Written by Domagoj Morić
Youth work is regularly asked to contribute to some of society’s challenges, such as unemployment, exclusion, school disengagement or crime. And yes - youth work can make a valuable contribution to these fields. But who decides what that contribution should look like, and how much space remains for young people to shape it?
The webinar “Youth Work Talks: Instrumentalisation” that happened on 22 September 2026 brought these tensions into focus through an opening input, a panel discussion and exchanges with participants. The webinar was part of Growing Youth Work’s contribution to the follow-up of the 4th European Youth Work Convention and the European Youth Work Agenda. At the core of the whole webinar, a provocative dilemma was explored: “Instrumentalisation of youth work is not a threat - it is an invitation to cooperate.” Debate around this dilemma showed that cooperation can help youth work reach more young people and it can also influence decisions affecting their lives. But what we found out is that the conditions under which cooperation happens matter even more.
An interesting tension: who defines the purpose?
Opening the discussion, Claudius Siebel, Senior Advisor at JUGEND für Europa (National Agency for the EU programmes Erasmus+ Youth, Erasmus+ Sport and European Solidarity Corps), drew on debates from the History of Youth Work seminar series. He described instrumentalisation as a situation in which youth work is valued primarily for achieving external policy goals, while its educational, social and democratic value becomes secondary. The concerns behind those goals may be entirely legitimate. The tension emerges when youth work shifts from responding to young people’s interests and needs towards treating them mainly through the lens of a problem to be solved.
Furthermore, in his input, Claudius made a difference between accountability and instrumentalisation. For him, youth work has responsibilities towards society and those who fund it. Fulfilling those responsibilities should leave room for its own principles, professional judgement and young people’s priorities. This requires an ongoing conversation between three perspectives: the principles of youth work, policy expectations and what young people themselves want. Good youth work can contribute to wider social outcomes, however, difficulty starts when social outcomes are allowed to define everything youth work does.
Quality cooperation with other sectors should give strong voice to young people
After the framing input from Claudius, participants were in for a treat - a panel that brought together Hannah Pauken, a youth worker at Regionalverband Saarbrücken (Germany); Mia Wallengren, Head of the Department of Leisure and Public Health in the Municipality of Borås (Sweden); and Dr. Stijn Sieckelinck, Professor at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands).
The panel was kicked-off with an important question: can youth work enter cooperation as an equal partner? Stijn proposed three conditions: cooperation should start from young people’s own needs and demands, youth work should have an equal voice alongside other actors, and young people should participate in shaping the process. Following that, Hannah identified a practical warning sign: having no room to negotiate.
If a partner sets all the terms, and youth work cannot bring its own conditions or realistically say no, the relationship then should be critically assessed. For Mia, starting cooperations requires confidence in youth work’s purpose: knowing why you are there, what you contribute and which aims you are working towards.
Cooperation can and should give young people a stronger role in developing their communities, provided that purpose remains clear.
Three perspectives and three stories: cooperation with schools, municipalities and security actors
Then, we had an opportunity to hear three stories related to cooperation. And we started with the school sector. Hannah shared her experience, where she agreed to run an after-school club. With this club, she saw an opportunity to build longer-term relationships with young people. During the implementation of the club, she realised that the school valued her contribution, but also needed help covering staff shortages. The biggest lesson, however, came from the young people. After a full day of lessons, they wanted free time rather than another structured programme. Hannah adapted, making activities optional and putting relationships and shared decisions first. Even in an all-day school, she reflected, young people need time “not to be just students, but to be young people”.
For Mia, protecting space for youth work involves continuous dialogue with policymakers. Youth work needs to enter partnerships with a clear understanding of its contribution: “Why am I here? What are our aims and what can I bring into this discussion?” That clarity also needs attention within teams. Mia described setting aside around half an hour at the end of the working day for reflection: who did workers meet, what happened, and what could they improve? These conversations help practitioners stay connected to their purpose while navigating external expectations.
On the other hand, Stijn explored external expectations through cooperation with security actors. Youth work is often asked to prove its worth through reductions in crime or preventing radicalisation. “I warn against this translation,” he said, stressing that young people should help define both the problems and the goals. Youth workers can open conversations about hopes, disappointments and identity that other institutions struggle to have. This depends on trust, time and “accepting that you will not have immediate results”.
And what do these three stories have in common? They showed that cooperation offered opportunities, but also demanded confidence, negotiation and clear boundaries.
Youth work’s contribution becomes stronger when partners understand its purpose and young people have a voice in shaping the process.
The conversation with participants of the webinar also revolved around Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programmes. Elke Führer, coordinator of “Growing Youth Work”, and Claudius Siebel mentioned the ongoing challenge of balancing broader policy priorities with young people’s needs and development. They highlighted the importance of critical feedback and dialogue to keep youth work’s purpose visible as programmes evolve.
Moving forward with confidence
The webinar offered several practical directions: negotiate the terms of cooperation, put agreements in writing, involve young people in defining goals, communicate youth work’s contribution clearly and protect time for professional reflection.
During the discussions, participants noted that national contexts, legislation and the recognition of youth work are different and are affecting where boundaries can be drawn and how they are defended.
Elke’s closing invitation was to move forward with self-esteem. For youth work, that means entering cooperation with confidence in its contribution, while continuing to ask whose purposes it serves.
For more information about the webinar series check out the event section of the strategic cooperation project “Growing Youth Work”of National Agencies and SALTO Resource Centres.
