Working Conditions of Youth Workers: Current Situation and Challenges

Results of the study of working conditions for youth sector workers in Estonia in 2023

The critical bottleneck in youth work remains the availability of a professional and motivated workforce, and succession planning, where motivation and working conditions play an essential role. Therefore, the study aims to identify the amount and composition of the youth workers (excluding those working in state organisations) and to gain a comprehensive overview of the working conditions, environment and organisation, work motivation, professional self-development and opportunities, and the feedback system of professionals working long-term and permanently with young people. The study aims to answer the following questions:

  1. What is the size and profile of the youth workforce?
  2. What is the professional development pathway of the workforce?
  3. What are the working conditions of youth workers in the sector?
  4. What influences employee motivation and job satisfaction?
  5. What are the main problems related to the working environment and the employer’s attitudes, tried solutions and results in addressing them? Do employers implement a feedback system?
  6. What are the main challenges for employers concerning work organisation?
  7. What opportunities have employers created to promote youth workers’ professional development and careers?

A combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods will be used to achieve the study’s objective.