Tobias Fimpler and Philipp Hannen address the fundamental question of the legitimacy of youth work. In response to this question, the authors outline the core tasks of open youth work in relation to the developmental phase of youth, placing particular emphasis on the examination of adolescent development. They depict, through the presentation of the historical development of the field and its unique characteristics, a picture of the social and socializing role of youth work and ultimately aim to strengthen the profile of open youth work in both the academic context and in relation to politics and local administration.