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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 National Programme for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Updated for 2021-2027, public policy for years up to (Krajowy Program Przeciwdziałania Ubóstwu i Wykluczeniu Społecznemu. Aktualizacja 2021–2027, polityka publiczna z perspektywą do roku 2030) is the key document in the context of social inclusion of young people. It also remains the main source of information and reference in the subject of youth work as a tool preventing social exclusion of young people, however the programme refers to youth work mainly in the context of supporting young people in employment and starting a family.

An important source of reference is the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 30 April 2013 on providing and organisation of psycho-pedagogical help in public kindergartens, schools and other facilities (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 30 kwietnia 2013r. w sprawie zasad udzielania i organizacji pomocy psychologiczno-pedagogicznej w publicznych przedszkolach, szkołach i placówkach) alongside three changes to this ordinance (in 2017, 2019 and 2022).

Main inclusive Youth-Work programmes and target groups

The main programmes for excluded young people as well as their specific target groups were described in the chapter 4.4. The Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 28 August 2017 changing the regulation of the Minister of National Education on providing and organisation of psycho-pedagogical help in public kindergartens, schools and other facilities (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 28 sierpnia 2017 r. zmieniające rozporządzenie w sprawie zasad udzielania i organizacji pomocy psychologiczno-pedagogicznej w publicznych przedszkolach, szkołach i placówkach) lists the following causes for providing psycho-pedagogical assistance for young people:

• disability
• extraordinary talents
• speech disorders
• chronic diseases
• social alienation
• traumatic experiences
• family difficulties

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

The National Programme for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Updated for 2021-2027, public policy for years up to 2030 (Krajowy Program Przeciwdziałania Ubóstwu i Wykluczeniu Społecznemu. Aktualizacja 2021–2027, polityka publiczna z perspektywą do roku 2030) refers to educational institutions as the providers of youth work. In consequence, the school is the main actor responsible for youth work. The supplementary role in this respect belongs to Voluntary Labour Corps,  Youth Education and Labour Centres (including Youth Career Centres, Mobile Labour Information Centres) and to Centres for Training and Education.

According to the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 28 August 2017 changing the regulation of the Minister of National Education on providing and organisation of psycho-pedagogical help in public kindergartens, schools and other facilities (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 28 sierpnia 2017 r. zmieniające rozporządzenie w sprawie zasad udzielania i organizacji pomocy psychologiczno-pedagogicznej w publicznych przedszkolach, szkołach i placówkach) the person responsible for providing psycho-pedagogical help is the school headmaster and the executors of such help are teachers, psychologists, speech therapists, career advisors and other caretakers within the educational facility. The regulation also stresses that parents, as well as external actors (such as other educational facilities, non-governmental organisations and public bodies acting for young people or social workers) can be involved in the process of providing help and assistance.

Should a problem of social nature arise in the life of a young person, their entire family can seek help and assistance. In such cases the social care system plays the crucial role (including social workers, family assistants and in the most serios cases - foster families). These matters are regulated by the Law on Family Support and Foster Care (Ustawa z dnia 9 czerwca 2011r. o wspieraniu rodziny i systemie pieczy zastępczej) that aims at creating a coherent child and family support system.

In the most serious cases, young people can be placed in Special Training and Education Centre, Youth Education Centre, Social Therapy Centre or Juvenile Detention Centre.

With respect to youth work outside schools, the activities of scouting movements need to be stressed: The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) with membership about 110 000 girls, boys and leaders and The Scouting Association of the Republic (Związek Harcerstwa Rzeczypospolitej) with almost 20 000 members.

Unconventional methods of youth work need also be stressed, for example art therapy (including musical therapy, theatre therapy or manual work therapy) or milieu therapy (a type of psychotherapy that seeks to control the environment to keep a person safe, improve their ability to learn new mental health skills, and encourage attitudes like respect and positivity).

Training and support for youth workers engaged in social inclusion programmes

Training and support of youth workers is mainly implemented within the academic curriculum within both bachelor and master degrees in pedagogy and resocialization, eg. educational care pedagogy at the University of Zielona Góra.

Moreover, the publications and materials prepared by the Centre for Educational Development can serve as help and support for youth workers.

Financial support

Not applicable

Quality assurance

As in the case of other youth inclusion actions, there is also no separate nationwide monitoring and quality assurance (evaluation) system for youth work as a tool of social inclusion of young people.