Quality Youth Work?!

Peer learning about quality assessment in an European

context

• Youth worker, head of youth centre, street worker… 1980-1998

• Head of municipality department for 1998-2007

• Chairman, KEKS 2005 …• Chairman, EU-commissions ”Expert

Group on Youth Work Quality Systems”, 2013 …

Jonas Agdur…

• A network of 39 Swedish municipality departments responsible for youth work

• Is financed by membership fees• Based on a common idea on

youth work and a common system for quality assessment

• Aims at developing competence, methods and organisation for youth work

KEKS…

Requires:• A common language• Common definitions• Focus on development• A well structured process• A self critical approach• Time for reflection• Courage

Peer learning… (our experience)

A definition:• Good…

Quality can relate to/concern:• Outcomes/results• Work processes• Pre settings

Quality… (a popular word…)

The quality of outcomes can only be assessed:• In relation to what we want to

achieve

The quality of processes can only be assessed:• In relation to how they affect

outcomes• In relation to how effective they are

The quality of pre settings can only be assessed:• In relation to how they affect

outcomes

Quality… (a popular word…)

=If we do not know where we are going, there is no use discussing which means and methods that are best suited to take us there

Quality… (a popular word…)

• Leisure time activities?• Cultural activities?• Social work?

If we are to learn from each other we have to be talking about the same thing.

Youth work… (what are we talking about)

• Aims at the personal and social growth of young people.

• “Is based on non-formal and informal learning processes and on voluntary participation”

• ”Is organised and delivered in different ways (by youth led organisations, organisations for youth, informal groups or through youth services and public authorities)”

Council of the European Union, 2010

Youth work…

Youth work…Could

• Take place in different settings• In youth centres, streets,

groups…

• Use different ”tools”• Culture, sports, leisure…

• Use different methods• Games, trainings…

• Does “good” youth work mean different things depending on were it’s done (the local context) or is it “universal”?

• Are methods/systems for measuring and assessing youth work something negative or positive? Why?

Questions to discuss…

• What will happen if we don’t start measuring the outcomes of youth work?

• How could we know that we improve quality of youth work if we don’t measure it?

Questions to discuss…

What do you need to start “peer learning about quality assessment”?In terms of:• Common language and definitions• Knowledge about methods/systems

for quality measuring/assessment?• Structures and processes?• External support?

Questions to discuss…

And last but not least:

Do you think it is important (even interesting)and worth whileto do the job?

Questions to discuss…