The rewarding but tough career of a youth worker
Last updated 11:42, Monday, 28 April 2008
A YOUTH worker promotes the personal, political, educational and social development of young people aged between 11 and 25.
Programmes aim to redress inequalities and empower individuals to take action on issues affecting their lives, including health, education, unemployment and the environment.
Youth workers respond to the needs and interests of young people and work in a range of environments, including youth centres, clubs, schools, churches, and Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), using many methods, ranging from organising recreational activities to providing informal guidance and counselling.
Some work in outreach, making contact with young people outside organised youth activities. Youth workers’ roles vary greatly, but typical activities involve:
- managing and administering youth and community projects and resources
- assessing the needs of young people, and planning and delivering programmes related to health, fitness, smoking, drugs, relationships, bullying
- delivering programmes via discussions, arts-based activities, community/environmental projects, residential activities, outdoor education, and sports activities
- befriending/supporting individual young people in various settings
- mentoring and counselling individuals to encourage social inclusion
- acting as members or leaders of staff teams
- recruiting and training staff, including volunteers
- undertaking administrative tasks, verifying information and responding to queries
- meeting, liaising and networking with police, schools, social services, Connexions, YOTs and other agencies to address issues and promote opportunities for young people
- working with parents and community groups to win support for improved provision and acting as an advocate for young people’s interests generally
- identifying and pursuing sources of funding for projects and administering buildings and budgets
- drawing up business plans, writing reports and making formal presentations to funding bodies.
School youth workers may teach personal and social education classes within the school curriculum.
Detached youth workers engage in outreach work in pubs and cafes and on the street to make contact with alienated and ‘at risk’ groups who reject formal activities.
Youth workers in the public sector in England and Wales may have responsibility for a youth centre, plus involvement in outreach and detached youth work.
STARTING salaries depend on qualifications and the organisation. Newly-qualified youth workers earn between £15,000 and £18,000, experienced staff between £20,000 and £25,000.
Senior youth workers can expect to earn between £20,000 and £38,000. There are few posts at officer/principal officer level, but these are paid more highly, between £40,000 and £60,000.
Holiday allowance is generous with a minimum six weeks. Hours are flexible, and there is a high degree of autonomy and control.
Working hours are usually 37 per week, with occasional weekend work and regular evening duties; face-to-face youth work usually involves three to four evenings a week.
There are many opportunities for session work and part-time work, and career breaks are possible.
Self-employment is sometimes possible. With qualifications and experience you might offer specialist training or consultancy, for example outdoor education.
Jobs are available in most parts of the country and there is a demand for ethnic minority workers in some areas.
Roughly half of full-time youth workers, and more than half of part-timers, are women.
Youth work positions are subject to an enhanced disclosure of criminal records by the Criminal Records Bureau.
Work environments vary widely and may include clubs and youth centres, outreach in pubs and cafes, and travelling projects based in converted buses.
The work is demanding and may be stressful, especially for those working with disaffected youngsters. Some roles for those with counselling qualifications involve counselling supervision with an external professional.
The majority of positions are fixed term and dependent on external funding, which affects job security.
Travel within a working day is frequently required for trips to different locations where young people are based and for meetings with other agencies. Overnight absence from home is usually only occasional, although you may be involved in residential activities, foreign visits or exchanges
THE minimum age for appointment as a youth worker ranges from 18 to 21, depending on the employer and the candidate’s experience. Most youth workers have a qualification validated by the National Youth Agency (NYA), which confers qualified status.
Professionally validated HE awards (diploma, foundation degree, degree, postgraduate courses/Masters) in youth work or youth and community work/studies are currently offered by around 30 English universities and colleges of higher education.
Both full and part-time courses are available and all require completion of substantial fieldwork placements. De Montfort University offer a distance-learning programme and the YMCA offer an on-line youth work training programme.
Entry without qualification is possible, but only if you commit to a programme of training to achieve a qualification. Qualifications are based on national occupational standards for youth work, developed by the National Training Organisation for youth work, PAULO.
Full details of the routes to qualification are available from the NYA. The website provides information on endorsed courses and alternative training, which is especially relevant for mature, experienced applicants.
One to two years’ youth work experience is vital for entry to professional training; most entrants gain this by volunteering, often gaining an initial certificate via local training provision.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
- strong commitment to young people and an understanding of the factors affecting their lives
- ability to provide reliable support to young people in times of stress and act with integrity
- good organisational skills
- an accepting and non-authoritarian approach
- ability to work independently and as part of a team
- excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish good relationships with young people
- patience, tolerance and flexibility
- a sense of adventure and a willingness to try new things
- formal communication skills for presentations, report writing, and funding applications
- ability to treat young people’s concerns with respect, tact and sensitivity, whilst always being aware of the limits that are required by confidentiality and the necessary boundaries that govern the youth/youth worker relationship
- a great deal of resilience
- an understanding of the NYA’s Ethical Conduct in Youth Work document
Having an interest in or talent for sport or performing arts is an advantage. A second language can be useful, particularly if you intend to work with a relevant ethnic group.
Contact your local youth service or voluntary bodies to arrange voluntary or part-time sessional work. See the Volunteer England website for details of volunteer bureaux in your area.
NEWLY-QUALIFIED youth workers train on the job with the support of experienced colleagues. Everyone involved in this area of work must undertake child protection training.
There is currently a focus on providing greater opportunities for qualified youth workers to undertake management development programmes and most employers offer opportunities to move into management or more specialised posts.
Continuous professional development options, whether voluntary or required, are usually negotiated with the employing organisation. The NYA website gives more information about the range of programmes available.
Once qualified via an approved course, youth workers may take additional qualifications, for example, in community education or counselling. Several routes towards gaining a professional qualification in community education exist, including postgraduate MA courses. All applicants for such courses are expected to have some previous experience of working in a community setting, in either a paid or voluntary capacity.
property
jobs
date