State of Play around Youth Work Policy in the Western Balkans
Cover of the Publication.
We’re excited to share with you our latest policy brief exploring the state of youth work in six Western Balkan countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. This is the result of literature review collected across the region and brought together to better understand what’s working, what’s missing, and what needs to change in frame of the project "Unlocking Potentials of Youth Work in the Western Balkan Region". The overall objective of this long-term project is to support quality youth work development and recognition in the Western Balkan region through multi-country cooperation, networking, and the design of innovative practices.
This policy brief looks at how youth work is being supported (or not!) by national policies. It dives into key issues like funding, recognition of youth workers, validation of non-formal education, and the role of data and research in shaping youth policy. The goal? To give a snapshot of where things stand and offer concrete recommendations for decision-makers, youth organisations, and funders who care about making youth work stronger, more visible, and more sustainable.
Whether you're:
A youth worker struggling with insecure project funding,
A policy-maker wondering how to better support youth centres,
A researcher trying to understand what's missing in national strategies,
Or a young advocate pushing for better recognition of youth-led initiatives...
...this brief is for you.
It’s written to be useful, practical, and rooted in the everyday realities youth workers face in the Western Balkans.
The authors (Nika BAKHSOLIANI and Jelena MILUTINOVIC) use 10 criteria to examine policies and practices around youth work in each country, based on the literature reviewed. Policy Integration, Legislative Framework, Funding, Education and Training, Validation of Non-formal Education, Knowledge to Action Support, Participation, Cross-sectorial Cooperation, Monitoring and Evaluation. The outcomes were synthesized and thematically analyzed to create a picture of region-wide situation.
Key Findings
Overdependence on international funding continues to limit sustainability. Local ownership is still too rare.
Professional pathways for youth workers are either unclear or missing entirely in most countries.
Non-formal education is widely celebrated, but rarely validated in a way that makes it count for careers or studies.
Data and research are often named in strategies—but rarely followed up with real, consistent implementation.
And across the region, impact assessments of youth work are the exception, not the rule.
Despite this, we also saw creative efforts and dedicated people pushing forward—developing training modules, drafting ethical codes, launching local initiatives, and advocating for structural change.
How Can You Use This Policy Brief?
Use it to:
Advocate for policy changes in your country
Show why youth work deserves proper funding and recognition
Learn what your neighbours in the region are working on
Spark conversations with your municipality, ministry, or local network
The consortium implementing the project "Unlocking Potentials of Youth Work in the Western Balkan Region" consists of Forum MNE, NAPOR, Union for Youth Work, THY, Youth for Social Changes, PRONI, and HREYN. The project is funded by the European Union.
