Our organization myJUMP.sk participated in an international seminar entitled Youthwork for over coming society's current challenges on May 7-12, 2023 in Cyprus, where the guest organization was NECI EU (Cyprus). Other participating organizations were CED (Romania),Asociacia tavo Europa (Lithuania), Walk together (Bulgaria). The objectives of the seminar were connected with the challenges related to the problems of youth and immigrants in the social context.

According to the latest available data from 2021, there were approximately 105,000foreigners living in Slovakia, which represents roughly 1.9% of the country's population. The largest groups of immigrants in Slovakia come from Ukraine (approx. 56%), followed by Romania (approx. 10%), Vietnam (approx. 5%), Bulgaria (approx. 4%), and the Czech Republic (approx. 3%).

However, in general, the most common challenges related to immigration in Slovakia andother countries can include issues such as integration into society, language barriers, cultural differences, discrimination, employment, and access to education and healthcare. These challenges can have a significant impact on the well-being of immigrants and their families, as well as the broader community. It's important for governments, organizations, andi ndividuals to work together to address these challenges and promote a more inclusive and welcoming society. Additionally, youth work in Slovakia may face challenges related tofunding, recognition, and support, as well as issues related to engaging young people and addressing their diverse needs and interests

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There are several challenges that the youth work society in Slovakia is currently facing. Some of the most common challenges include.

• Lack of Funding: Youth work organizations in Slovakia often struggle to secure funding, which makes it difficult for them to offer quality services and programs to young people.

• Limited access to resources: Many youth work organizations in Slovakia have limited access to resources such as training, materials, and equipment, which can hinder their ability to provide effective programs and support to young people.

• Social Inclusion: Youth work organizations are often tasked with promoting social inclusion and reducing social exclusion. This can be a challenging task, particularly in areas where there is a high level of poverty, unemployment, and social inequality.

• Lack of recognition: Youth work is still not widely recognized as a profession in Slovakia, and there is a lack of support and understanding from policy-makers, educators, and the wider public.

• Digitalization: As more young people spend time online, youth work organizations are increasingly expected to use digital tools and platforms to engage with them. However, many organizations lack the necessary skills and resources to do so effectively .

• Mental Health: Youth work organizations are increasingly called upon to provide support and guidance on mental health issues. However, many organizations lack the necessary training and resources to provide effective mental health support to young people.

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The partner organization from Bulgaria mainly presented problems related to parenting and preventive programs, pure educational system, customer basket, social media. The Romanian partner brought us closer to the challenges related to addictions and the possibilities of working in an outdoor environment with youth. The partners from Lithuania mainly communicated the heated situations connected with the distortion of information in the media, especially in connection with the current war in Ukraine. In Cyprus, the Internet and the sharp increase in social network users were perceived as the main factor in youthwork.

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The opinions of different countries and the problems they encounter help us perceive the situation from a global point of view and at the same time can be an inspiration for us to create preventive programs