Annually, on the second Sunday of November, in the Republic of Moldova, we mark the National Youth Day.

UNFPA Moldova, together with the Ministry of Education and Research and the Swiss Cooperation Office, supports the development and efficient functioning of the Youth Centers Network in Moldova, as well as the promotion of quality services/programs for young people at the local and national levels.

As part of the ”I work with young people” campaign, dedicated to youth workers and advocacy of the youth work, held on the occasion of the National Youth Day, we invite you to meet those who motivate young people every day. Youth workers help young people to personal development, to find opportunities for education and volunteering, to participate in community life, to think critically, and thus to have the best start in adult life, in order to avoid behavioral risks and -develop its maximum potential.

"I am young and I work with young people. Firstly, I volunteered at the Ungheni Youth Center, and today I work here, together with young people, and involve them in community development ", says Roşca Danu, a youth worker from the Network of Youth Centers in Moldova. Asked about the opportunities and challenges that youth work offers, Danu Roșca along with his colleague, Alina Darangiu, manager at Straseni Youth Center also spoke in a podcast made on JurnalFM within the #EuLucrezCuTinerii campaign. The show can be watched here: https://youtu.be/_pILCDAcmYY

There are 44 Youth Centers in the Republic of Moldova with 100 youth workers. UNFPA Moldova, together with Moldova's loyal youth partners, provides ongoing support for the development of youth work and the capacity of youth workers to address emerging challenges and innovate their practices.

Inspiring and motivating young people who come to the Contemporanul Youth Center in Balti, Irina Ureche, a youth worker, confesses that: “Through my activity, I contribute to the development of a new generation, civically involved at the community level, and this investment will prepare the young people to become responsible adults.

"For me, working with young people means supporting them in their initiative and creativity. Any action of involvement and participation motivates and develops their civic spirit ", says Elena Railean, from the Hâncești District Youth Center.

Youth centers are public institutions that operate throughout the country and offer a wide range of free services and programs, with equal access for every young person. The spaces are created to offer young people the opportunity for personal and professional development so that they can successfully integrate into society and contribute to community development.