Overview of the role

Enable young people to develop and working with young people to facilitate personal, social and educational development.

Details of standard

Occupation summary

A youth worker is someone who uses rights-based, person-centred relationships to engage with young people to promote their social, emotional, and personal development using informal education approaches.

This occupation can be found in a range of settings where young people are present, including (but not limited to) youth projects, educational settings, health environments and faith sector. The settings may be informal, such as youth clubs, activity-based or social action projects, or more formal, such as Local Authority Children's Services, hospitals, schools, alternative education provisions or youth custody. In this occupation and context, 'youth' refers to young people aged 11 to 19, or up to the age of 25 for those with additional needs.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to enable young people to develop holistically, working with young people to facilitate personal, social and educational development. This is to enable them to develop their voice, influence and place in society, and reach their individual and collective potential.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working with young people to plan, deliver and evaluate the youth work curriculum and programmes with individuals and groups. They will receive supervision from their line manager but will also work autonomously and manage other staff, which may include volunteers, youth support/assistants, youth support workers, peer mentors.

They may be responsible for building management, such as youth clubs and youth project premises or mobile units depending on the size or structure of the organisation. They will be responsible for managing projects (including budgets) and maintaining appropriate financial and other administrative records.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with voluntary, charitable and statutory services, such as youth services, education, health, social and community provisions. They will also engage with a range of other partners and stakeholders, such as funders, families, and allied professionals.

Typical job titles include:

Youth work manager Youth worker

Entry requirements

A satisfactory enhanced DBS check will be an entry requirement for the programme.

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Establish relationships with young people, communities and partners

K1 K2 K3 K31

S1 S2

B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B7 B8 B10

Duty 2 Establish, manage and develop different youth work provisions.

K4

S3 S4 S5

B1 B3 B4 B7

Duty 3 Manage and develop staff, projects and facilities.

K5 K6 K7 K8 K9

S6 S7 S8

B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9

Duty 4 Work with other agencies to develop services across a community.

K10 K11 K12

S9 S10 S11

B1 B2 B3 B4 B10

Duty 5 Design, lead, implement and evaluate a youth work curriculum.

K13 K14 K15 K16

S12 S13 S14 S15

B1 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9

Duty 6 Lead on rights-based youth work, and voice and influence strategies.

K17 K18

S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S21

B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B7 B8 B9

Duty 7 Lead project development, implementation and evaluation.

K19 K20 K21 K22

S22 S23 S24

B3 B4 B7 B8 B9 B10

Duty 8 Engage in continuous professional development.

K23 K24

S25 S26

B1 B3 B4 B5 B6 B10

Duty 9 Demonstrate professional youth work values and ethical practice.

K25 K26 K27

S27 S28

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 10 Manage provision within relevant legislative frameworks

K28 K29 K30

S29 S30

B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B10


KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The importance of building trust and rapport, and methods for achieving this. Back to Duty

K2: Professional relationship boundaries and the implications of these for youth workers. Back to Duty

K3: Communication styles and methods, including barriers to communication and ways to overcome these. Back to Duty

K4: Different models of youth work e.g. Outreach, Detached, Open access, Targeted, Social Action, Digital Back to Duty

K5: Theories of management and leadership e.g. inter-professional and inter-disciplinary working. Back to Duty

K6: Human resources procedures, e.g. professional development, disciplinary, grievance. Back to Duty

K7: Youth work supervision models. Back to Duty

K8: The importance of staff development. Back to Duty

K9: Resource, financial and facilities management, including relevant legislation and regulations that need to be followed. Back to Duty

K10: National and local plans and strategies relevant to youth work and young people. Back to Duty

K11: Roles, remit and responsibilities of key stakeholders. Back to Duty

K12: Strategies to build and manage professional partnerships. Back to Duty

K13: Theories and models of informal and non-formal education and their application in practice. Back to Duty

K14: Theories and models for programme planning, development, delivery and evaluation. Back to Duty

K15: Policies and strategies related to the national and local youth work curriculum. Back to Duty

K16: Contemporary models for impact and evaluation of youth work. Back to Duty

K17: Models for inclusive and active participation and barriers to participation. Back to Duty

K18: International, national and local factors impacting on young people’s engagement in decision making, including legislation (e.g. UNCRC) and local and national participation strategies. Back to Duty

K19: Models to undertake appropriate situational needs analysis. Back to Duty

K20: Project management tools and processes, including assessing and managing risk. Back to Duty

K21: Evaluation and impact processes and strategies. Back to Duty

K22: Commissioning and funding processes. Back to Duty

K23: Theories, models and principles for reflective practice. Back to Duty

K24: The importance of critical reflection and continuous professional development for youth work practice Back to Duty

K25: The relationship between rights, responsibilities and power dynamics in professional youth work relationships and society. Back to Duty

K26: Cultural and community competency in good youth work practice. Back to Duty

K27: Principles of anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. Back to Duty

K28: Safeguarding legislation, government guidance and national framework regarding record keeping, disclosure management and reporting referrals to a designated safeguarding lead. Back to Duty

K29: Safer recruitment and staff management processes (including for volunteers). Back to Duty

K30: Boundaries of professional accountability and responsibility for self, staff and project leadership. Back to Duty

K31: Principles of child development and human growth applicable to behaviours likely to be observed in youth activities. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Evaluate and utilise a range of styles of communication suited to the audience, e.g. verbal, non-verbal, written and electronic methods. Back to Duty

S2: Maintain professional boundaries in relationships with young people and colleagues. Back to Duty

S3: Select and use suitable youth work models for the needs of young people they are engaging with. Back to Duty

S4: Work in partnership with young people to develop suitable services. Back to Duty

S5: Utilise appropriate methods and tools for planning, monitoring and evaluating youth work. Back to Duty

S6: Complete, store and retain accurate administrative and financial records. Back to Duty

S7: Carry out regular supervision, staff development and appraisals (where appropriate) with colleagues. Back to Duty

S8: Apply different leadership styles appropriate to the needs of colleagues. Back to Duty

S9: Utilise a range of sources of information to inform service development. Back to Duty

S10: Identify and work with appropriate partners to add value to work with young people, e.g., Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), schools, local councillors. Back to Duty

S11: Advocate for young people and youth work in policy and service development. Back to Duty

S12: Select and use appropriate methods and tools when planning youth work programmes and activities. Back to Duty

S13: Identify and apply differentiated methods and styles when engaging with groups to meet the needs of young people, promoting learning and development Back to Duty

S14: Facilitate youth work programmes that support the learning and development of young people in line with the youth work curriculum. Back to Duty

S15: Evaluate, demonstrate and report on the impact of youth work. Back to Duty

S16: Provide a safe environment for young people to explore and challenge values, beliefs, ideas and issues. Back to Duty

S17: Create and evaluate effectiveness of inclusive and participatory learning environments. Back to Duty

S18: Support young people to plan, organise and deliver youth-led activities and programmes. Back to Duty

S19: Select and apply appropriate participation models to overcome barriers to participation Back to Duty

S20: Support young people to make their voice heard to influence change on issues affecting them. Back to Duty

S21: Identify and challenge oppressive attitudes, behaviours and situations. Back to Duty

S22: Conduct and use information from situational needs analysis to develop projects. Back to Duty

S23: Produce reports, evaluations and summary data in a format appropriate for the intended audience, e.g. commissioners, funders or other stakeholders. Back to Duty

S24: Use outcomes of evaluation of service delivery to inform, develop and enhance practice and projects. Back to Duty

S25: Monitor own practice and use supervision to identify areas for continuing professional development and improvement. Back to Duty

S26: Apply appropriate supervision models to support the development of colleagues. Back to Duty

S27: Ensure professional ethical standards are developed, promoted and maintained across the youth work environment. Back to Duty

S28: Demonstrate and promote a person-centred approach to youth work. Back to Duty

S29: Implement, identify and report safeguarding referrals, drawing on safeguarding information, in line with safeguarding policies and procedures, to take action when a young person discloses information. Back to Duty

S30: Carry out risk assessments, plan activities, visits, and manage situations to mitigate risks to ensure the safety of all young people, depending on the setting and the environment they are working in. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Work in an anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory manner Back to Duty

B2: Act as an ambassador for young people and youth work. Back to Duty

B3: Leads and manages by example, demonstrating inclusive and participatory behaviours in their work. Back to Duty

B4: Work collaboratively for the benefit of young people by personal example, encouraging and facilitating cooperation, trust and commitment. Back to Duty

B5: Be a reflective practitioner. Back to Duty

B6: Respect young people’s rights to make their own decision about involvement with youth work Back to Duty

B7: Promote the values of justice, fairness and equality Back to Duty

B8: Take a positive interest in young people’s concerns, ideas and interests Back to Duty

B9: Promote the development of political and social education for and with young people Back to Duty

B10: Compliance with relevant policies and procedures Back to Duty


Qualifications

English and Maths

Other mandatory qualifications

High Level Qualification

JNC endorsed professional Level degree in Youth Work

Level: 6 (integrated degree)

Additional information: https://www.nya.org.uk/youth-work/jnc/


Additional details

Occupational Level:

6

Duration (months):

36

Review

Status: Approved for delivery (available for starts)
Level: 6
Degree: integrated degree
Reference: ST0522
Version: 1.0
Date updated: 12/07/2022
Approved for delivery: 11 February 2022
Route: Care services
Typical duration to gateway: 36 months (this does not include EPA period)
Maximum funding: £20000
LARS Code: 675
EQA Provider: Office for Students
Employers involved in creating the standard: National Youth Agency CYM – Institute for Children Youth and Mission Children's Services Salford Enfield Council Bishop Grosseteste University Youth Work Unit Yorkshire and Humber

Version log

Version Change detail Earliest start date Latest start date
1.0 Approved for delivery 11/02/2022 Not set

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