Building cross-sectoral alliances in the changing political climate
The conference created a space for professional debate and reflection on the issues surrounding the development of youth work, focusing on cross-sectoral cooperation for young people’s personal and civic growth.
It was an activity of the Growing Youth Work partnership, a Strategic Cooperation Project of the Network of National Agencies for the EU youth programmes.
Details
Place and date: 6 - 9 October 2025, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Number of participants: 80 participants
Profile of participants
- practitioners and experts from the youth work community of practice,
- stakeholders from other sectors, with links to youth work (especially practitioners and experts from schools and universities, municipalities, social services, youth care, police, historical sights/ places of remembrance, political foundations, youth participation
- Representatives of the ministries responsible for youth and/or youth work;
- Representatives of the National Agencies for the EU youth programmes.
Aims
- Analyse how changing political, social, and economic circumstances affect young people and their development.
- Understand ways in which youth work and cross-sectoral cooperation can support both personal and civic growth of youth
- Collect and highlight success stories of effective cross-sectoral cooperation: what works, why it works, and how to replicate it
- Strengthen relationships between various stakeholders (youth work sector and allied sectors) and explore future pathways for collaboration
- Give stakeholders tools and inspiration to assess and develop cross-sectoral cooperation in their own local/national contexts
Methodology
The programme included vast opportunities for exchange, networking, reflection, co-creation, joint planning and study visits.
Key takeaways
During the event, participants have shared their views and perspectives related to personal and civic growth of young people. Their main takeaways can be found below:
- Start from young people’s needs, not systems: The most powerful shift in cross-sectoral cooperation is moving from system-centered to youth-centered approaches. When sectors collaborate based on what young people actually need, rather than institutional requirements, they create more effective support for personal growth and civic engagement.
- Cooperation is an art that requires time: Building successful cross-sectoral partnerships takes patience, trust, and relationship-building. The key is starting on an informal basis, finding a common language, and creating win-win situations where all sectors understand what they need and can deliver to each other.
- Financial stability is non-negotiable: Without financial stability, youth work cannot stand as an equal partner in cross-sectoral alliances. There was a strong consensus that sustainable, long-term funding, not just short-term projects, is essential for youth work to effectively collaborate with education, health, culture, and other sectors.
- We need to highlight stories, not just arguments: Words alone don't convince other sectors of youth work's value. Success factors include: letting young people tell their stories, having peers from other sectors share positive experiences, using research data (like data from the RAY network), and inviting partners to "see the magic" by experiencing youth work offers.
- European programmes can be a catalyst for local changes: Using different instruments, such as the network of National Agencies and Erasmus+ Key Action 2 possibilities can help in creating strategic spaces and funding for cross-sectoral cooperation. However, organizations need help connecting local challenges to European opportunities, and bureaucracy must be reduced to enable rather than hinder collaboration.
- Eight success factors for effective cooperation: Conference participants identified critical elements: (1) Time and patience, (2) Common language and understanding, (3) Win-win mindset, (4) Humble expertise, (5) Experiencing each other's work, (6) Starting informal, (7) Amplifying success stories, and (8) Strategic use of political timing and opportunities. If youth workers master these, cross-sectoral cooperation becomes sustainable.
Documentation of related ressources
