According to the Act on Youth Work, a young person is defined as a person aged between 12 and 30 years inclusive. Accordingly, youth refer to a group of at least three young people within this age range. 

Within this broad age group, the Act also establishes several specific sub-groups linked to policy measures and roles in youth work. These include:

• young leaders, aged 14–17, who participate in the organisation of youth activities under supervision;  
• youth leaders, aged 18 and over, who are responsible for managing and organising youth activities;
• youth workers and other professionals working with youth, who are generally adults and subject to defined professional and integrity requirements.

Other official documents use different age brackets for specific purposes:

• The Criminal Code (Act No. 300/2005 Coll.) defines minors as individuals aged 15 to 18, who have special legal protections.
• The Labour Code defines a juvenile employee as a worker under 18 years (§ 40), with special protections regarding working conditions.
• The Act on Social and Legal Protection of Children (2005) distinguishes dependent children (up to 18 years) and young adults (18 to 25 years).
• The most commonly referenced youth age range in Slovak youth policies, including the Strategy of the Slovak Republic for Youth 2021–2028, is 13 to 30 years.

Other target groups, defined based on current social needs, include Roma youth, NEET youth (not in education, employment, or training), youth from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, youth with disabilities, migrant and refugee youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and rural youth.