The University of Latvia, Tallinn University and Tampere University in collaboration with Finnish Youth Research Society and Latvian Youth Workers’ Association implement Erasmus+ cooperation partnership project “PRO Youth Work” that aims to strengthen youth work recognition and quality through professionalization and education possibilities. The project will build stronger bonds between youth researchers and youth policy makers to promote evidence-based youth policy development in Latvia, Estonia and Finland, and other Baltic-Nordic countries.
The project activities include competence development for academic staff in youth work field, including two study visits in Tampere university and Tallinn University, the development of two study programs for youth workers in Latvia and Estonia. Furthermore, it will gather and activate the international pool of youth researchers in the Baltic-Nordic region, promoting the co-creation of youth research publications and drafting recommendations for youth policymakers to promote evidence-based youth policy development.
With all planned activities, the project aims to strengthen recognition and quality in youth work and provide more opportunities to better prepare youth workers and youth policy makers for their work in the field.
The four work packages (WP) of the project and their planned results:
WP1 – Project management for the successful implementation of the project.
WP2 – Capacity building of academic staff in the field of youth work, which includes a series of experience-sharing webinars for youth workers’ curriculum development, study visits to Tampere University and Tallinn University and individual learning mobilities to strengthen the competences in study program development for youth workers. Activities:
- Study visit to Tampere University (8 – 12 March 2026),
- Study visit to Tallinn University (25 – 27 May 2026),
- Individual learning mobilities.
WP3 – Development of two work-based short study programs for youth workers. During the project, two study programs for youth workers will be developed and piloted – one in Latvia and the other in Estonia:
- Work-based bachelor’s level (LKI/EKI6) first-cycle professional higher education short study program “Youth Worker” at the University of Latvia – the very first study program in Latvia offering to study youth work in depth and obtain youth worker’s qualification. The program is designed for future and current youth workers, youth affair specialists, youth researchers, non-formal education trainers and international project managers in the youth field. Since part of the program will be work-based practice with the support of an experienced mentor, the students will be able to combine these one-year studies of 60 ECTS with work in the youth field. The program “Youth Worker” is planned to be launched at the University of Latvia in the autumn of 2027. The program will be implemented in Latvian involving 20 students.
- Master’s level (EKI7) microdegree study program of 24 ECTS for youth work managers at Tallinn University. The program will be launched in autumn 2027 and will be implemented in Estonian and involve 15 students.
WP4 – Youth research development and cooperation with stakeholders. With this WP, the project aims to strengthen youth researchers’ cooperation in the Nordic–Baltic region via sharing good practices and developing new approach to research topics in the youth field. Researchers will meet both online and in person at two international on-site co-creation seminars in Latvia and Estonia. They will develop five publications about youth research and draft recommendations for policy makers on the importance of youth research in evidence-based policy development. In two mini-conferences with local youth policy-makers in Latvia and Estonia, the role of youth research in youth policy will be explored and discussed. The proposals for the scientific foundations for measuring the impact of youth work will support evidence-based youth policy development. Events:
International Youth researchers' co-working seminar in Latvia (20–24.09.2026);
Youth Research Conference in Latvia (23.09.2026);
International Youth researchers' co-working seminar in Estonia (autumn 2027);
- Youth Research Conference in Estonia (autumn 2027).
Duration of the project is 33 months: 28 December 2025 – 27 September 2028
Project coordinator: University of Latvia (Project manager: Sintija Lase)
Partners: Tallinn University (Estonia), Tampere University (Finland), Finnish Youth Research Society (Finland) and Latvian Youth Workers’ Association (Latvia)
Project identification number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000362888
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