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RAY COR » Research project on the impact of the corona pandemic on youth work in Europe

The world is going through unprecedented times: the coronavirus pandemic has taken people, governments, societies by surprise – and youth work is no exception. Some of the immediate consequences of the pandemic, and the policy responses to the pandemic, have intermittently gained some visibility in the youth field in Europe, but the long-term impact remains unclear. In recognition of the extraordinary circumstances, the RAY Network has started a dedicated research project on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on youth work in Europe. In doing so, the network is charting new ground by looking at youth work in its entirety – including the European youth programmes.

The aim of this research project is to document and analyse the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on youth work in Europe, including the European youth programmes, and the response of youth work across Europe to the pandemic and its effects.

Aims & Objectives

The key objectives of this research project are to

  • explore the short- and mid-term effects and projected longer-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic on youth work in Europe;
  • explore key differences between effects and impact on different youth work structures, contexts, frameworks, types and approaches;
  • develop recommendations for European youth programmes and European youth policies on how to better support youth work in dealing with the effects and impact of the pandemic;
  • explore responses of youth work to the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on young people and youth work across Europe;
  • explore key differences between responses of different youth work structures, contexts, frameworks, types and approaches;
  • develop recommendations for European youth programmes and European youth policies on how to better to support youth work in responding to the effects and impact of the pandemic on young people and youth work.

Research Questions

The main research questions of the project are:

  • What are the effects and impact of the coronavirus pandemic on youth work in Europe? How do effects and impact vary between different youth work contexts in Europe, including the European youth programmes?
  • What are the responses of youth work to the coronavirus pandemic and its effects? How do responses vary between different youth work contexts in Europe, including the European youth programmes?
  • What role can European youth programmes and European youth policies play in supporting youth work to navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and to actively develop responses to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on young people across Europe?

Further Information

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