Last week's national conference organised by the In Defence of Youth Work campaign attracted a 140-strong crowd, mainly made up of youth workers.
Campaigners at the event said an emphasis on targets and accreditation is undermining the efforts of youth workers who are trying to make meaningful relationships with young people, and provide services driven by their needs.
Other concerns expressed included a shift in the nature of detached youth work with too much of a focus on policing and surveillance.
"The key messages coming out of the conference was a lot of anger about the way the basic priorities of youth work are being undermined," said youth work expert Bernard Davies, who is contributing to the campaign.
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