Youth Knowledge#20 Thinking seriously about youth work. And how to prepare people to do it, Council of Europe Publishing, ISBN 978-92-871-8416-0 Available online at: http://pjp- eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/thinking-seriously- about-youth-work Chapter 23 Education and training for the development of professional youth work practice and quality standards Sladjana Petkovic and Manfred Zentner Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to provide food for thought on education and training systems as pathways into youth work and related quality standards in the context of the 2nd European Youth Work Convention. Despite the lack of a common definition and recognition of youth work as a profes- sion across Europe, the literature points to the fact that “the strength of youth work lies in its specific educational approach linked to pragmatist philosophy, reflective pedagogy and constructivism highlighting the importance of non-formal learning” (Siurala 2014: 13). At the heart of this approach lies “the intimate link between the learner and the social context, as well as the process through which this interplay becomes a conscious pedagogical activity” (ibid.). The trend towards obtaining better recognition represents the main opportunity of youth work as a profession, while the lack of a clear framework in terms of the professional development of youth workers (including volunteers) remains one of its main weaknesses in the EU (European Commission 2014: 184). It is obvious that the clarity of pedagogical and theoretical frameworks heavily influences the coherence and design of education and training programmes for youth workers. Specific tasks and outcomes should be clearer, and dialogue with other professions (Coussée and Williamson 2011: 224-8) should be seen as an additional opportunity for recognition. As Siurala notes: “Cross-sectorial services and programs are also an opportunity for youth work to make its competences