YES Forum (Youth European Social Work Forum)

19/06/2026

Time to celebrate! After 2.5 years of hard work partners of the Back on Track project met in Timisoara (RO) this week for the Closing Conference.

The project successfully provided Targeted Training Approaches to Improve Employability and Social Inclusion for Rural NEETs in the Danube Region.

The final conference was led by YES Forums member organisation ÖJAB. It brought together politicians from local to European level, as well as youth and social workers from the grasroot and project partners to discuss project results.

Have a look at the project results: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/back-on-track/results

19/06/2026

Together with over 250 organisations we as YES Forum have signed an open letter to the European Council calling for a stronger social dimension in the next EU budget.

The signatories urge EU leaders to:
✔ Preserve ESF+ and ERDF as stand-alone funds
✔ Increase social investment
✔ Protect funding for social inclusion, child poverty, homelessness and youth employment
✔ Strengthen partnership with civil society, local and regional authorities
The future EU budget must continue to deliver for people and communities across Europe.

You find the letter on our website

14/06/2026

13/05/2026

Games Night - YES Forum edition! 🥳🎲🚀 Last Wednesday our secretariat team met for an entertaining after-work-activity . We played one round of "Europe United" - the board game that has been developped within our project "EU player".

Although we could not save Europe in one evening, we are confident now, that we will do so in the end! 😉

05/05/2026

Registration for the YES Forum 2026 Annual Event closes on 7 May, so if you've been meaning to sign up, now's the time!

We'll be in Timișoara and Reșița from 15 to 17 June for three days of dialogue on supporting young people into meaningful employment, education and training in rural areas, with a special focus on the Back on Track project.

Reșița is a real highlight: a post-industrial city that ranks third among Romanian county capitals for EU funds attracted per capita. In addition, our rich field visits will examine community-driven approaches to Roma housing, employment and inclusion.

We look forward to you joining us!
Please register now using the link on our website.

Conditions:
EEIG members: 2 places covered, 2 nights at Hotel Continental, meals, and up to €200 travel per organisation. Associate members: 1 place covered with 1 night accommodation and up to €100 travel.

29/04/2026

What is the future of social funding under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2028-2034)?

👉“Very uncertain” is the answer to this question that was discussed at a recent event in Brussels that our team member Sophie attended.

Hosted by the EUFunds4Social Coalition and MEPs Estelle Ceulemans and Maravillas Inmaculada Abadia Jover,
representatives of the European Parliament , European Commission, and civil society came together to discuss this important issue.

This is the background: Amid ongoing crises, the European Commission is planning a more flexible financial framework from 2028 onwards.

But:
☝ losing earmarked funds for social investments could have a significant impact on funding available for projects funded through ESF+, Erasmus+, etc.

Our position:
Ambitious and sustained investment in this area is vital for youth and social work across the EU.
☝ SOCIAL SPENDING IS NOT A COST, IT’S AN INVESTMENT.

15/04/2026

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30/03/2026

Can a game change the future? We think so. 🌍🤝

On Friday a great international training in Lucca organised by Zefiro came to the end. Youth workers and educators from formal and non-formal education across Europe gathered to learn about the innovative methods of game-based learning and gamification, as well as play the EU Player game—a cooperative board game built to learn about EU values and decision-making, all while having fun!
The goal? To bring the EU experience to life for young people. Whether it’s tackling the climate crisis or finding common political ground between countries's self-interest and collective gains, this game teaches the importance of collaboration. 💪
Our participants are headed home equipped with new communication tools and workshop strategies to spread the game in their local communities. This is just the beginning!

Keep an eye on our feed for the next steps of the project and local trainings. 📍

23/03/2026

We are happy to announce that registration is now open for our Annual Event taking place this June in Romania! 🥳

The YES Forum 2026 Annual Event & General Assembly, organised in collaboration with our member Nevo Parudimos, will bring together social and youth workers, researchers, policymakers, and young people.

Check out our programme and join us!