Implementing the European youth work agenda and the Bonn Process at the local and regional level in the EU

This study aims to analyse the state of play of the implementation of the European Youth Work Agenda (EYWA) and the Bonn Process at the local and regional level within European Union (EU) Member States. It also provides an overview of the current challenges that the main stakeholders, namely Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs), Non-Governmental Organisations working with young people (NGOs), and Youth Workers (YWs) are facing at the local level to implement these European youth work frameworks, and makes proposals to overcome them. The European Committee of the Regions requested this study with a view to reply to a referral from the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council on this matter, titled 'Fostering youth work in the EU: How to implement the European youth work agenda and make the best use of the Bonn Process?'. For the purpose of this study, youth work is defined according to EYWA: '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.' (Council of the European Union, 2020)