On this page

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

In 2016, the youth worker’s professional profile was created in Portugal.

The youth worker is a professional whose work is defined as ‘intervening in the design, organisation, development and evaluation of projects, programmes and activities with and for young people, through domain methodologies of non-formal education, facilitating and promoting citizenship, participation, autonomy, inclusion and personal, social and cultural development’ (Employment and Labour Newsletter BTE no. 45, 2015).

The creation of youth worker's professional profile was developed by a work group in the field of youth, under the coordination of the State Secretariat of Youth and Sports and the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, PI (IPDJ, I.P.), with the collaboration of the National Agency for Qualification and Professional Education – Education and Employment and Qualification ANQEP, I.P. It relied on the collaboration of youth associations and youth representative platforms – the National Youth Council (CNJ) and the National Federation of Youth Associations (FNAJ).

The main goal of professional training for youth workers is to qualify professionals that monitor children and young people, which collaborate in organising and developing educational activities, under the supervision of childhood educators/teachers or autonomously.

Main inclusive Youth-Work programmes and target groups

In Portugal, several youth work programmes specifically target vulnerable young people to promote social inclusion, reduce discrimination, and develop life skills. These initiatives are delivered through youth associations, municipalities, NGOs, and community‑based organisations, and are supported by national and European funding streams.

1. Agora Nós (Now Us) – National Youth Volunteering Programme

Agora Nós programme provides structured volunteering opportunities that strengthen young people’s personal, social, and civic competences. Activities often include community outreach, support to marginalised groups, neighbourhood revitalisation, and non‑formal education projects designed and run by youth associations.

Target groups:

• Young people aged 14–30, with priority given to NEETs, young migrants, ethnic‑minority youth and young people at risk of social exclusion.
• Young volunteers themselves, who benefit from life‑skills development, teamwork, digital skills and active citizenship.

Funding:

• Funded by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ) through annual youth‑policy budget lines for volunteering schemes.
• Eligible youth associations receive financial support to cover operational costs and volunteer expenses. [national-p....europa.eu]

2. European Solidarity Corps (ESC) – Inclusion Strand

The ESC supports cross‑border and national volunteering projects aimed at vulnerable youth, including work in the fields of anti‑discrimination, youth participation, community cohesion and social innovation.

Target groups:

• Young people aged 18–30, including migrants, refugees, Roma youth, young people with disabilities, and those facing socio‑economic disadvantage.
• Organisations working with marginalised communities, which benefit from trained youth volunteers.

Funding:

Fully financed by EU funds (ESC budget), covering travel, accommodation, insurance and project implementation.

3. Programme Escolhas (Programa Escolhas) – 9th Generation (2023–2026)

The Programa Escolhas is Portugal’s largest youth‑work and social‑inclusion programme and plays a pivotal role in combating discrimination, strengthening community participation, and enhancing life skills among vulnerable young people.

Its interventions include homework support, digital‑skills development, cultural mediation, arts‑based inclusion, employment transition activities, intercultural dialogue, community development, and street‑work approaches in high‑risk neighbourhoods. [ipdj.gov.pt]

Target groups:

• Children and young people aged 6–25 from socio‑economically vulnerable contexts;
• Descendants of migrants, Roma youth, newly arrived young refugees;
• NEETs;
• Youth at risk of marginalisation, school failure, early school leaving, or involvement in risky behaviour. 

Funding:

• The State Budget 2024 allocated €7.9 million to the programme, enabling the approval of 118 projects for the 2023–2026 cycle. 
• Co‑funding by municipalities, IPSS, immigrant associations, and over 1,000 partner entities nationwide.
• The 9th Generation (E9G) is implemented by the IPDJ and financed through national public funds and complementary EU sources. 

4. Cultural and Artistic Mediation Programmes

Cultural mediation is recognised as a powerful youth‑work tool for social inclusion. Cultural mediators—often young adults from the local community—support communication between institutions and vulnerable families, help prevent discrimination, and promote young people’s participation in arts and cultural life.

Target groups:

Youth from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, migrant youth, Roma communities, NEETs and young people experiencing school disengagement.

Funding:

Supported by DGARTES and the National Plan for the Arts, with project‑based national funding for mediation training and local cultural‑education programmes.

5. Youth Associations (RNAJ‑Registered)

Portuguese youth associations (registered in the National Register of Youth Associations – RNAJ) play a central role in delivering youth‑work activities such as life‑skills training, leadership development, community projects, social‑rights awareness and anti‑discrimination initiatives. Their structure enables direct outreach to vulnerable youth through non‑formal education.

Funding:

• Eligible for national support programmes such as PAAJ (Support Programme for Youth Associations) and IDA (Incentive Programme for Associative Development), managed by IPDJ.
• Funding covers project implementation, training, events, and operating costs. 

Integrated Overview

These programmes collectively support:

• Life‑skills development (communication, teamwork, problem‑solving, digital literacy);

• Anti‑discrimination and equality initiatives (intercultural mediation, arts‑based inclusion, ESC diversity projects);
• Active citizenship and community participation;
• Employment transition and skills acquisition (Escolhas – Measure 1);
• Outreach and street‑work in high‑risk communities (local Escolhas consortia);
• Support for newly arrived refugees, Roma youth, NEETs and homeless youth.

Together, they form Portugal’s principal youth‑work ecosystem for vulnerable young people, combining national funding, EU instruments and local partnerships

Training and support for youth workers engaged in social inclusion programmes

In Portugal, the youth worker qualification is officially recognised in the National Qualifications Catalogue (Catálogo Nacional de Qualificações) and corresponds to Level 4 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), equivalent to the completion of upper-secondary education (12th grade).

Structure of the Training

The training programme includes:

• 1,125 hours of total training;
• 1,025 hours of mandatory modules;
• 100 hours of optional modules;
• 500 hours are dedicated to newly developed training modules, reflecting evolving needs in youth work.

This qualification enables professionals to design, implement, and evaluate projects and activities with and for young people, using non-formal education methodologies to promote citizenship, participation, inclusion, and personal development.

Financial support

Some initiatives and support measures for young people at risk of exclusion developed by youth organisations also receive support at a local administration level, through the allocation of financial, material and logistical support, such as providing facilities, transportation for a particular initiative, etc.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance in inclusive youth work programmes in Portugal is a cross‑cutting priority for the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude – IPDJ). It aims to ensure that youth work actions are coherent with national youth policy objectives, respond effectively to the needs of diverse target groups and meet defined standards of accessibility, relevance and impact.

IPDJ promotes quality assurance through regulatory frameworks, programme guidelines and monitoring mechanisms applicable to its main inclusive youth work programmes. These instruments set out clear objectives, eligibility criteria, implementation principles and expected outcomes, with a strong focus on social inclusion, non‑discrimination and equal access for all young people, especially those with fewer opportunities.

Assessment and monitoring procedures are integrated throughout the programme cycle. Funded organisations and project promoters are required to report on activities, target groups reached and results achieved, using both quantitative and qualitative indicators. This information supports ongoing evaluation of programme effectiveness and contributes to evidence‑based adjustments and improvements. Where relevant, on‑site visits and follow‑up meetings are used to ensure compliance with programme requirements and to provide guidance for quality enhancement.

Training and capacity‑building of youth workers and organisations are also key components of quality assurance. IPDJ supports continuous professional development, dissemination of good practices and the use of youth work principles grounded in non‑formal education, participation and empowerment. Special attention is given to inclusive methodologies, intercultural competence and safeguarding measures.

Finally, IPDJ encourages participatory approaches to quality assurance by promoting feedback from young people involved in the programmes. Their perspectives are considered essential for improving the relevance, inclusiveness and overall quality of youth work interventions. Through these combined measures, IPDJ seeks to ensure that inclusive youth work programmes are effective, accountable and responsive to the diverse realities of young people in Portugal.