About us

Welcome to the Department of Youth & Community Studies

Over the past thirty years, the Department of Youth & Community Studies has continued to evolve and develop, reflecting the social, cultural, economic, geo/political, technological and ecological changes that mark our historical moment.

Our focus on young people, youth justice, and communities is framed within our commitment to social wellbeing – wherein the ‘social’ starts with the ‘local’ and transcends borders, recognising and affirming the diversity of experiences and situated realities. Our understanding of wellbeing prioritises community engagement, and also includes our relationships with flora and fauna, our feathered and furry friends, and with the planet we share and call home.

Aims and Objectives

In this spirit, we aim to:

  • conduct research within the area of Youth Studies and Youth Work, Youth Justice, Community Action and Development, to transcend disciplinary and geographical boundaries and encourage collaboration with other departments, faculties, and universities;
  • contribute to, and draw on an evolving evidence base that feeds into policy, practice, conceptual and theoretical development, and our teaching;
  • create an inclusive learning environment that seeks to support each student in their unique learning experience;
  • encourage curiosity and to critically explore evolving fields of evidence-based knowledge and theoretical perspectives drawn from multidisciplinary approaches and intersectionalities;  
  • provide students with the knowledge, skills and competencies to become warranted Youth Workers and professionals working in our communities;
  • reaffirm our commitment to social wellbeing in praxis by engaging in public debates on issues that concern young people and communities through the organisation of conferences and informal spaces that encourage critical dialogue, a sharing of perspectives, and exploration of values that will frame our shared futures;
  • transcend entrenched partisan politics that are harmful, and embrace our role as activists committed to fighting for sustainable economic, social and ecological justice;

https://www.um.edu.mt/socialwellbeing/youth/aboutus/