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YouthWiki

EACEA National Policies Platform
Slovakia

Slovakia

10. Youth Work

Last update: 29 January 2024

The history of Slovak youth work is linked to the national liberation movement of the nineteenth century, when many associations started working regularly with children and young people (10.1). There is currently one document regulating youth work – the Act on Youth Work Support (10.3).

 

State care for youth and sport is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter MERDY). The state delegates some tasks to municipalities and cities and then provides financial and other material resources. MERDY transfers the establishment of schools and school facilities to municipalities. School facilities also include leisure centres that are directly active in the field of youth work.

 

The term “youth work” as understood in some Western European countries (especially the United Kingdom) was not introduced by law until 2008 (when the Act on Youth Work Support was established). Until then, the term referred to any activities with this target group, in some cases, the public to this day perceives this term as relating to school activities (10.1).

 

There are three positions in youth work: young leader (volunteer aged 15-18 years old), youth leader (volunteer older than 18 years old) and youth worker (employed professional) (10.5).

 

MERDY confirms quality of youth work programmes by formal accreditation connected with official certificates for participants, but Youth Pass (Erasmus+) is popular tool for presenting acquired competencies through mobility activities as well (10.6 ).

 

Declaration on the Recognition of Non-Formal Education has been signed by more than 100 employers, institutions and official stakeholders and became the leading initiative to raise awareness of youth work value in Slovakia (10.7). 

 

Quality of youth work has been discussed for long time, and in 2018, a working group for final definition of quality standards was set by the MERDY. NIVAM- Slovak Youth Institute collects and promotes various research projects and surveys on youth, youth policy and youth work (10.4 ).

 

Youth work in Slovakia is mainly implemented by non-governmental organizations in which most youth workers are volunteers. Youth work in Slovakia is funded through the grant scheme of MERDY, funds from municipal resources, funds from the resources of higher territorial units, donations and contributions from legal entities and individuals, advertising revenues, business income, European Union funds and other resources.