The Competence Model for Youth Workers to Work Internationally acknowledges that youth work is becoming more and more European and international, as are the lives of young people. The competence model makes these international youth work settings more explicit. It focuses for instance on working in international teams and on supporting young people in international learning mobility projects.

The competence model should further serve as a source of inspiration for organisers of youth worker training. It will help them pinpoint what competence areas to consider when designing the curricula for such training courses. Within the Erasmus+: Youth in Action programme, this competence model serves as a reference document for National Agencies and beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ programme who offer youth worker training.

Further, this competence model supports youth workers themselves in assessing their own competences. This in turn helps them identify areas where they need further training.

This competence model also helps institutional stakeholders determine youth workers’ occupational profiles and the recognition of this profession by society.

Most importantly, this competence model is a tool to play with and reflect on. Feel free to adapt it to your needs, contexts and target groups, because youth work realities vary.