YOUTH CENTER IDRIJA (Mladinski center Idrija) is a community space and youth node in the town of Idrija (Slovenia) that functions as a meeting place for young people and increasingly for the whole community of Idrija. The story of Youth Center Idrija dates back in 2008, when the need for a common youth space was articulated at one of the round tables organized by Student’s Association Idrija. A petition for the founding of such space followed and a vision plan for it was written by young activists of Students’ Association Idrija and local Scouts’ Association.

After years of negotiations with local government, a 300 m2 in the old monastery were given into use to young local people in 2012. Youth center Idrija was thus formed as an umbrella organization by 3 local NGO (Scouts' Association Rod srebrnih krtov Idrija, Association for youth development Idrija 2020 and Students' Association Idrija). Youth volunteers renovated the spaces and furnished it with second-hand and DIY furniture, donated by inhabitants and businesses of Idrija. In 2015, additional 40 m2 were acquired to host youth-led makers’ and hackers’ space.

If you'd like to know more about our international activities follow the links: Erasmus+ youth exchanges and trainings, European Solidarity Corps volunteer projects and other suggestions on how to go abroad.

To read about the experiences of our volunteers in Idrija written in English, check the links: participants of the ESC group volunteer project Let's make the house alive about Idrija and about their project, EVS voluteer Mireille about living in Idrija, EVS volunteer Roni about a Finn living in Idrija.