Location: Kosice, Slovakia
Main field of work: Youth
Description: Youthfully Yours SK (YYSK) is a non-governmental organisation based in Eastern Slovakia with the mission to empower young people to become competent, responsible, and active contributors to their communities. We envision ambitious young people equipped with real-life skills, resilience, and initiative to shape their own futures and positively impact society.
At the local level, YYSK focuses on youth empowerment and active participation in civic life. We strongly believe in non-formal education and experiential learning, regularly organising training activities, seminars, and mentoring programmes. We also cooperate with schools, universities, youth centres, and local governments to promote inclusion, mental wellbeing, and innovative educational approaches among young people and youth workers.
At the international level, YYSK is an active member of well-established networks such as PRISMA and YEU. Through Erasmus+, Europe for Citizens, International Visegrad Fund, and the European Youth Foundation, we have implemented youth exchanges, training courses, and strategic cooperation projects. Our work addresses mental health, emotional resilience, intercultural dialogue, and digital inclusion, building strong inclusive practices and quality standards recognised across Europe.
YYSK’s capacity is supported by a team of 24 active members: youth workers, social workers, facilitators, trainers, and young leaders. Eight project managers are employed under labour contracts, three consultants provide expert services, and a pool of 12 professional trainers deliver high-quality non-formal education programmes. Around 10–12 regular volunteers complement this capacity, especially in community activities and dissemination.
Our reach is broad:
3130 registered members actively participate in our activities, with >5100 followers on Facebook and >3000 on Instagram.
Closed digital communities gather >950 members via Facebook and >1250 via WhatsApp, offering ongoing engagement and peer exchange.
Each year, we involve >300 young people in international mobility and >500 in local educational and civic engagement activities.
Recently, YYSK has been piloting innovative digital tools to sustain youth participation beyond physical mobility. Our Discord community, launched in 2025, currently connects >250 young people and alumni, providing a safe and interactive online environment for peer support, learning, and co-creation. By 2027, this digital community is expected to reach over >500 members, reinforcing long-term engagement and youth-led initiatives.
At the regional level, YYSK cooperates closely with the Košice Self-Governing Region, contributing to the Conception for Youth Work (2025–2030). Our members are also active in Europe Goes Local, a strategic initiative coordinated by National Agencies, which improves youth work at municipal levels. We maintain long-term partnerships with youth councils, schools, and municipalities to ensure that young people’s needs are systematically included in policies and practices.
By combining strong local roots with international cooperation, YYSK has become a key actor in promoting youth participation, social inclusion, digital transformation, and community development in Eastern Slovakia and beyond.
Main activities: Erasmus+ KA1, KA2, KA3
Type/Age group: 15-20
Interests: Democracy, Digital, Diversity, Education, Employment, Enterprise, Environment, Health, Human Rights, Inclusion, Leadership, Science & Technology, Skills, Society, Training, Volunteering, Youth Work
Examples of recent projects:
