Youth work - an oxymoronic practice between service and

The chapter concludes the third volume in a series of publications on the various histories of youth work in Europe, which draws on material presented at the European Youth Work Conference during the Belgium Presidency of the European Union in 2010. The 25 chapters variously address country histories of youth work (for example, Finland, Austria, Serbia) and more conceptual attention to the idea of youth work and its place in the lives of young people. The chapter highlights the pervasive and recurrent tensions between youth work as a service to young people and youth work as a site for young people themselves to associate. Managing the tensions between supporting young people in their transition to adulthood and providing a forum for dialogue and exploration has been a major challenge for youth work across Europe.