Noorsootöötajate vaatepunkt: kuidas toetada noorte osalust?

Lühikokkuvõte

Youth workers' views: how to support youth participation?

Abstract

The article aims to understand how and why youth workers act as supporters of youth participation. The article is based on the analysis of focus group interviews with 15 Estonian experts in the youth field. Numerous previous studies have emphasized the multifaceted construction of participation and the possibility of coexistence of traditional and new forms of participation - and the values and challenges of youth work in supporting and making sense of youth participation. This study shows how Estonian youth workers understand youth participation, their role in supporting the participation, and the challenges youth workers see in the general process of youth participation. Youth workers consider the support of the participation of young people as an essential part of their work. They see themselves as encouragers, motivators, information givers and awareness raisers, mentors, and allies in making the voice of young people heard more clearly in society. Youth participation is primarily concidered as the right and opportunity to shape and influence decisions that concern young people´s lives. Supporting youth participation is perceived as a long-term process that should be based on the needs and interests of young people. As an obstacle, the informants pointed out that the social readiness or agreement to listen to young people, understand and consider the opinion of young people is insufficient and ‘fake engagement’ reduces the enthusiasm of young people.