Quality assurance

Youth work in Portugal is well-developed under various regulations and frameworks. Although the profession has a defined profile, it is not mandatory to have a degree to work in the youth field. However, training and adherence to quality standards are commonly required. State funding is based on strict laws and regulations, ensuring accountability.

Trainers must meet national qualification standards, and Portuguese youth workers often attend recognised training courses like the “Formar+” programme, SALTO, or those by the Council of Europe and IPDJ. The youth worker professional profile is a level 4 EQF level, allowing access to secondary education and bridging non-formal and formal education. The training includes 1,025 hours of mandatory curricula and 100 hours of elective field practice, covering topics like youth work history, youth sector organisation, and project management.

The National Agency for Qualification and Professional Education is updating the youth worker course to level 5, to enhance qualifications and skills. The “Europe Goes Local” project, a strategic partnership between Erasmus+ Youth National Agencies, aims to improve local youth work quality through enhanced cooperation. Portuguese municipalities and youth workers have significantly contributed to this project, which promotes innovation and quality standards.

One key focus of the National Youth Work Strategy is improving youth work quality. This includes developing pedagogical handbooks to support the new modules of the National Qualifications Catalogue.

Research and evidence supporting youth work

Since 1974, public institutions dedicated to the area of youth have done some research in the field. However, the main reference for studies in youth work and youth in Portugal is the OPJ – Observatório Permanente de Juventude.

The Permanent Youth Observatory (OPJ) is a research and study programme of the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon, the institution responsible for its functioning and scientific coordination since 1989.

Intending to enhance the production, exchange and dissemination of scientific knowledge about the diversity of youth realities in Portugal and in the world, OPJ benefited from a great heritage and experience of national and international research, which saw in 2010 a collection of study programmes from the Permanent Observatory of Schools, operating at ICS since 2004. The OPJ is financed by ICS and the Foundation for Science and Technology (UID / SOC / 50013/2013).

The OPJ developed projects in several thematic areas, such as: Youth consumption and leisure; Body, health and sexualities; Education, training and apprenticeships; Housing, family life and social ties; Professional horizons and transitions to the labour market; Youth identities and cultures; Youth, media and technology; Socialisation and civic and political participation; Territory, mobility and migration; Values, representations and social attitudes.

Recently, the IPDJ has developed some studies to support the development of policies, as was the case with the design of the National Youth Plan I. With the support of experienced sociologists, hired for that purpose, and in strict cooperation with OPJ, studies and workshops were conducted to obtain data and foster youth participation to accurately evaluate their needs, aspirations and situation regarding precise indicators.

One example is also the growing proximity between central and local powers, coordinating and gaining efficiency in resource management, and in the accuracy of combining initiatives and programmes.

The largest study on the action of municipalities in the youth area was produced by the IPDJ and developed by the OPJ in 2019. The study, called Juventudes: “do local ao nacional” (Youths: from local to national), aimed to develop a detailed inventory of local policies and initiatives, and was complemented with a public debate and presentation.

There are also developments in providing public access to information regarding youth. A new online tool has been available since 2019: the RNAJ - National Record of Youth Associations.

IPDJ has also promoted cooperation on subjects related to youth with universities, and has supported the organisation of, for instance, a seminar on Youth Work with NOVA University Lisbon, and had a close cooperation with the project Aventura Social, from the Faculty of Human Kinetics of the University of Lisbon.

The Portuguese Erasmus+ Youth/Sports and ESC National Agency has been a partner in the long-term cooperation project called ‘EUROPE GOES LOCAL –Supporting Youth Work at the Municipal Level’ (from July 2016) that aims to raise the quality of local youth work in particular through enhanced cooperation between various stakeholders that are active at the municipal level. The Partnership currently involves about 200 members representing around 120 municipalities in the participating countries. The Europe Goes Local strategic partnership, in line with the recommendations of the 2^nd Youth Work Convention and the Council of Europe recommendation on youth work (CM/Rec(2017)4), created a European Charter on Local Youth Work through a Europe-wide consultation process.

Some universities are investing more in building knowledge and expertise in the field of youth, and Universidade Aberta has developed, in recent years, a post-graduate course in Youth Studies.

Participative youth work

Youth work in Portugal is highly decentralised. There are numerous local associations and proximity structures working with and for youth. The collaboration between municipal and state governments and civil society organisations in the field of youth defines the actions of the public sector.

IPDJ’s Regional Directorates work in close cooperation with youth organisations, municipalities, and youth workers in general, in the field of youth work. The IPDJ aims to promote, support, and empower youth-led structures and civil society organisations working with and for youth to strengthen their intervention.

The National Federation of Youth Associations (FNAJ) represents local and regional youth associations, promotes a structured dialogue, and the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in society. FNAJ has a decisive political representation, defending and promoting the interests of youth associations before public authorities, through critical and active participation.

The National Youth Council (CNJ), created in 1985, with legal status approved by the Portuguese Parliament through Law 1/2006, is the representative platform of youth organisations nationwide, covering the most diverse expressions of youth associations (cultural, environmental, scout, parties, student, unions and confessional).

The Portuguese Association of Youth Professionals aims to strengthen and dignify the youth workers in Portugal, as well as their recognition with the Portuguese Republic and organisations representing young people.

For the past years, co-decision and co-management have been on the agenda of Portuguese youth policy as guiding principles for the transformation of the public intervention in the sector. CNJ and FNAJ hold 10% of the capital of Movijovem, the public company responsible for the management of the country’s youth hostels, the youth card and the Intra_Rail programme. The two abovementioned organisations represent young people and youth associations, and are present in the corporate bodies of Movijovem, influencing directly its decisions and strategy.

Smart youth work: youth work in the digital world

In recent years, interest in digital youth work has grown. In 2018, it was a key topic at the European Youth Capital in Cascais, with recommendations guiding future developments. The Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ) has enhanced its digital services, launching a comprehensive portal in April 2020 to improve communication with young people.

Digital youth work became crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many activities moving online. The "Cuida-te +" programme, promoting health among youth, offered extensive online services. "#serjovememcasa project” maintained youth activities during the pandemic, revealing new opportunities for online engagement.

"Ser Jovem em Casa" included various online training and events, increasing participation by removing geographic barriers. Youth workers adapted non-formal methodologies for online use, fostering decentralisation and knowledge exchange. Volunteers in IPDJ programmes also moved their activities online, benefiting from combined methodologies that facilitated nationwide interaction.

The "Naveg@s em segurança?" programme raised awareness about online security and digital citizenship through webinars and resources. The Employment and Vocational Training Institute (IEFP) promotes the "Jovem + Digital" programme, providing digital skills training for young people.