Youth work tradition in Slovenia started approximately with Slovenian independence in 1991. Before 1991, Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia and “within this context there was a relatively strong youth movement, which helped form the basis later on for the development of youth work.” as stated in  Working with young people: The value of youth work. Country report: Slovenia. [1] In the early 1970s, Slovenia was characterized by increased repression and ideological pressure on young people, especially the youth press and the media, which led to student revolts and led to the formulation of civil society movements and the development of a strong youth scene. During this time, the independent student organisation was abolished and merged with the youth organisation.

Later in the 1980s came an intensive period for youth movements (formal and non-formal) which continued in the 1990s, when youth scenes began to develop, mostly designing around key leisure activities of young people. Young people became increasingly involved in various movements and organisations. In the process of transition, young people wanted especially the least risky path to the future, which led to the development of several forms of working with youth or youth work. The activities took place in public gatherings where young people were involved in the action.

An overview of youth work history in Slovenia until idenpendence can be found in the publication “Youth work in Slovenia from liberation to independence” (Mladinsko delo v Sloveniji od osvoboditve do osamosvojitve).

After independence, the concepts of working with and for young people began to develop and there was an incentive to design a youth programme at national and the European level. “A formal approach to youth policy and support for youth work began in 1990, with the establishment of the National Youth Council. This was developed further through the work of the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth by the Ministry of Education and Sport.”as it is stated in the  Working with young people: The value of youth work. Country report: Slovenia. Moreover, youth work at the local level quickly developed, which included development of new local youth organisations, local youth councils and youth centres.

In 2010, Slovenian government adopted the Public Interest in the Youth Sector Act (Zakon o javnem interesu v mladinskem sektorju). Article 3 provides a legal definition for youth work, combining formal and non-formal aspects of youth work: “youth work is an organised and target-oriented form of youth action and is for the youth, within which the youth, based on their own efforts, contribute to their own inclusion in society, strengthen their competences and contribute to the development of the community. The implementation of various forms of youth work is based on the volunteer participation of the youth regardless of their interest, cultural, principle or political orientation”.

Prior to the adoption of the Public Interest in the Youth Sector Act, Slovenia did not have any national legislation relating to youth work nor a central definition of youth work, which led to the proliferation of a range of definitions in existence across Slovenia with many youth organisations often using their own definitions. Nowadays, main actors agree that the Public Interest in the Youth Sector Act is their legal basis.