This chapter will discuss the concept of youth work in Spain, beginning with its history in recent years and following the order of the sub-chapters. Attention will be given to the existing legislation, the existing job calls for youth workers, their skills and competencies and other relevant aspects. It will gather up-to-date information in a brief and concise manner for the reader to easily acquire comprehensive knowledge on the general situation of the youth workers in Spain.

According to the Council of Europe, youth work is “a broad term covering a wide variety of activities of a social, cultural, educational, environmental and/or political nature by, with and for young people, in groups or individually. Youth work is delivered by paid and volunteer youth workers and is based on non-formal and informal learning processes focused on young people and on voluntary participation. Youth work is quintessentially a social practice, working with young people and the societies in which they live, facilitating young people’s active participation and inclusion in their communities and in decision making.”