Governance

Main legal document in relation to Youth Work in Turkey is the Decree Law on the Organisation and Duties of the Ministry of Youth and Sports dated 03/06/2011 and youth work in Turkey is regulated in several other documents and legal texts based on this main legal document. After the adoption of new governmental system, with the issuing of Presidential Decree 1 dated 10/07/2018, the foundation and tasks of the Ministry of Youth and Sports have been restructred anew.

The most general framework concerning the youth work in Turkey is shaped with the undertakings for protection of youth in the Constitution (Article 58 “Protection of Youth” of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey); with the Decree Law on Organisation and Duties of the Ministry of Youth and Sports youth work in Turkey was explained on the basis of certain approaches. The Presidential Decree representing the new foundational law of the Ministry of Youth and Sports retains the same principles and approaches. Components of youth work and duties based on these approaches include supporting personal and social development of the youth, improving services provided to the youth, ascertaining procedure and principles of youth work, supervising projects aimed at the youth, providing inter-institutional coordination carrying out works regarding the youth and enhancing opportunities for youth participation.

Turkish National Agency which is responsible for Erasmus + Program is an important component of youth work in Turkey. It runs the program that covers grant support in the field of education, youth and sports of the European Union. 

Cross-sectoral cooperation

Main actor and provider of the Youth Work in Turkey is the Ministry of Youth and Sports. By means of the programmes and projects directly carried out by the central organisation of the Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the projects and activities carried out by the Provincial Directorates of Youth Services and Sport and the Youth Centres on the local level, the Ministry is the main organisation which provides youth work for the entire Turkish youth. 

In addition, central organisations such as the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye), İŞKUR (Turkish Employment Agency), KOSGEB (Small and Medium Business Development and Support Administration) also conduct various youth-related initiatives within the scope of their own policies.

Another authority that provides services for young people is local governments. Local governments conduct youth-related activities in line with their own policies. Civil society organizations can also be considered as another branch of youth-related activities.