The recognition of a new profession is a key to the development of the youth sector of Ukraine and the strengthening of youth work by competent specialists.
On 22 March 2023 the National Qualifications Agency approved the occupational standard for the profession "Youth specialist (youth worker)" and added it to the Register on 29 March 2023.
The occupational standard was developed by a working group under the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine in partnership with the USAID DOBRE Program, the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase II", the UN Development Program in Ukraine.
- The contents of the occupational standard in the Register of Occupational Standards is available by the link - https://register.nqa.gov.ua/profstandarts?profession_id=377
The occupational standard is a document embodying a modern approach to the development of the profession in the youth field, which contains requirements for the professional competencies of a specialist, requirements for education, qualifications and professional development.
According to paragraph 15, 16 of the procedure for the development, implementation and revision of occupational standards, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 31.05.2017 No. 373 (as amended by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 11.10.2021 No. 1063) the draft professional standard was prepared 2022 by the working group in partnership with the USAID DOBRE Program, the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase II", the UN Development Program in Ukraine. Public discussion lasted until 27 January 2023.
On 31 January 2023, the Council of Europe Project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" took part in the meeting of the working group on the development of the occupational standard "Youth specialist (youth worker)" to finalise and agree on the text of the occupational standard. At the meeting the Council of Europe project proposed to include in the occupational standard a competence related to strengthen youth participation. In the final text this part presented as following competency B6: "Ability to involve young people in the planning, implementation and evaluation of activities targeted at young people using participatory approaches" and knowledge about mechanisms, forms and tools of participation of young people in decision-making and activities concerning them; models of co-operation to represent the interests of young people in decision-making and activities related to them.
In 2022, the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase II" in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and working group in particular:
- run two stage research within the framework of the development of the occupational standard "Youth specialist (youth worker)";
- translated into Ukrainian the relevant professional standards of other countries: 'Youth Work in England: Policy, Practice and National Occupational Standards», «Competence system for youth work (Austria)», «Professional standard. Social work on the street and mobile work with young people (Germany) », «Professional principles of street social work with adolescents and (young) adults who use psychoactive substances (Germany)»;
- organised a focus group discussion of participants of the four-month program "Trauma Informed Youth Work", who developed proposals for the list of competencies for the occupational standard "Youth worker" and discussed the issue of adapting the state program "Youth worker" in view of the experience gained from participating in the program (August-November 2022). The final text of the occupational standard for the competency "Ability to identify one's own needs for improving the professional level and the needs of persons involved in youth work" (D1.) included the following knowledge and skills: basic knowledge in the field of mental health; personal, organisational and informational opportunities for receiving special help for oneself and others (professional burnout, stress, knowledge of a traumatic event, compassion fatigue); the ability to determine the need to receive special help for oneself and others (professional burnout, stress, knowledge of a traumatic event, compassion fatigue); use information about available personal, organisational and informational opportunities for receiving special help.
The work of the working group on the development of the project of the occupational standard for the profession "Youth specialist (youth worker)" began on 2 February 2022 under the chairmanship of Maryna Popatenko, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports. The development of an occupational standard project for the profession "Youth specialist (youth worker)" is a new strategic direction in the development of the "Youth worker" programme and a tool for systematising skills and knowledge (creation of job instructions); training of youth specialists; and advanced training and professional development.
"A youth worker is any person who works with young people and is a guide for a young person; which works with young people more individually (on an individual level) and promotes the development of young people according to their needs. The main function, accordingly, is to help, guide, lead a young person in the directions in which they want to find themself; help in determining these directions" (a quote from an in-depth interview of a study conducted by the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase II").
The results of the second stage of the study in August - September 2022 are presented in the report and compared with the results of the study in February - March 2022. The report is available at the link.
In 2021, the Council of Europe Project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine" translated into Ukrainian YOUTH WORK IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Guide to Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to member States on youth work, which can be downloaded at the link: https://rm.coe.int/ukr-youth-work-in-the-spotlight/1680a4bd04
The Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" was launched within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine for 2023-2026 and built on the results and experience of the previous two phases of the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine" in 2020-2022 years.
News, resources of the Council of Europe in the field of youth and open announcements for participation in the project's activities can be found here.
