Operating since 1991 as an autonomous body within the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, the Office is a state authority in the field of youth work, shaping youth policies in a relatively independent manner, including by providing financial support for youth programmes and promoting research on youth. It is an active member of the relevant EU bodies, the Council of Europe and other international organisations concerned with the status of the young, thereby ensuring, through international cooperation, a strong youth sector in Slovenia to meet the objectives of youth policy also at the European level.

The Slovenian youth policy is among the most rapidly changing yet comprehensive policies and one that is crucial for future development. Keeping a close eye on changes in society, the Office aims at creating opportunities for shaping the necessary measures within the policies of various sectors, especially in areas crucial for improving the status of the young: employment, new forms of addiction, social exclusion and so forth. Special attention is devoted to enhancing organised, strategically led and structured dialogue with young people, improving the quality of youth work, and deepening the understanding of the youth.