Forum MNE Held the Second Youth Work Practitioners’ Meeting: Recognition and Institutionalization of the Profession Urged

Forum for Youth and Nonformal Education (Forum MNE) organized the second meeting of youth work practitioners, highlighting the importance of recognizing and institutionalizing this profession in Montenegro. Youth work creates opportunities for young people’s personal and professional development, helping them become self-aware, responsible, and empowered individuals capable of facing challenges and making a positive impact on society.

Despite its importance, youth work in Montenegro remains underrecognized. Currently, civil society organizations are the primary providers of youth work, yet activities are often implemented without clear standards or quality assurance mechanisms. This lack of structure can result in negative consequences for young people instead of offering them the support they need.

The meeting emphasized the necessity of formally recognizing the profession of youth worker. “The new Law on Youth should also recognize youth work practitioners as key actors in shaping and implementing youth policy in Montenegro,” stated Anđelija Lučić, Project Manager at Forum MNE.

One of the proposed next steps is the establishment of a youth work practitioners’ association, which would serve as a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and best practices.

Nina Krivokapić, Executive Director of the Institute for Youth Policy, believes that founding such an association would not only contribute to the standardization and professionalization of youth work, but would also create a safe and supportive environment in which young people can develop their personal, social, and professional competencies. “By offering a platform for those who work with youth based on the principles of non-formal education, this initiative brings legitimacy and ensures the necessary quality through the exchange of ideas, practices, and innovative approaches in youth policy and youth work,” she said. She also noted that connecting youth work practitioners amplifies youth perspectives and draws public attention to the importance of inclusion and acceptance of young people as equal members of society.

Through this proposed platform, advocacy for greater recognition of youth work would be strengthened, and the quality of youth programs improved. The establishment of an association would also increase the visibility and professionalism of youth work in Montenegro.

The meeting was organized with the support of the Core Grant of the Regional project SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans, implemented by Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD), Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) and Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) and financially supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA)