Young people who stop suggesting ideas, avoid additional responsibilities, participate less in team activities or do only what is explicitly required of them are often described as uninterested or insufficiently motivated. However, such behaviour may reflect a process known as “quiet quitting” – a gradual withdrawal from active engagement in work, volunteering or other organised activities.
Quiet quitting does not mean that a young person actually leaves their job, organisation or project. Instead, they reduce their engagement to the minimum required level. They continue to fulfil their basic responsibilities, but stop showing initiative, making additional efforts or feeling emotionally connected to their role.
Although the term became popular through social media, the behaviour it describes is not new. It is often associated with prolonged overload, a lack of recognition, unclear expectations, insufficient feedback and the belief that additional effort will neither be noticed nor valued.
Quiet quitting is not the same as laziness
One of the central messages of the “STAY Handbook – A Practical Guide for Youth Workers on Recognising, Understanding and Responding to Quiet Quitting” is that quiet quitting should not automatically be interpreted as laziness or a lack of work ethic.
In many cases, it represents a form of self-protection. When demands consistently exceed the time, energy, support and development opportunities available to a young person, they may begin protecting their remaining capacity by withdrawing from anything that is not strictly necessary. This is particularly likely when expectations are unclear, feedback is absent or the person cannot see meaning or opportunities for growth in what they are doing.
The handbook highlights that younger generations place considerable importance on meaningful work, personal development, autonomy, alignment between personal and organisational values, and the feeling that their contribution has a real impact. These are not unreasonable expectations. They are factors that significantly influence young people’s motivation and their decision to remain actively involved.
The problem arises when young people do not know how to communicate these needs clearly, while organisations and those supporting them fail to recognise the early signs of withdrawal.
Recognising the early signs
Quiet quitting rarely happens overnight. It usually develops gradually through a series of small changes that may appear insignificant when viewed separately. A young person may stop participating in discussions, share fewer ideas, avoid feedback, reduce communication with the team or become emotionally detached from activities that were previously important to them.
It is particularly important to identify changes in comparison with the person’s earlier behaviour. One difficult day or a temporary decrease in energy does not necessarily indicate quiet quitting. However, repeated changes, loss of interest, declining initiative and a sense of relief when responsibilities are reduced may point to a deeper problem.
The handbook therefore offers tools that help youth workers, mentors and organisations distinguish normal fluctuations in motivation from patterns requiring a conversation and additional support. Particular attention is given to young people with fewer opportunities who, because of discrimination, language barriers, disability, financial difficulties or other circumstances, may be more exposed to feelings of invisibility and exclusion.
Moving from silent withdrawal to open conversation
The purpose of support is not to persuade a young person simply to do more. It is to help them understand what is happening, communicate their needs and find a sustainable way to participate without compromising their well-being.
The handbook introduces four practical communication skills: naming an issue without escalating it, setting boundaries without guilt, asking for feedback before disconnecting and seeking help before silence deepens.
For example, a young person can learn to explain that expectations are unclear, that the current workload is not sustainable or that they need more specific feedback. Such simple statements can open a conversation before accumulated frustration turns into long-term disengagement.
Setting boundaries should not be confused with withdrawal. A healthy boundary is clearly communicated and supports continued, sustainable participation. Quiet quitting is more likely to occur when boundaries, needs and difficulties remain unspoken for too long.
A practical resource for youth work organisations
The handbook is not limited to explaining quiet quitting. It is designed to support its practical application in everyday youth work. It includes methods for individual and group work, conversation scripts, exercises, structured workshop sessions and guidance for recognising situations in which additional professional support may be required.
The proposed activities include anonymously identifying behaviours that participants have stopped doing, assessing personal energy levels, critically examining social media messages about work, and creating individual maps of the values and conditions needed for meaningful participation.
The handbook also stresses that youth work organisations should develop a culture in which it is safe to talk about difficulties. Short, regular conversations, clear responsibilities, accessible support mechanisms and established referral pathways can prevent a young person from remaining dissatisfied and disengaged for months without anyone noticing.
Organisations do not necessarily need to introduce complex new systems. A consistent weekly check-in, a designated person responsible for coordinating support, clearly defined response steps and an accessible list of support contacts can provide a sufficient foundation for early recognition and appropriate action.
The handbook is accompanied by the STAY Engagement & Quiet-Quitting Risk Scanner, a digital self-assessment tool that allows young people to reflect privately on their level of engagement and receive personalised guidance on possible next steps. The tool is intended to support, rather than replace, human contact, structured conversations and professional support.
The handbook’s key message is that no young person should have to experience gradual disengagement alone. A timely question, a safe conversation or support from someone who notices the change early enough can prevent temporary frustration from developing into a lasting loss of motivation, confidence and connection.
The handbook was developed within the STAY project, in which the Pannonia consulting doo member of I‑STEEP Network participates as a project partner.
