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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 Sweden, municipalities are responsible for youth work. There is no national level policy framework for youth work aimed at fostering social inclusion. However, there are several national initatives supporting inclusion in local youth work initiatives.

Main inclusive Youth-Work programmes and target groups

The Swedish Government has initiated a number of initiativs targeting young people in a more vulnerable position such as young people at risk for violence, young people with a migrant or ethnic minority background, young people in socio-economically disadvataged areas and young LBGTI-people. 

These government actions usually target professionals working in health care or in schools, in social work, in the police force and in organised leisure, including both youth centres and sports. Even volunteers active in CSOs and in faith communities are targeted.

The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) has since 2017 been mandated by the government to support open leisure activities for young people and to provide training for local-level actors.

Youth work addressing LGBTI youth

The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) has since 2014 been tasked with implementing an open and inclusive environment in schools for young LGBTI people in consultation with the National Agency for Education (Skolverket). In 2021, MUCF developed digital training tools to reach schools throughout the country (MUCF).

In 2023 MUCF was tasked to continue the program, focusing on meeting places in rural municipalities and socio-economically disadvantaged areas.  A report, published in 2025, indicates that the the number of municipalities with meeting places has increased since 2020, from 43 to 82 of Sweden's municipalities. The report also showed an increase in meeting places in rural areas in the last few years. Despite the increase of meeting places, there is still shortcomings in geographical accessibility, as a large part of Sweden's municipalities and counties still lack meeting places for LGBTI youth (MUCF 2025). 

Youth work adressing honor-based violence

Since 2021, MUCF has been tasked with producing and disseminate knowledge on honor-based  violence and prevention to professionals working with leasiure activities for young people. The initiatives consists of customized knowledge materials and lectures. The interim report, published in 2025, concludes that the skill-enhancing initiatives has been appriciated by the target groups (MUCF 2025). 

Supporting increased participation in sports in socio-economically disadvantaged areas

Since the 2010's the Swedish Sports Federation (Sveriges Riksidrottsförbund, RF) has, with financial support from  the Swedish government, worked to increase young people's participation in sport in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and newly arrived migrants. In recent years, the initative the Sport Step (Idrottsklivet) has become the main initative to increase participation in areas where the participation rate is lower than the national average. The Sport step strives to strenghen local presence and develop inclusive methods. The initative is a part of the Swedish Sport Stategy 2035 (RF 2023).

Youth work providers in the field of social inclusion for young people

Youth work is a municipal responsibility in Sweden, both when it comes to outreach and to youth centres and youth clubs. The work may however be carried out and/or governed by different entities, such as municipalities, CSOs, faith communities or schools, and take place in different localities, such as youth centres and clubs, sport facilities, schools, churches, etc.

Training and support for youth workers engaged in social inclusion programmes

Training for youth work is mainly provided by folk high schools (folkhögskolor). The folk high schools main target group is adults. The pedagogy of folk high schools is characterized by active participation and group learning according to the Swedish folk high schools (Sveriges folkhögskolor). The folk high schools provide a two-year study programme (fritidsledarutbildning), leading to a diploma in youth work. There is a common training plan/curriculum that all folk high schools follow. Information on the study programme is made available at the youth recreation leader website (Fritidsledarskolorna).

Youth work network KEKS

Quality and expertise in cooperation (Kvalitet och kompetens i samverkan, KEKS) is a network for youth work. The network has existed since 2005 and is built on common goals and a common system of quality assurance. The network has about forty members, municipal administrations in charge of youth centres, youth houses, and youth projects.

Financial support

Swedish Inheritance Fund

If a deceased person has no spouse or close relatives and has not left a will, their property goes to the Swedish Inheritance Fund (Arvsfonden). The Fund supports non-profit organisations and other voluntary associations wishing to test new ideas for developing activities for children, young people and people with disabilities.

Applications that may be supported come in most cases from non-profit organisations engaged in voluntary work, but even municipalities may be granted the right to implement a project. In such case, the project should be innovative and conducted in close cooperation with a non-profit organisation. A project can be granted funding from the Inheritance Fund for three years.

In 2022, 741 million Swedish kronor (70 million euros) were distributed in project grants. About 155 million Swedish kronor (15 million euros) went to projects for children and about 379 million SEK (36 million euros) to projects for youth (Annual Report 2022).

Government grants

The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) is the government agency for matters relating to youth policy and civil society. The agency shall, according to its ordinance (Förordning (2018:1425)), work to ensure that the objectives of youth policy and of civil society policy are achieved by:

• presenting, gathering and disseminating knowledge;
• contributing to the coordination of government efforts concerning youth policy;
• cooperating with government authorities, municipalities, county councils and civil society organisations;
• distributing state grants to civil society organisations. 

In 2024, 288 million Swedish kronor (27 million euros) were distributed in state grant to youth organisations. See section 1.7 Funding youth policy for more information.