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1. Policy legal framework

2. Funding

3. Cooperation

Policy legal framework

There is no specific legal framework for youth work. The activities promoted and supported by youth workers can be deducted from Article 70 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic that states:

Article 70 (Youth)

1. To ensure the effective fulfilment of their economic, social and cultural rights, young people shall enjoy special protection, particularly:

   1. In education, vocational training and culture;

   2. In access to their first job, at work and concerning social security;

   3. In access to housing;

   4. In physical education and sport;

   5. In the use of their free time.

2. The priority objectives of the youth policy must be the development of young people's personality, the creation of the conditions needed for their effective integration into active life, a love of free creativity and a sense of community service.

Nevertheless, in 2023 IPDJ developed a National Youth Work Strategy which is expected to be published during 2025. The National Youth Work Strategy aims to promote the development of youth work in Portugal, with an emphasis on improving the quality of work to be carried out with and for young people, responding effectively to the main challenges facing young people and youth organisations, in line with the main strategic documents at international level in the area of youth work, namely the European Youth Work Agenda and the Recommendation of the Council of Europe on youth work (CM/Rec(2017) 4 revised and updated in 2023). Furthermore, the Strategy aims to be a tool that supports youth organisations, municipalities and other entities in developing and improving the work they carry out with and for young people. The Strategy is expected to create the conditions to promote the development of a youth work ecosystem in the country.

Funding

There is a wide range of support for youth work. Youth Organisations have a specific law that regulates their existence and activity, as well as some of the supporting programmes for their respective development (Law no. 23/2006, of 23 June). This law was revised in 2019 and is currently in the process of a second revision.

Among the funding possibilities, there are programmes for the support of youth and scouts organisations activities (PAJ programme), their facilities and equipment (PAI programme), students organisations activities (PAE programme) and a training programme that funds peer training between organisations and the training of all the actors in the youth field, including youth workers (Formar+ programme).

Youth organisations also benefit from the IDA (Incentivo ao Desenvolvimento Associativo) programme, aimed at fostering the employment of young people in youth organisations, through a partnership with the National Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).

There are also other funding programmes eligible for youth coming from a wide range of public domains. Environment, employment and entrepreneurship, health, voluntary service or new technologies are some of the areas involved. Each of these programmes is funded on a legal framework with regulations and accountability tools attached.

IPDJ has an overall budget of around 10 million euros per year allocated for direct support to youth organisations.

Many of these organisations also apply to European programmes with specific projects, like the Erasmus+ programme. In most programmes, there are rules and limits to public funding that aim at fostering the ability for the applicants to mobilise self-resources or seek partnerships and funding in non-public organisations and sources.

In the reform of legislation on youth associations that was carried out in 2019, for instance, many rights were conceived regarding indirect funding, like more favourable taxation rules over paid activities delivered by youth organisations (despite their non-profitable status).

Municipalities also have regular programmes and support for youth and youth organisations. These data are available in a recent and innovative study (see the topic on research 10.4 - 2 Research and evidence-based Youth Work).

Cooperation

There is a strong interconnection between public and civil society institutions, as well as intergovernmental and European cooperation. Portugal is active in the CPLP, EU, and CoE. Locally and centrally, political power is closely aligned, as seen in the national youth strategy. The connection between young people, youth organisations, and public institutions is intense and present in every project and initiative.

The National Day of Youth Associations has been celebrated on 30 April for nearly two decades. Until 2019, there was an annual Youth Academy organised by IPDJ, Erasmus+ NA, CNJ, and FNAJ. Cascais 2018 European Youth Capital exemplified the cooperation between local and national institutions, and youth organisations.

A notable example of international cooperation is the development of the National Youth Work Strategy. The Council of Europe supports member states through assistance measures. IPDJ applied for expert support to improve the National Youth Work Strategy which was approved. A Council of Europe mission visited Portugal in September 2024 to assess youth work progress and professional development opportunities, engaging with key stakeholders.

The "Shaping Youth Policies in Practice" project, involving IPDJ, aimed at strengthening youth policy. Participating countries included Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Moldova, Portugal, and Ukraine. The Portuguese delegation developed a proposal for a level 5 youth worker professional profile to enhance qualifications and skills. The projects were presented at a final seminar in Faro, in April 2024.