10.5 Youth workers
On this page
On this page
Status in national legislation
The only form in which youth work can be found as a separate entity in legislation (besides the educational aspects and the references of the National Youth Strategy) is the reference to the 'youth assistant' profession of the Hungarian Standard Classification of Occupation (HSCO) of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO). This means that the laws only consider youth workers with corresponding education and/or occupation; therefore volunteers are subject to a different legal understanding.
Various laws list a number of professions that can be exercised as youth assistant occupations. According to the website of the HCSO, typical positions include (but are not limited to):
- Child and youth protection officer
- Child protection supervisor
- Youth assistant
- Youth officer
- Youth education associate
- Community development assistant
- Community assistant
- Community childcare advisor
- Social educator and helper-rehabilitation.
Education, training and skills recognition
Until 2017, youth worker qualification could be obtained in higher vocational education. This means a two-year education in a higher education institution and a certificate could be obtained. In 2015 the Community Coordinator BA (Közösségszervezés BA) level education was created. Its youth community coordinator specialisation became the successor of higher vocational education. This means that currently the only way to have a university-level degree in youth work is by finishing the youth specialisation of the community coordinator BA programme.
National Youth Council
In 2022 the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács), under the Erasmus+ funded PRIME project, organised a training programme for municipal youth officers. The programme aimed to enhance their skills in youth community building, mentoring student councils, and navigating administrative and legal frameworks. It included two in-person sessions and e-learning materials, in total 30 hours.
Hungarian Association of Youth Service Providers
From time to time the Hungarian Association of Youth Service Providers (Ifjúsági Szolgáltatók Országos Szövetsége) organises training and networking opportunities. In 2021-2022 online workshops and a final on-site meeting was held to improve personal competences of volunteers of participating NGOs.
Summer University of the Youth Profession
From 2023 onwards, Tempus Public Foundation, partnered with universities providing study programmes in community coordination, has been organising summer university sessions. The summer university aims to strengthen collaboration between students, educators, and youth work professionals while exploring synergies between formal education and the youth sector. The 2024 event focused on skill development, emphasising on EU youth programmes like Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Participants engaged in workshops on youth work theory, EU youth policy, current trends, such as AI and mental health, and innovative methods such as non-formal learning and community planning. Participation in the summer university is honoured with Youthpass certificate.
Mobility of youth workers
Government-funded mobility of youth workers mostly relates to community development of Hungarian minority communities in countries of the Carpathian Basin (see the role of the Bethlen Gábor Fund in 10.3 Support to youth work).
Besides this and the networking options described in sub-chapter 10.3 Support to youth work, the youth chapter of Erasmus+ offers the most opportunities for youth workers to take part in international study visits and seminars. The national phase of the E+ project of Europe Goes Local also involved study visits on the national level.