be submitted throughout the programme’s duration.

The Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation  – INEDIVIM also plays an important role through the operation of Lifelong Learning Centres (LLC), where non-formal education activities are implemented for adults regardless of gender, nationality, or religion, with the primary prerequisite being an interest in learning and active social participation.

Cooperation

The cooperation framework between organizations and institutions which are active to Youth Work can be implemented through the Erasmus+ Programme key action 2,    which provides for Cooperation Partnerships and Small-scale Partnerships. 

youthwork.gr constitutes an initiative of the Hellenic Youth Workers Association, which is composed of employees, professionals, and volunteers in the youth sector in Greece. Founded in 2017, it operates as a non-profit association. It participates, when applicable, in European working groups related to youth policy and Youth Work.

The purpose of the association is: 

• The creation of a framework for recognition and certification of professions 

• The recognition of the social contribution and work with young people 

• The contribution to the drawing up and implementation of a national strategy for youth 

• The promotion and recognition of non-formal and informal learning 

• The promotion of work with young people in society 

• The scientific documentation of work with young people

• The cooperation with organizations that recognize and support the objectives 

• The membership in associations / federations of similar interest 

• The creation of an observatory for research and evaluation 

Moreover, the Hellenic Youth Workers Association serves as the national contact point for the “Bonn Process,” a European initiative aimed at strengthening youth work within the framework of the European Youth Agenda.

Regarding youth mobility, the Erasmus+ 2021–2027, with an increased budget compared to the previous period, covers the fields of Education, Training, Youth, and Sport.

The Youth and Life-long Learning Foundation – INEDIVIM is designated as the National Agency for Youth and Sport sectors in Greece.