Social exclusion and youth work – from the surface to the depths of an educational practice

Abstract

The current dominant discourse on social exclusion and youth work depicts inclusion in youth work as an instrument for inclusion in other more pivotal institutions of society. Recent studies have shown, however, that the participation of socially vulnerable young people does not necessarily yield the anticipated inclusions. Suggestions are subsequently been put forward to bring more structure into youth work initiatives. In this article, we assert that this technical reasoning fails to acknowledge the complexity of social reality. By means of a social pedagogical case study of the coming into being of a Flemish youth work field, we show how youth work actors in Flanders have come to reinforce the social exclusions they were so eager to solve. Our findings raise questions about individualistic fallacies and cultural biases in youth work practices and policies that have relevance well beyond the Flemish context.

Keywords:

• youth work
• exclusion
• leisure
• social class

Notes

1. In Flanders, we had a national ‘Belgian’ youth policy until 1970. In 1970, in a first reform of the Belgian state, youth work policy was transferred to the cultural regions: the French-speaking, German-speaking and Dutch-speaking (Flemish) community.

2. This differentiation of the field still continued in the following decennia. Especially youth work with socially excluded groups expanded.