On 30 September – 2 October, the Quality Label’s team of experts visited Braga Youth Centre in Portugal to evaluate the fulfilment of the 15 quality criteria of the Quality Label for Youth Centres which the centre has been holding since 2024.

The visit provided an opportunity for the expert team to meet with the leadership of the Municipality and the staff of the youth centre, in addition to a large number of key stakeholders in the youth field in Braga.

The team of experts gained an insight on the current vision and strategic priorities of Braga Youth Centre, the main developments and achievements since the awarding of the label, the upgrades and developments concerning the facilities, and the status of the governance, management, human resources and financial sustainability of the Centre.

On the occasion of this visit the Braga Youth Centre, together with the Municipality of Braga, launched the Braga Youth Work Academy, a comprehensive educational programme, largely based in the pedagogical methods and principles of the Council of Europe offered to youth workers, youth activists, associations and municipalities in the region and in the country.

The international team was very positively impressed by the maturity of the educational programme of the Braga Youth Centre, its commitment to the youth policies process at local level and its role as a pilar of youth work in the city and in the regions.

Following the visit, the Quality Label expert team will propose a recommendation to the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) to prolong the Quality Label for Braga Youth Centre, with the final decision to be taken at the next CDEJ meeting on 19 October 2026.

 Expert team:

• Jorge Orlando Queiros, Member of the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ)
• Marcos Andrade, Coordinator of the Quality Label for Youth Centres, Youth Department, Council of Europe
• Mary Drosopulos, Independent Expert from the Quality Label for Youth Centres’ Pool of Experts