This publication presents the AI Competence Framework for Youth Workers developed in the scope of the Artificial Intelligence for Youth Work (AI4YouthWork) project, a Cooperation Partnership co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, dedicated to enhancing the youth sector across Europe through the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI4YouthWork unites four organisations - Lascò (Italy, project coordinator), TEAM4Excellence (Romania), Kyttaro Enallaktikon Anazitiseon Neon (Greece), and Contextos (Portugal) -, aspiring to contribute to increasing youth professionals' capacity to harness AI's potential to enhance the quality, attractiveness and effectiveness of their work, and prepare young people to thrive in AI-powered environments. This Framework aims to provide a comprehensive guide to equip youth workers with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to leverage AI technologies in their work and guide young people to thrive in the era of artificial intelligence. Chapter 1 sets the stage for the Framework, discussing the context in which it was born and the needs it aims to address. Chapter 2 details the methodological approach used to develop the framework, including literature reviews, expert consultations, and iterative feedback from practitioners. It explains how the framework was structured to address the specific needs of youth workers and their diverse roles. Chapter 3, the core of the publication, presents the AI Competence Framework, organised into six areas: Professional Engagement, AI-Powered Resources, AI for Training and Learning, Assessment and Evaluation, Empowering Young People, and Facilitating Young People’s AI Competences. Chapter 4 proposes Ways Forward, providing guidelines and recommendations to develop the competences outlined in the Framework. Acknowledgement & Disclaimer: This publication received funding from the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme under Grant Agreement No. 2023-2-IT03-KA220-YOU-000170929. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

August 1, 2024: The Framework is currently undergoing peer review by stakeholders external to the project consortium. Relevant experts (e.g., youth workers, representatives of youth organisations, providers of continuous professional development opportunities for youth workers, policy- and decision-makers in the field of youth) can contribute to the review process by participating in the following survey: https://forms.gle/kj7VQe9NDexBpYqm8.