In my master’s thesis, I explored strategies for street youth work. In the theoretical section, I first defined young people in contemporary society and the problems facing today’s youth. I outlined the specific characteristics of youth work, fieldwork, and street work, and described strategies for street youth work. I described the competencies that street youth workers need in their work and identified the social determinants that influence the work of street youth workers. I concluded the theoretical section by linking street youth work to community work and describing the process of coordination among various organizations. This is a qualitative study; I collected data using the interview method. The measuring instrument used was an interview guide consisting of 25 open-ended and semi-open-ended questions. The population consisted of street youth workers who have been working in Slovenia for at least one year. I used purposive sampling, and the sample consisted of 10 participants. I analysed the data qualitatively using open-coding and axial coding. The results showed that street youth workers establish contact with young people who are not involved in any activities or who are not self-sufficient. Street youth workers establish initial contact with young people in various ways, including sports and social games, conversation, and snacks. Street youth workers tailor their work to young people primarily based on the individual needs of each person, while also considering the specific requirements for working with certain groups of young people. To ensure high-quality work, the personal characteristics of street youth workers must be supported by professional knowledge. Street youth workers must cultivate a respectful and accepting attitude toward young people and adhere to the ethical principles of youth work. To establish and maintain relationships with young people, a continuous presence in the field, the building of trust and a safe relationship are essential. Young people are actively involved in the work process, which includes the opportunity to decide on activities in the field and to create their own projects. The challenges of street youth work consist of both challenges in working with young people as well as organizational and systemic challenges. The ethical dilemmas that arise in the work of street youth workers primarily involve setting professional boundaries and making professional judgments when action and coordination with other relevant services are necessary to ensure a young person’s safety. Open communication and active listening to young people are essential for successful work. The results showed that collaboration with colleagues, intervision, supervision, and professional support from the coordinator are crucial to the work; these are also the main ways of addressing challenges on the job. I propose that reflection, supervision, and intervision be made mandatory components of street youth work—rather than merely additional support tools—and that a non-coercive approach be adopted as the key working method. I suggest ongoing training for street youth workers and research conducted from the perspective of young people. I also propose research focused on specific groups of young people, such as LGBT+ youth and youth from immigrant families. I further suggest investigating the effects of street youth work over a longer period. It would be useful to compare street youth work in different local contexts.
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