Candidate centres and public authorities that wish to develop a youth centre can use the acquisition of the quality label as a guide to establish their centre in line with Council of Europe standards. As support, the Council of Europe can provide the candidate centre with expert input in relation to the conceptual and practical development of youth policy and youth work, and specific advice on the development of the infrastructural, managerial, administrative and educational quality of youth centres whose main mission is value education with young people.

Candidate centres can count on some specific support measures. For example, they have the opportunity to participate in the annual meeting of the European Platform of Youth Centres, their staff can participate in Youth Department (YD) training activities, they have access to the educational materials of the YD for internal use and dissemination, and they have access to copyright for translations of such materials that are provided.

On the one hand, centres will have access to participation in relevant international activities for exchange and knowledge sharing, particularly the European Platform of Youth Centres. On the other, they will be supported in making connections with other structures that have successfully acquired the label that can advise them. In addition, candidate centres will have access to the Youth Department's extensive European network of experts in training, youth policy, youth research and youth work.

The acquisition of the Council of Europe Quality Label for Youth Centres provides centres with international, institutional recognition and legitimation for their work, given the Council of Europe's institutional relationships, its history of standard setting, and the moral authority of its philosophy of youth work and policy. This can help centres to access recognition at home and abroad, and may help them to access support and resources to fulfil their mission.

Main theme(s):

• Social and cultural education;
• Youth leader training;
• Creative workshops;
• Meeting place for NGOs, adult education, high schools;
• A theatre;
• “Dharts” – internal art education service

Link to a public authority:

• It is managed by the non-profit organisation ADJ (General Service for Youth Tourism) by order of the Government of Flanders

Hosting capacity

• 240 beds

Additional info

• The youth centre was created in 1971 originally as service for animation and expression. It is located in a Flemish community, around 10 km from Brussels. It addresses its services primarily to young people of 18 - 25 years of age. It has 35 multipurpose and well-equipped working rooms for e.g. music, photo, pottery, glass workshops. It is also possible to use the centre on a daily basis for conferences or team building activities without overnight stays.

Staff

• 35 part and full time staff (equivalent to 28 full time employees) of which 2 are educational staff members

Website

• http://www.destelheide.be

Contact

Guy UYTTEBROECK
Destelheide
Address: Destelheidestraat 66, 1653 Dworp
Tel: +32 23803915; Fax: +32 23805251
Mobile: +32 475441040
E-mail: [email protected]
 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2016-2023

                                         

Main theme(s):

• Our focus is on outdoor education. We offer adventurous workshops that use non-formal learning methods to create meaningful experiences in nature. We want children and youngsters to fully experience the green environment of the domain.

Themes of our workshops are working together, nature, experiencing culture and human rights.

Link to a public authority:

• The domain of de Hoge Rielen is owned by the Government of Flanders. It is managed by the non-profit association ADJ (General Service for Youth Tourism) of which the board members are all approved by the Government of Flanders.

Hosting capacity

• We have 17 lodge buildings with a number of beds between 15 and 84. The total number of beds is 870.
• In addition there is a Hostel (room for 76 people in 20 rooms).
• Spread over 17 camping grounds, there is room for another 2.300 people.

Additional info

• De Hoge Rielen has undergone a strong evolution since its establishment. Since 1983, the educational service has been focusing on nature education and adventurous discovery, organizing different types of activities and projects for and with young people.

Staff

• 48 permanent staff of which 5 are educational staff members
• 10-12 seasonal staff members
• 40 volunteers

Website

• https://www.dehogerielen.be

Contact

Bert Mellebeek
De Hoge Rielen
Address: Molenstraat 62, 2460 Kasterlee
Tel: +32 14 55 84 10;
E-mail: [email protected]

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2020-2022

Main theme(s):

• improvement the access of the young people to high quality services and programmes; 
• supporting the international and intercultural dialogue; 
• work toward personal and sociocultural development of the young poeplе, living in small towns and villages in Plovdiv region; 
• promotion of the healthy lifestyle; 
• development of the creativity and the artistic skills of the young people; 

Link to a public authority

• The centre is a Municipal Enterprise, part of Plovdiv Municipality.

Hosting capacity

• 41 beds, 17 rooms

Additional info

• Youth Center Plovdiv was built under the project: BG06 - 103 "Establishing of a Youth Center in Plovdiv", Component 1 "Care for young people at risk", Program "Children and Youth at Risk, financed through the financial mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009 - 2014.  The youth centre is built near the Regatta Venue Park in the city of Plovdiv. It is a three-story building with different functional areas: an accommodation area, offices and administrative part, study rooms, computer rooms, library conferenece hall.The work of the centre is geared towards supporting and improving the life and well-being of the young people, aged 15-29, through developing and implementing non-formal educational activities. The services and programmes offered at the youth centre are accessible to all people, including such coming from low-income families, social institutions, ethnic minorities as well as young people, living in remote villages around Plovdiv. 

Staff

• The educational staff of the centre includes 4 youth workers ( one of which is also an educational adviosor), 1 Roma mediator, 1 mediator. The total numberof the employees is 20.

Website

•  http://youthcentre.plovdiv.bg/en

Contact

Dimitriya Todorova - Andonova
Director Municipal Enetrprise ''Youth Centre Plovdiv"
Telephone number: +359 888 900 676;
E -mail: [email protected];
Address: 18 Yasna Polyana Street, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2018-2025

Main theme(s)

• To promote Human rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law values among young people.
• To provide prerequisites for overcoming the isolation of youth at risk, with focus on NEET, ethnic minorities and refugees youth, as well as to decrease the probability of antisocial behaviour and to support their inclusion into  the society.
• To provide opportunities for developing skills and competences, necessary for professional orientation and career development of young people.
• To establish international partnerships for organising multinational youth initiatives, youth exchange visits, job shadowing and intercultural dialogue

 

Link to a public authority

• The IYC – STZ was reconstructed and is managed by the Municipal Authority of Stara Zagora.

Hosting capacity

• 36 beds in 10 rooms

Additional info

• The International Youth Centre for Children and Youth at Risk – Stara Zagora (IYC – STZ) was established by a project of Stara Zagora Municipality, under BG06 Children and Youth at Risk Programme, component 1 - Care for Youth at Risk, funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism 2009‐2014. The Programme Operator in the Republic of Bulgaria is the Ministry of Education and Science - Structural Funds and International Educational Programmes Directorate General. The Programme promoter is the Centre for Educational Integration of Children and Students from Ethnic Minorities (CEICSEM). The Council of Europe is the Donor Programme Partner.

Staff

• There are four youth workers. There is an educational mediator and one Roma mediator. Three full time people work at the reception. Two cleaning staff and one maintenance person.

Contact

Ms Vesela Mareva
E-mail: [email protected]
19 Knyaz Alexander Batenberg blvd., 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2017-2027

 

Main theme(s)

• Youth work
• Participation and citizenship
• Non-formal education
• International education
• Environment education
• Social youth work
• Global education

Link to a public authority

• The youth centre is owned by the City of Kokkola
• The Youth centre works in close cooperation with regional public service in Western Finland area

Hosting capacity

• 74 beds in 18 rooms

Staff

• Permanent staff: 15
• Pedagogical staff with long term contract: 6

Website

• www.villaelba.fi

Contact

Catarina SILVANDER
Youth Centre Villa Elba
Address: Sannanrannantie 60, 67100 Kokkola, Finland
Tel: +3585055206362
E-mail: [email protected]
 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2014-2021

 

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Main theme(s)

• Organising youth work activities, developing quality of youth work and supporting youth participation in the region
• The centre develops and implements youth work methodology, such as social youth work, adventure pedagogics, school cooperation etc.
• Promoting international orientation and intercultural learning of young people
• Environmental education & sustainable development
• 25 years of experience in youth work (hyphen on website)

Link to a public authority

• Youth Centre Marttinen is one of the national youth centre's in Finland mandated and supervised by the Ministry of Education and Culture, specialised in implementing the Finnish Youth Act and Policy in the regional level. Their strategy on youth work connects strongly with the finnish values, principles of the Finnish Youth Act (1285/2016), Finnish National Youth Policy (211/2017), and the one of Finnish Youth Centres Association (Strategy 2020).

Hosting capacity

• 200 beds

Staff

• Pedagogical team of 6 youth work professionals, total staff 27.

Additional info

• Marttinen is one of the centres supported and overseen by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. The centre’s setting is in beautiful natural location in Virrat, central Finland. It is located 100 km from both Tampere and Seinäjoki, 115 km from Jyväskylä and 270 km from Helsinki. Marttinen Youth Centre offers quality youth work activities in a pleasant and safe environment for a wide range of groups, courses, training events and other activities all year around.

Website

• https://www.marttinen.fi/

Contact

Managing Director
Helena Vuorenmaa
Tel.: +358 (0)3 485 1922
[email protected]

Coordinator of international youth work
Antti Korhonen
Tel.: +358 (0)44 715 1917
[email protected]
 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2019-2021

© Stiftung wannseeFORUM

Main theme(s)

• Political and civic education, cultural and arts education and media youth education
• Education for democratic citizenship
• Education projects targeting young refugees
• International youth exchanges
• Main target group: young people and multipliers from the youth sector, age 12 to 27, from the City and Federal State of Berlin

Link to a public authority

• The wannseeFORUM Foundation is the oldest of the seven Berlin-based youth residential education centres. The centre receives its state funding from the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth, and Families, administered by the coordinating office of the Berlin Association of Youth Organisations (Landesjugendring). The Association also hosts the Working Group of Berlin Education Centres (Arbeitskreis Berliner Jugendbildungsstätten), of which wannseeFORUM is a permanent member, next to the managers of the other centres and a representative of the Senate Department.
  
  wannseeFORUM Youth Centre is also associated to the local authorities of Berlin through its cooperation with the District of Mitte in Berlin. Along with the Government of Berlin, the foundation is supported by the Federal Agency for Civic Education. The foundation is reviewed regularly by the Senate Administration for Education, Youth and Families.

Hosting capacity

96 beds

Staff

• The supreme body of the institution is the honorary Managing Board which is composed of three members. The Board is accountable to the Board of Trustees and installs the dual management, which consists of the Head of Education and the Head of Administration.
  
  wannseeFORUM Foundation employs 28 staff members, both full and part-time, and is assisted by more than 70 freelancers, most of whom are artists working with youth in the implementation of the centre’s pedagogical programmes.

Additional info

• The wannseeFORUM Foundation represents core democratic values. It is not affiliated with any party, religion, or interest group. The centre stands for cosmopolitanism, diversity and equal rights for all, regardless of gender, religion, social, or cultural origins. The universal human rights make up the core of the centre’s philosophy. Its unique profile exists in order to consolidate political and cultural education.

Website

• https://wannseeforum.de/en

Contact

Dr. rer.pol. Roman Fröhlich
Educational management
Mail: froehlich(at)wannseeforum.de
Tel.: .: +49 (0)30 – 806 80 17

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2019-2021

Main theme(s)

• Community Youth work
• Youth Justice work involves working with young people involved in, or at risk of being involved in, crime and antisocial behaviour in order to help them make positive life choices.
• Youth information (Eurodesk, membership in ERYICA)
• Family Support

Link to a public authority

• The KDYS is one of 22 members of Youth Work Ireland, the largest federal youth work organisation in Ireland Youth Work Ireland is a member of the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI).

Hosting capacity

• KYC cooperates with a youth hostel which has a capacity of 90 beds and which is located on the same campus.

Additional info

• The KDYS runs 5 youth centres and supports 7 youth cafés and 46 youth clubs throughout the county, as well as providing a range of more targeted services including second chance education programmes, youth mentoring service, family support and youth justice services. The headquarters of the KDYS are in Killarney, in the Killarney Youth Centre (KYC).

Staff

• Youth work staff (21 staff members) and Administration & Technical teams: Technical (7 staff members) and Finance & HR team (4 staff members).

Website

• http://kdys.ie

Contact

KDYS Youth Centre
Fairhill, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Berni Smyth
Email: [email protected]
Tel.:        353 (0)83 2018521

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2017-2024

Main theme(s)

Within the frame of missions stated, the Märjendall youth centre has two different thematic programme pillars:

• Well-being of young people
• - I feel good in my body – balanced nutrition, body image
• - I feel good in my group – Team-building
• - I feel good in society – intercultural learning
   
• Media literacy
• - I can manage media content myself – media design
• - I take a critical approach to media – Media critique
• Furthermore the centre is engaged in activities in the area of education in for sustainable development (pedagogical farm) and youth leader trainings.

Link to a public authority

• The centre is run by the National Youth Service (SNJ) in Luxembourg. The youth service itself is a public body and depends on the Ministry of Education, childhood and youth.

Hosting capacity

• Accommodation for 96 people in 18 rooms.
• In addition to that the center has an apartment with 5 single rooms for people staying for longer periods, as for example volunteers.

Additional info

• The centre’s equipment for educational activities includes:
• A pedagogical farm, 2 green screen studios; a high ropes course, a team building park, an archery area with targets and an archery 3D course in the surrounding woods used for team building activities; a “wild cooking area.

Staff

• 8 educational workers (half and fulltime 7,5)
• 6 administrative workers (half and fulltime 5),
• 8 people in the technical team

Website:

• ww.marienthal.snj.lu

Contact

Jugendzenter Märjendall

Rue de Keispelt

L-7411 Marienthal

Sandra Britz

Email: [email protected]

Tel. +352 247-76404

 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2018-2025

Main theme(s):

• Sports and youth:
• Citizenship and participation
• Associations
• Volunteering and free time
• Training and non-formal education
• Innovation, employment and entrepreneurship: social, cultural and economic
• Health and healthy lifestyles
• Social inclusion and gender equality

Link to a public authority

• Lisbon/Expo Youth Centre is one of the 18 Youth Information Centres existing in Portugal under the direct responsibility of IPDJ (PORTUGUESE SPORTS AND YOUTH INSTITUTE), the governmental body for the implementation of youth and sports policies

Hosting capacity

• 11 double rooms (10 with private WCs);18 multiple rooms (4 beds). Total of 92 beds.

Additional info

• LISBON/EXPO YOUTH CENTRE – Parque das Nações is located in a residential area, ten minutes’ drive from Lisbon airport and ten minutes’ walk from the main train and metro station of the city (Oriente).

Website

• https://cjl.ipdj.gov.pt/en/missao-e-visao

Contact

IPDJ Lisbon Youth Centre
Via de Moscavide 47 101
Lisboa
1998 LISBOA EXPO
Tel.: 218 920 800
E-mail: [email protected]

 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2015-2027

Main theme(s)

• Programmes and activities implemented by FITT range from social programmes for disadvantaged young people to cultural programmes, active citizenship and policy development (local and national). A rather new development is the field of entrepreneurship consisting of cooperation with local and national authorities to empower youth to access special programmes and facilities for young entrepreneurs (project “INCUBOXX”)

Link to a public authority

• FITT is the only youth NGO recognized as a «public utility» by Timisoara municipality. This recognition shows the importance given by the municipality to FITT and makes FITT eligible for direct financial support by public authorities.

Hosting capacity

• 40 persons in 15 rooms

Staff

• 2 educational workers and 14 technical or administrative support

Additional info

• The centre comprise:

• several meeting and training rooms of various sizes
• (6 rooms);
• theatre
• exhibition hall
• choreography rooms (3 different rooms of various sizes)

Website

• www.fitt.ro

Contact

Timis County Youth Foundation
Str. Aries nr. 19, Timişoara, 300 579, Romania
Phone: +40-0256-491170; 0356/456091

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2016-2023

 

Main theme(s)

• Environmental protection;
• Breaking prejudices, raising awareness of tolerance, solidarity and peace;
• Personal and group development by organizing and promoting voluntary work;
• Children and youth education and their active involvement in sustainable development.

Link to a public authority

• The Centre is owned by the regional NGO “Vojvodina Environmental Movement”. And it is supported by the local, regional and national authorities, in strategic and programme areas.

Hosting capacity

• 22 beds in a hostel-type rooms with shared bathrooms, and 24 beds in six four-bed rooms with bathroom. 2 conference rooms, 2 offices, spacious back yard, open classroom

Staff

• 1 full time and 2 part-time staff members

Additional info

• As a new wing we are constructing the building which will use renewable energy resources and it will be energetically efficient. Systems and technology applied in the construction would be an example to different target groups, willing to learn something more about this type of contemporary “green” architecture.
• The idea is to build the transparent space with demonstrative character, constructed on the principals of universal design, which means it will be available for everyone, in order to raise quality of life and work.

Website

• http://www.ekoloskicentar.org/

Contact

Nikola Blagojevic
Adress: Mitropolita Statimirovića 5
21205 Sremski Karlovci, SERBIA
Tel/Fax: +381 21 881027, GSM: +381 63 422920
E-mail: [email protected]

 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2015-2022

 

Main theme(s)

• Youth information;
• International cooperation;
• Non-formal education;
• Children & youth programme;
• Culture & art;
• Youth mobility & tourism;
• Social entrepreneurship

Link to a public authority

• Youth centre Brežice was founded by the municipality of Brežice and 40% of its budget is financed by the municipality on a yearly basis.

Hosting capacity

• 75 beds in 17 rooms
• 7 meeting rooms
• Exhibition hall; Sports hall; Studio, multimedia and video editing room

Staff

• 13 full-time employees and other (7)- student work, part-time work, employment programmes, etc.
• Educational staff working at the centre: 5
• Additional external educational staff: up to 50 ppl per annum (trainers, experts, consultants)

Additional info

• Youth centre operates since 1999 and is very active in Slovenia reaching out beyond the local area. We work for and with young people in order to facilitate their active participation in strengthening European civil society and upholding human rights, cultural diversity and social cohesion, to empower young people with fewer opportunities (social, economic, health challenges), to combat prejudice and exclusion, to increase employability of local youth and prepare them for labour market.

Website

• http://www.mc-brezice.si/

Contact

Zavod za podjetništvo, turizem in mladino
Gubčeva 10a p.p. 29
8250 Brežice
Slovenia
Mateja Gerjevič, director
+386 (0) 590 837 92

 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2013-2015 and 2016-2020

 

Main theme(s)

• Educational activities, debates and exchange of experiences for young people.
• Meetings organized by the centre and youth organizations and government entities connected with youth.
• Programmes and activities by the Youth Institute of Spain.
• It is a point of meeting and exchange of youth organizations, both European and Latin American
• It promotes research among young people.
• It provides young people with spaces for the development of the artistic creation

Link to a public authority

• The Youth Centre is a part of the Youth Institute (INJUVE), a government organization attached to the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality of the Spanish Government.

Hosting capacity

• 292 people (138 rooms with 292 beds)

Staff

• 1 director, 1 administrator and 50 full time staff

Additional info

• Programmes and activities by government and non-governmental entities and organizations, associative platforms and international organizations are carried out in the centre.
• The CEULAJ is not only a place where activities take place, but it also creates its own programmes. WI-FI network and computer and audiovisual equipment make the development of the activities easier.

Website

• http://www.ceulaj.injuve.es/ceulaj/

Contact

Salvador J. Quero Ayllón (Administrator)
Address: Avda. América, s/n. 29532 Mollina, Málaga (Spain)
Tel: +34 951 960 500
E-mail: [email protected]

 

Application for the label

• Labelled youth centre for the years 2016-2020