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1. Policy/legal framework

2. Main inclusive Youth-Work programmes and target groups

3. Youth work providers in the field of social inclusion for young people

4. Training and support for youth workers engaged in social inclusion programmes

5. Financial support

6. Quality assurance

Policy/legal framework

The Department of Youth Affairs, developing open work with youth in Lithuania and aspiring after clarity in this field, i.e. wishing to better define open work with youth, in 2010 worked out a “Conception of open youth centers and spaces” as well as publications “Open youth centers – for the needs of youth”, Practical guide on open youth centers. The Conception defines the objectives, tasks, target groups, principles, contractors, and quality requirements of forms of open work with youth. One of the key objectives of the Conception is to establish open youth centers and open spaces as institutional forms of open work with youth, aspiring to encourage young people with a fewer possibilities to engage in meaningful activities, thereby pursuing the diversity and quality of work with youth related services, accessibility for as wide circle of young people as possible, as well as rational use of financial and human resources. The following terms were defined while working out this Conception:

Youth worker is a grown-up person, who has reached the age of 21, acting out of bounds of formal education and training system, family and work activities, aspiring after personal and social improvement of young people through both individual work with individual persons and working with groups or communities, as well as having professional competences for such work. A youth worker is entitled to remuneration for professional work. Professional attitude of youth worker consists of personal guidelines and viewpoint, development and maintenance of relationship, methodical, applicable, as well as structural competences. A youth worker should have an education in pedagogy, psychology, or social science, or should have in such other way acquired competences relevant to social work with youth.

Open work with youth is a work with youth form – the entirety of educational activities and suggestions, having specific principles of operation; it is open for all young people, living in a particular territory, irrespective of their social status; able of attracting youth with a fewer possibilities to be involved in other activities that are available or not available in their environment.

Open youth center is an institution that performs open work with youth and follows the principles thereof, the founders whereof may be municipalities, non-governmental organizations, local or religious communities (may establish individually or jointly) in accordance with the legal forms, provided in Article 2 of the Law on Youth Policy Framework. An open youth center characterizes for having more than one premise (space) for various youth activities.

Open space is a space or premise, intended and accommodated for performance of open work with youth, i.e. could be situated in the institution (cultural, educational, sports, or social) without changing legal status of institution and accommodated for open work with youth applying the available measure or methodical base.

Main inclusive Youth-Work programmes and target groups

The number of organizations and institutions with various similar names (e.g. youth center, youth club, open youth center, mobile youth center, etc.) offer various activities for young people. Pursuant to the principle of subsidiarity, the priority to organize open work with youth is given to non-governmental organizations and religious communities. Local authorities are active where such organizations do not want to assume such activities or do not have due competence through organization of open work with youth through their own institutions. One of the key institutional forms of open work is so called open youth centers / spaces (open youth centre, offenes Jugendzentrum / open youth spaces). Such open youth center and / or space: functions in a particular social environment and aspires that young people, living in such environment and territory, had a place to spend there free time – came to the center; enables youth to meet and socialize with friends, play games, listen to the music, or just be together, does not demand regular visits or any kind of obligations, except compliance with regulations that are mandatory for all visitors; suggests, but not demands, attending various clusters that are framed according to the whishes of young people (computer, DJ, breakdancing, etc.), projects, campaigns; has skilled youth workers, who are ready to speak to youngsters about their problems, consult if they need more serious assistance, orient, and mediate. The same employees assist young people in framing the ideas, encourage and help implement the same, help discussing the experience acquired; keeps in touch and cooperates with the institutions, operating in that residential territory and connected to youth affairs, such as: school, parish, police, youth organization, eldership or community, library, etc. Also aims at socializing with the families of youngsters: send information, organize campaigns, festivals; finances its activities from the funds of local authorities, target programs, sponsors, and own funds as well.

Where implementing youth policy, local authorities aspire to develop and maintain an open work with youth (youth centers and spaces) network, which would be equally developed in individual residential territories, social environments, and would not just be concentrated in the center of city or district, i.e. so that this form of work with youth was made available for young people in their residential environment.

Youth work providers in the field of social inclusion for young people

The number of organizations and institutions with various similar names (e.g. youth center, youth club, open youth center, mobile youth center, etc.) offer various activities for young people. Pursuant to the principle of subsidiarity, the priority to organize open work with youth is given to non-governmental organizations and religious communities. Local authorities are active where such organizations do not want to assume such activities or do not have due competence through organization of open work with youth through their own institutions. One of the key institutional forms of open work is so called open youth centers / spaces (open youth centre, offenes Jugendzentrum / open youth spaces). Where implementing youth policy, local authorities aspire to develop and maintain an open work with youth (youth centers and spaces) network, which would be equally developed in individual residential territories, social environments, and would not just be concentrated in the center of city or district, i.e. so that this form of work with youth was made available for young people in their residential environment.

Training and support for youth workers engaged in social inclusion programmes

Since autumn 2014, a training programme coordinated by Lithuanian Labour Exchange, under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, Education Exchanges Support Foundation and The Department of Youth Affairs, under the Ministry of Social Security and Labourhas been delivered to 80 specialists from local labour exchanges and youth job centres to develop their counselling skills for working with complex and unmotivated young people. A new certification system for youth work was introduced to formally recognise the value of youth work as a public service, and youth workers as qualified specialists who put policy into practice. The aim the youth worker certification system was to establish and maintain high-quality work with young people in order to facilitate their personal and social growth, and ensure effective cooperation between experts from public institutions and non-governmental organisations. Within this, a unified list of competences was developed that could be applied to all professionals that work with young people, no matter which sector they belonged to. It provides youth workers with an opportunity to obtain, develop and recognise their competences and skills and further develop their knowledge of different aspects of youth work. Under this project, 23 Lithuanian public employment services employees were able to gain a certificate in youth work and in total 182 youth workers from different sectors gained qualifications. The training has enabled Lithuanian public employment services youth counsellors to meet and share knowledge with other youth workers from different sectors. The training has given youth workers the skills, competences and knowledge to meet the needs of individual young people. The training programme was focused on 1) developing the competences of staff who work with young people, 2) new methodological tools assimilation, and 3) practical skills assessment tool management for clients. The programme was delivered over two years and training took place over five days and sometimes on weekends. In addition, the certification system consisted of an evaluation of the current competences, trainings, internships, reflections, evaluation and being awarded a certification. It included five training programmes: 1. Self-perception in the youth work context 2. Understanding of adolescence and youth world 3. Individual work with a young person 4. Working with groups and delinquent behavior 5 Methodologies of youth work. This covered approximately 32 different competencies. Each of these training programmes lasted approximately four to five days and each youth worker was required to undertake a series of internships thereafter to implement their newly developed skills. It is intended that certificated youth workers share their acquired theoretical and practical knowledge with other youth counsellors. 

Financial support

In 2015 Department of Youth Affairs was  allocated EUR 65000 to implement „Discover Youself“ project uder the Youth Employment Initiative. In 2016 Department of Youih Affairs was  allocated EUR 218000 to implement „Discover Youself“ project uder the Youth Employment Initiative. In 2016 Lithuanian Labour Exchange was  allocated EUR 1100740 to implement „Discover Youself“ project under the Youth Employment Initiative.

Quality assurance

The mechanisms to monitor and ensure the quality of the implementation of inclusive youth work exist since 2014 and the system of quality monitoring has been developed. Youth workers are now recognised as qualified specialists and youth work has become standardised and professionalised across Lithuania. Youth Policy Quality Assessment in Municipalities Methodology has been approved by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour in 2008. This methodology includes general quality criteria on youth work.