BA (Hons) Youth Work

Using the WHO definition of adolescence as 10-19 years of age, this module will expand this definition to include the growth and development of children with additional needs up to the age of 24. Adolescence is a crucial phase of human growth and development characterised by many key changes in puberty, brain, and identity development, sleep patterns, moral and ethical reasoning, and sexual development. This module recognises that the adolescent phase has been traditionally viewed as time of “storm and stress,” although many young people get along with their caregivers well, do not necessarily engage in risk taking and sensory seeking behaviours nor do they all struggle with substance misuse issues (Hall, 1904). Albeit some young people experience parenthood in adolescence, engage with risky behaviours, such as harmful sexual behaviour, criminality, drug and alcohol misuse, this module will examine the biological, social, and cultural drivers for romantic and sexual interests, social belonging and attachment, and how impaired executive functioning disorders, like ADHD and Autism impact decision making. It will also reflect on safeguarding issues related to this. This module will explore the key foundations in early childhood development and the adolescent phase and illuminating the key changes in physical, social, and emotional, cognitive, moral, and sexual development. This module will combine the biological determinants of health and examine the cultural, societal, nutritional, and socioeconomic factors impacting upon young people's healthy growth and development.

In this module, you will learn about the concept of group work from a both a theoretical and practical perspective. You will learn about the practicalities of group work and will be asked to reflect on the planning and delivery of group work you have been part of during their professional practice. By the end of this module, you will be able to assess needs and identify a topic to focus group work on. You will be able to a plan group work session, have a grasp on how to manage challenging behaviours in groups, identify and meet individual needs (inclusion) in groups and how to reflect and evaluate group work. You will also have a firm grasp of the theories of group work dynamics and the roles people play within groups. you will be introduced to the different settings where group work takes place and will reflect on the benefits and difficulties of carrying out group work in these settings. You will learn how to make session plans for group work sessions and advance their knowledge of different activities that can be used in this context. There will also be a reflective element to this module, where you will reflect on group work you have been part of and evaluate the impact this group work has had on young people and their communities.

This module will allow you to develop the academic skills necessary to succeed on the course and in any further academic studies you may pursue. It will introduce you to different styles of writing, a variety of assessment types, and the IT/digital skills required to complete the course and work effectively in the field of youth work. You will learn how to respond to different assessment formats and how these formats relate to youth work practice. You will also be taught how to conduct literature reviews using a range of sources, and how to use these references to support your work. You will take part in library sessions where you will be shown how to conduct a library search and how to utilise online resources effectively.

Additionally, you will be introduced to various methods of note-taking and strategies for planning different types of assessments. By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of which sources are valid and relevant for academic work, how to use them effectively, and how to reference them correctly. As part of this module, you will build on your existing study skills, learn additional transferable skills, and discover what works best for you in an academic environment. This module will also help you to develop employability skills that are transferable and valuable when working in the youth work sector.

Youth Work is a distinct informal educational process built on voluntary and trusted relationships with young people to support their personal, social, and political development through various interventions and activities. This module will introduce you to the evolution of youth work, the sociology of generations, the power of experiential learning and the growing importance of leisure time.

You will develop an understanding of the principles and practice of working with young people, how to create safe spaces for young people, engage in restorative practices, and maintain professional boundaries to increase youth participation. You will be clear on how the Youth Work Code of Ethics underpins the profession and enables young people to develop their influence, voice, and place in society to enable them to reach their potential.

Engaging with the youth work values that underpin the standards of the profession will help you engage with creative and flexible methods to ensure participation and active involvement of young people. You will explore the role of informal education, the discourses and theories of informal approaches, models of participation and evaluate behaviour that challenges the ‘voluntary’ principle.

An exploration of the effective ways to build safe, trusting relationships and to set professional boundaries in a rights-based framework will aid youth workers to empower young people through encouraging active participation. UK youth work is legally bound to endorse all 54 articles of the UNCRC (1989) to ensure young people can express their opinions, be heard and have the right to inclusive education.

You will explore how rights-based agendas are embedded into policies across the UK and are pertinent to youth work practice. By the end of this module, you will understand how youth work is juxtaposed against the social and economic value it holds through the improvement of young people’s educational, employment and wellbeing opportunities, and yet remains unfunded, and misunderstood as a profession across sectors.

This module is designed to help youth workers explore the importance of self-awareness, self-reflection and understanding others. It will also help you to gain an understanding of the effect these have on building effective relationships in a professional context. It delves into key concepts such as values, boundaries, unconscious bias and personal beliefs, equipping you with the tools needed to foster a positive and inclusive environment for young people.

This module will allow you to think about the impact that your own values, beliefs and behaviours have on your practice. You will build skills in critical self-reflection, ensuring the highest level of self-understanding, leading to being able to reflect on your practice and make changes or undertake professional development where necessary. This will include the importance of setting and maintaining boundaries and thinking about the limits and intricacies of doing this in a digital world and when working in your own community. Theories of reflection will be studied including Johari’s window and Schon’s reflecting in and on action.

You will learn about and reflect on communication as a tool in youth work. You will gain an understanding as to how you can communicate effectively, your own barriers to communication and how you can improve your communication. You will reflect on working with people from different backgrounds and in different contexts and how your communication will need to change accordingly. In this vein, you will learn about working with different communities and gain an understanding of how to make links with and form relationships with community members.

This interdisciplinary module examines the concept of ‘youth’, ‘identity’, and ‘culture’, through historical, theoretical, cultural, social capital and media representations. This module explores how identity is created, expressed, and reflective of the social, cultural and structural context. To understand how a person's identity impacts upon their sense of self and overall wellbeing, the module engages with the politics of identity, and investigates how social, cultural, and political forces shape identities. Using intersectionality as a framework, identity is explored in relation to how disability, gender, class, race, sexuality, ethnicity, religion and the media can lead to inequality, disadvantage and discrimination. You will explore the impact of globalisation and migration to understand how some young people are actively minoritised by others rather than simply belonging to a minority group.

This module will develop your understanding of the social construction of identity in the way young people construct themselves as meaningfully belonging to certain groups and asserting their differences from other groups in society to create group membership. The impact of social conforming, systemic racism, stigma, false stereotypes, hyper femininity and masculinity will be critically explored in relation to the power that dominant groups hold and the ability they have in imposing their values and norms on subordinate groups.

Youth workers will either be part of or leading new projects. They will need to develop an understanding of the processes associated with developing and leading projects. This module will support you by increasing your familiarity with carrying out a needs analysis, setting up groups, finding the best people to run the groups and assessing how these groups can be evaluated. You will also form an understanding of how these factors can all be affected by Youth Work policy, procedures and strategy. You will learn about the policies and procedures which are fundamental in developing and leading projects such as carrying out risk assessments and writing and adhering to lone working policies.

A large part of youth work is working in a collaborative way with young people and other organisations to meet the needs of young people. This module will prepare you to be able to best support young people to be actively involved in setting up and running projects. You will learn how to advocate on behalf of young people and how to support young people to advocate for themselves and ensure their needs are being met. This module will encourage you to review how you can evidence the impact that the project has on young people.

This module explores the key principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion within the context of youth work. It aims to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to support and empower young people from diverse backgrounds. The module will cover topics such as anti-discriminatory practice, anti-oppressive practice, cultural competence, and the role of youth workers in challenging inequality. You will engage with real-world case studies and reflective practices to apply these principles in your professional work. Through critical analysis of social structures, cultural identities, and intersectionality, you will develop an understanding of how to promote an inclusive and equitable environment. This module explores the core principles and practices of a person-centred approach in youth work, with a particular focus on promoting inclusivity, diversity, and anti-oppressive practice. You will examine the theoretical foundations of person-centred working, developed by Carl Rogers, and how these principles can be applied within the context of youth work to foster respectful, empowering, and non-judgemental relationships with young people.

The module emphasises the importance of understanding and addressing the diverse needs and experiences of young people from a wide range of backgrounds, including those related to race, gender, disability, socio-economic status, sexuality, and cultural heritage. You will critically engage with the concepts of oppression, power dynamics, and social justice, learning strategies to challenge discriminatory attitudes and practices while ensuring all young people have equal access to support and opportunities. You will become familiar with the laws, policies and procedures which govern working in an anti-discriminatory/inclusive way. By the end of the module, you will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to adopt a person-centred, anti-oppressive approach to youth work.

This module will allow you to explore the concepts of participation, active citizenship, social policy and community action. You will learn about creating opportunities for young people to express their views, values, beliefs, ideas and issues that are important to them. You will also learn how to support young people in challenging policies and procedures which discriminate and how you can promote social policy change. It will delve into the rights that young people have and support you in understanding the policies that promote young people’s active involvement in democratic processes. You will develop skills that can be used to enable young people to question and contribute to a debate about the relationship between rights, responsibilities and power dynamics in society. The module will contribute to an understanding of the roles that social media and politics play in supporting young people to make their voices heard to influence change.

This module will consider the role that media has played in the emergence of movements and trends throughout history. You will study successful campaigns and movements driven by young people such as environmental activism and social justice campaigns.

It will also look at possible challenges and barriers that young people may face to participation and becoming active citizens and how these can be overcome. You will have the opportunity to question and debate oppressive attitudes, behaviours and situations which marginalise young people. You will be encouraged to use this knowledge to apply skills that encourage the creation of inclusive and participatory environments for young people.

This module builds on the foundational knowledge introduced in Principles and Practice in Youth Work 1 and offers a deeper understanding of contemporary youth and community practice in the UK. It will achieve this through the careful study of how research can be used in youth work to inform policies and procedures; and how the impact of youth work can be measured through research. The module will support you to develop an appreciation of methodological approaches and critical thinking skills appropriate to the area of youth work. It will highlight how research is used to inform policies, principles and practice in youth work. You will investigate how young people can plan and take part in research and how research can be conducted in an anti-oppressive way. Additionally, you will develop a research topic by applying the link between evidence and practice and will produce a critical literature review to support a research proposal. This module will provide a foundation for further study and an understanding of how research can inform practice.

This module will enable you to further develop your knowledge and understanding of the vital role that you play in safeguarding children, young people and their families. The module provides you with a historical overview of legislation and policy to understand the origins of safeguarding children, the socially constructed nature of abuse and the shifting power relations between the child/young person, family and the state. Reflecting contemporary safeguarding policy, this module explores the related themes of early intervention, prevention, and child protection as every profession’s responsibility. At the core of safeguarding children is developing a theoretical understanding of why children are abused, the ability to identify signs and symptoms, and an awareness of the potential impact of abuse and neglect on children and young people’s wellbeing and development.

You will consider safeguarding in both familial and extra-familial contexts (contextual safeguarding), and consider the roles that culture, faith and parenting styles play in identifying safeguarding concerns. A critical examination of risk assessment models will be applied to a range of case studies for you to explore, to understand how thresholds are managed in practice. The importance of inter-professional and inter-agency working and the timely sharing of information will demonstrate to you the joint responsibility and shared decision-making in safeguarding practice. By the end of the module, you should be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the broad range of risks to children and young people’s safety, and the possible impact of these on their wellbeing and development in both the short and long term.

This module will enable you to explore and analyse current and historical perspectives of youth work and current social and political issues and agendas and their effects on youth and community work practice. This module will encourage you to develop an awareness of the role of the youth worker in the informal education process and how this is carried out in an anti-oppressive way. You will explore the history of youth work along with current issues and policy debates relating to the delivery of youth work.

This module explores the diverse settings and environments in which youth work is practised. It examines the role of youth workers across a variety of contexts; including schools, community centres, outreach programmes, online spaces, and residential settings. The module highlights how different social, cultural, political, and economic factors influence the delivery of youth work. You will gain an understanding of how youth work adapts to different environments, considering both the challenges and opportunities these diverse settings present for supporting young people’s development, well-being, and participation. The module emphasises the adaptability of youth work approaches as informal education, highlighting the importance of understanding the unique needs and challenges of different settings. You will gain an understanding of how youth work has changed over time and how it can differ from region to region, depending on the needs of young people and local government strategies among other factors.

This module examines the finances, funding and other resources required to deliver a youth work project. Funding in youth work is crucial for providing young people with access to valuable programmes and services that support their development and well-being. Financial support helps youth organisations create and maintain safe spaces where young people can engage in a wide range of activities. It also enables the hiring of qualified staff, development of resources, and implementation of innovative programmes that address the evolving needs of today’s young people. Securing consistent and adequate funding can be a challenge, as youth work often relies on a mix of public, private, and charitable sources. This module will explore the importance of networking to secure and maintain funding. Without stable funding, many youth services risk being under-resourced or even shut down. Therefore, sustained investment in youth work is essential for nurturing the potential of future generations.

This module will challenge you to think about the importance of funding and will give you the opportunity to practise writing a funding bid, building on a project plan you have carried out in a previous module.

This module will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss the duties of a Youth Worker, which are underpinned by the Youth Worker Occupational Standards. It will take a holistic approach and offer the chance to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application, supporting your professional competence and workplace readiness.

This module aims to equip you with a deep understanding of creativity's vital role in supporting the holistic development, well-being, and learning of young people. You will reflect on how creativity can be used as a source of informal education and as part of a holistic approach in supporting young people’s well-being. By engaging with key theories, research, and practical applications, you will explore how creativity enhances cognitive, emotional, and social growth, while supporting problem-solving, critical thinking, and inclusive practice. Through reflective practice, you will develop the skills to become a creative practitioner capable of designing and implementing creative initiatives that meet the diverse needs of young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This module is designed to ensure you engage with theoretical frameworks which will support you in being able to effectively apply creative approaches in real-world practice.

The module will explain what wellbeing is, why supporting good wellbeing is important and how awareness can encourage conversations with young people around approaches to promote and support positive mental health and wellbeing.

You will also become familiar with local organisations who have a creative offer for young people. You will reflect on how these activities came about and how they support young people’s wellbeing.

This module is designed to support you in developing a strong, reflective, and ethical professional identity within the field of youth work. Focusing on the key aspects of professional boundaries, youth work as a distinct profession, youth worker wellbeing, and the importance of understanding personal ethics and values, this module equips you with the tools to navigate your role effectively while maintaining personal and professional integrity. You will also have the opportunity to reflect on how your thinking and work have evolved since undertaking the ‘Understanding self and others’ module. You will get the opportunity to revisit any unconscious biases you may have highlighted and reflect on how your thinking and, in association, your work may have changed. You will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the importance of boundaries in youth work, both with young people and other professionals.

One of the features of this module is the focus on practice supervision within youth work. Practice supervision helps to ensure that youth workers can maintain the highest standards of practice and have the support they need to meet the needs of young people effectively. It also provides an opportunity for youth workers to reflect on their practice and to identify areas for improvement and further development. Once you have gained your JNC qualification, you may be responsible for supervising other workers and this module will give you the understanding and skills to do this effectively.

This module is designed to support you in developing a strong, reflective, and ethical professional identity within the field of youth work. Focusing on the key aspects of professional boundaries, youth work as a distinct profession, youth worker wellbeing, and the importance of understanding personal ethics and values, this module equips you with the tools to navigate your role effectively while maintaining personal and professional integrity. You will also have the opportunity to reflect on how your thinking and work have evolved since undertaking the ‘Understanding self and others’ module. You will have the chance to revisit any unconscious biases you may have highlighted and reflect on how your thinking and, in association, your work may have changed. You will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the importance of boundaries in youth work, both with young people and other professionals.

One of the features of this module is the focus on practice supervision within youth work. Practice supervision helps to ensure that youth workers can maintain the highest standards of practice and have the support they need to meet the needs of young people effectively. It also provides an opportunity for youth workers to reflect on their practice and to identify areas for improvement and further development. Once you have gained your JNC qualification, you may be responsible for supervising other workers and this module will give you the understanding and skills to do this effectively.

Digital citizenship refers to the ability to navigate digital environments in a responsible, respectful, and safe way to communicate with people, buy or sell items and take part in politics. This module will explore the role that digital technology has upon young people’s lives internationally through children’s communicative practices, cultures of connectivity and perceptions of opportunities and the risks that smartphones present. The remarkable rise of young people's online gaming habits, as a form of play, communication and connectivity will be analysed as to whether these digital skills can be useful in offline interactions. The use of and attachment to avatars as an alternative form of expression, which is known as the user-avatar bond (UAB), will be examined as to how young people's needs in the game can be parallel to their offline needs. Adolescence is often a crucial time for personal and social identity construction and therefore online vs offline identity behaviours will be explored within the module in relation to exercising agency, creativity, anonymity, self-disclosure, community membership and belonging, and self-esteem. Building relationships and expressing sexual identity in adolescence can present many challenges, and this module will explore the risks and affordances of developing these in online spaces. The rise and impact of technology-assisted harmful sexual behaviour (TA-HSB), cyberbullying and sexual exploitation will be explored as to whether the legislation, policies and practices in the UK adequately advise and protect young people. Young people’s relationship with digital media has been argued to damage their physical, social, emotional, and psychological health, and you will explore how countries other than the UK seek to govern these concerns.

Digital media has become an integral part of children and young people’s lives and in this module, you will examine how young people develop digital literacy skills with the support of education and beyond. You will examine play pedagogies as a useful and valued mode of enhancing young people’s learning experiences, including how technology can be used to enhance learning experiences for informal and formal education. You will be able to demonstrate a balanced argument regarding the risks, challenges, and affordances of young people being immersed in the digital world.

End-point assessment (EPA) is an independent assessment that takes place at the end of your apprenticeship training. This is to assess that you are competent in your occupation across the duties. For this Degree Apprenticeship, the relevant occupational standard is the Youth Worker.

This module provides you with a comprehensive awareness of leadership and management within the context of youth work. It explores the essential skills, theories, and practices necessary for effective leadership, managing group dynamics, and leading youth work teams. This module will develop your leadership and management skills. It will provide you with the ability to understand the difference between management and leadership and the different styles involved in both. You will explore different models of leadership including system leadership, distributed leadership, and leading by influence, and be encouraged to apply the models to your practice. You will analyse the role of a youth worker as a leader, and develop strategies for motivating, supporting, and empowering other workers.

As well as different models of leadership, it is integral that you grasp different ways that leadership is present in youth work practice. This can scope from leading groups and leading on specific projects to managing volunteers, managing projects or even managing multidisciplinary teams. When working in managerial roles, it will be integral that you can offer members of your team managerial supervision. You will need to develop skills for supervising and mentoring staff, including peer supervision, providing constructive feedback, and fostering professional development within teams. When working in any type of managerial or leadership role, you will need to develop skills in managing group/team dynamics and this module will support you in these areas.