Compiled and written by Nik Paddison
Please note, this article is based on the Europe Goes Local tenth anniversary website and a series of articles and interviews written by organisations and individuals connected to EGL from across the years: https://europegoeslocal.eu/egl10/
What is Europe Goes Local?
Europe Goes Local (EGL) is dedicated to supporting and empowering municipal youth work across Europe (there are currently 35 member countries and a large number of youth work stakeholders). It started as a European network project with a mission and vision to strengthen youth work where it matters most: at the local level. By connecting municipalities, youth workers, and policymakers across Europe, EGL has turned European youth policy into real-world practice, raising the quality, visibility, and recognition of local youth work.
Through peer learning, capacity building, and cross-border cooperation, EGL has empowered local actors to innovate and professionalise youth work, and embed a strong European dimension in everyday practice. EGL has also been actively contributing to the European Youth Work Agenda and now Roadmap. It bridges local realities with European strategies, ensuring that youth work is valued as a key pillar for inclusive, resilient, and youth-friendly communities across Europe.
EGL ten years interviews
As part of #EGL10, EGL contacted and interviewed four people who have influenced and supported its journey. These included, Claudius Siebel, EGL Advisory Board Chairperson, Liva Karlsone, member of the EGL Steering Group, Kaat Torfs, Chairperson of the EGL Steering Group, and Jonas Agdur, member of the EGL Steering Group.
European Charter on Local Youth Work
Jonas recounted about the first major contribution of EGL to the further development and strengthening of youth work. This was the creation of the European Charter on Local Youth Work. Through the Charter, EGL has established a commonly agreed ground and framework for youth work and made clear what providers must consider when designing both policy and practice.
Local to European
Claudius reflected on EGL’s impact on the local level, how it has helped local actors connect to the European level. Kaat echoed this when she shared about the EGL offer as being first and foremost about community and how it brings together local and international actors to meet, exchange, and reflect. Jonas explained that EGL brings people and organisations together through its annual conference, study visits, project labs, and other activities which all support cooperation opportunities for local actors.
Claudius explained that while EGL’s contribution has varied significantly across participating countries, it is worth noting that in all the networked countries, EGL has made a significant contribution to the ‘Europeanisation’ of local youth work. This is especially with the two European youth programmes – Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps. Kaat described how EGL bridges the European and local levels by translating European priorities for municipalities and ensuring that local realities feed back into the European conversation.
Quality development
Liva stated that for her, one of the key things about EGL, is that it promotes quality development, the improvement of professional practice, and the recognition of youth work. Claudius added that in some countries, the impact on quality, practice, and recognition was substantial - especially in contexts where there had previously been little tradition of, or a legal framework for, youth work.
Practical support
Jonas explained that EGL has just recently developed and launched the Youth Work Development Toolkit. This is a resource that provides local stakeholders with hands-on tools for the further development of all aspects of youth work. Kaat added that there is also Workvivo which is a means for the community of practice to stay in touch, share the latest news and good practices. Liva talked in more general terms about how EGL is a strategic and practice-based support system that strengthens the quality, development, and recognition of youth work at the local level.
EGL ten years of stories and success
The stories of EGL’s impact also involve many organisations from across Europe. The following are some of the impacts that are being shared in the stories EGL is collecting at this time.
They include; EGL in Croatia – a story from the field, by Branimira Penić, Croatia. Wiesbaden International, by Conny Meyne, Germany. Lublin, by Agnieszka Parol-Górna, Poland. Jugendzentrum Perg, by Karin Peham-Strauß and team, Austria. EGL Mentoring in Slovakia – a story from the field, by Petra Papierníková, Slovakia. Pula-Pola, written by the team of Pula-Pola, Croatia. Growing Together and Il Vergante, by Ilaria Zocco and the team of Il Vergante, Italy. City of Daruvar, by Anita Radonić and Danijela Los, Croatia.
Impact on local youth work
Perhaps the most important starting point when talking about the work of EGL is its impact on the development of local youth work, something that features in almost every aspect of each story being shared.
Conny Meyne in her article wrote that EGL has been a constant support and positive impact for their local youth work. Branimira Penić shared about the impact EGL has had on many local communities in Croatia, improving local youth policies, increasing the visibility of youth work, and contributing to the recognition of youth work. Agnieszka Parol-Górna spoke about how EGL has helped to strengthen the quality of their youth work and helped develop their youth spaces. At Pula-Pola, there is now a brochure of the “Local Youth Programme” produced by young people, and there is now a “Pula Youth Centre”.
European Charter on Local Youth Work
The European Charter on Local Youth Work is a huge part of EGL. Ilaria Zocco wrote that for her from a professional perspective, concrete tools, such as the Charter, have completely shaped how they design and develop their youth work at the local, national, and international level. Karin Peham-Strauß and team expressed how they are now following and promoting the Charter.
European dimension
Another side of youth work developments are the opportunities for the organisations, and therefore the young people, to engage in European initiatives, primarily through the Erasmus+ Youth programmes.
In the case of Pula-Pola, a representative of the City of Pula participated in a training course in Croatia. As a direct result of this, the municipality and a number of partners made a successful application for an Erasmus+ Youth programme project which was implemented from 2023 to 2024. Karin Peham-Strauß and team from Jugendzentrum Perg shared that the young people they work with don’t ask if there will be a project, but when the next one starts, and parents don’t ask “Why abroad?” but “Which country this time?”.
Agnieszka Parol-Górna stated that for the City of Lublin, EGL has been a community of people who believe that young people matter and that local action can create real European change. Conny Meyne explained that EGL has highlighted for them the importance of international cooperation in youth work and provided valuable insights for the further development of municipal youth services in Wiesbaden.
Youth policy
In Poland, Agnieszka Parol-Górna, explains that they have been able to build a more systemic and participatory approach to youth policy. Through Pula-Pola young people actively participate in the process of shaping youth policies. Petra Papierníková shared that for her, EGL is one of the clearest examples of what youth participation can look like when it’s real. It moves beyond ‘inviting young people to meetings’ and towards involving them in actual decision-making.
Personal and Professional impact
Branimira Penić in her article shares about the impact EGL had on her, both professionally and personally. She has had the opportunity to travel across Europe sharing about youth work in Croatia. She also shared that through EGL, she learned about youth policy, public administration, and what can actually be done to strengthen the position of young people in communities. Ilaria Zocco explained that she has had the opportunity to participate in many EGL events over the years, as a result of this EGL has been a turning point for her professional and personal life.
Recognition
At Jugendzentrum Perg, connecting with EGL has meant also connecting more with the municipality, who in turn are now seeing the seriousness of youth work. Agnieszka Parol-Górna shared how working with EGL inspired the creation of the National Coalition for Youth Work and supported the recognition of youth work as a valued field in Poland.
The #EGL10 continues until the end of the year with an open invitation to share your EGL story. If you have one you can send it to the official EGL email address: europegoeslocal(at)jint.be along with an image (no guarantee of publishing). Later in 2026 EGL is going to produce a ten year overview which will include some of the stories. You are also invited to follow EGL on the website and various social media: Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Through these various platforms you can stay up to date with EGL news, activities and opportunities.
