Youth Development Strategy

The current generation of young people (those under thirty years of age) is the foundation of modern society. It is these young people who will fully face the challenges that we are now beginning to identify as those that shall define the future of humanity. From developments in technology, automation, growing social inequalities and mental health issues through to the climate crisis, there are many areas where young people are already taking an interest and where they are clearly naming the causes of problems and forming their own opinions and attitudes.

For systematic cooperation, it is essential that the city is able to communicate with its young residents, listen to their opinions and actively support their environment while also offering them a space to participate in the city's development.

As the city has long lacked any strategic and conceptual documents that would better define the possibilities of development in working with children and youth, the Concept for the Development of Youth Work is a first step towards ensuring that Bratislava is able to reflect the current trends, needs and tendencies in young people's lives.

The framework objectives for the development of the concept are primarily:

  • mapping the current trends, needs and problems in the lives of young people in Bratislava (and surrounding municipalities)
  • identifying the different areas of young people's lives that will frame the results of the initial mapping and the components of the participatory process
  • defining specific priorities, objectives and possible actions for young people for the next decade, taking into account the expected evolution of the mapped trends and needs

The drafting of the Concept for the Development of Youth Work began in early 2022 with a preparatory phase which aims to submit a framework document to the city council in June.

Subsequently, a participatory process with young people and consultations with stakeholders through a series of workshops, roundtables and conferences is set to take place until the end of 2022. The submission of the final concept paper to the city council for approval is currently scheduled for March 2023.