STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF YOUTH CENTERS AS A COMPONENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL YOUTH INFRASTRUCTURE

Abstract

The development of youth infrastructure is a priority area of state social and humanitarian policy, as it ensures social cohesion, democratic activity and vitality of young people. Youth centres are key institutional elements of this infrastructure, performing functions such as developing competencies, integrating young people into public life, and supporting local initiatives. However, traditional management models are often focused on short-term solutions, which limit their effectiveness and ability to respond to modern challenges.The purpose of the article is to study the processes of strategic management of youth centres as a component of regional youth infrastructure, to analyse international and national practices, and to identify key principles and management tools that ensure the systematicity, efficiency, and sustainability of the centres` activities.The study revealed that strategic management of youth centres encompasses long-term planning, resource optimisation, staff competency development, and efficiency control mechanisms. International initiatives of the Council of Europe, notably the Kyiv Programme and the European Platform of Youth Centres, establish standards of quality and cooperation that can be adapted at the national and regional levels. National examples of the United Kingdom and Ireland demonstrate the practical implementation of these principles through the integration of centres into 11(16) 2025 1023 regional strategies and partnership networks. The use of methodological tools, such as the Youth Work Toolkit, contributes to the standardisation of processes and enhances the transparency of management practices.Further research should focus on systematising strategic management models, adapting international practices to local conditions, developing methodological recommendations for enhancing the institutional capacity of centres, and assessing their impact on the socio-economic development of regions. Particular attention should be paid to mechanisms for involving young people in management processes and the integration of youth centres into European quality standards.