On 27 February 2025, the Hegyvidéki Cultural Salon in Budapest hosted OnTopic – The Second Youth Work Conference, attended by Bakcsó Természetjáró, Természetvédő, Kulturális és Szabadidősport Egyesület . Organised by Ifjúsági Szolgáltatók Országos Szövetsége (ISZOSZ), the event presented youth research findings and encouraged professional dialogue.
Conference Aims and Key Topics
ISZOSZ's OnTopic Youth Research explored the attitudes, habits and needs of 16–22-year-olds in relation to youth services. Its findings help youth professionals and decision-makers provide more effective and relevant programmes and services.
Participants learned about the background to the research, then explored its findings through round-table discussions and interactive workshops. In the afternoon, a World Café session examined four key themes:
- Challenges Facing Young People – Financial insecurity, study pressures and mental health.
- Youth Spaces and Their Services – What kinds of community spaces young people need.
- Young People's Leisure Time – The leisure activities that interest them.
- Young People's Local Needs – Needs emerging in different regions.
Key Lessons and Insights
The conference highlighted factors shaping young people's circumstances and challenges today:
- An increasing number of young people lack supportive friendship groups, creating new challenges for youth service providers.
- Young people find it harder to enter enclosed community spaces, increasing demand for alternative outdoor or mobile community settings.
- The youth work profession faces an ageing workforce and financial difficultiesand needs substantial support in funding, professional gatherings and partnerships.
For Bakcsó Association, recognising young people's interest in leisure and nature-based activities is particularly important. The conference reinforced our belief in the value of hiking and shared community experiences in youth work.
