Youth and Community Worker
Further Information

What is the work like?
Youth and community workers (community education workers in Scotland) encourage people to develop socially, personally and educationally. Youth workers work mainly with young people, while community workers work with other groups. In Scotland, community education workers are responsible for youth work, community work and adult education.

Youth workers may be employed to work in clubs or centres, organising activities such as sports, drama and educational activities. These activities are used to provide guidance in an informal way to young people. Youth workers may also be involved in group discussions or offer individual counselling. If they work full time, they may be responsible for managing a centre, directing part-time and voluntary staff and carrying out administration.

Some youth workers are not based in a centre and are known as 'detached workers'. They meet young people on their own ground in the places where they congregate, such as cafés, shopping centres and on the street, and offer advice and help. They are expected to build relationships with young people over a period of time.

There are also opportunities in local projects concerned with health education, study support, young offenders, youth volunteering, community regeneration or homelessness.
The job involves working closely with the police, social workers, teachers, probation officers and other agencies.

Youth workers may plan and deliver informal educational programmes, which are based on the learning needs of young people.

Some youth workers are becoming full-time personal advisers within the Connexions Service (in England). Others are taking on aspects of the personal adviser role.
Community workers work with people in the community to ensure that everyone has access to opportunities. They work with groups that share concerns, such as community associations, tenants' groups and neighbourhood projects, helping them to identify their problems and work towards a solution.

Starting salaries are around £14,000 a year.

Hours and environment

Full-time youth and community workers usually work a 35 to 37-hour week. Most jobs involve evening and weekend work. Part-time work is common.
The workplace could be a youth club, community centre, school, further education college, Connexions centre or neighbourhood office. Most jobs involve local travel.

Salary and other benefits

These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.

• Qualified youth and community workers' salaries start on around £14,000 a year.
• Experienced staff can earn around £20,000.
• Senior workers can earn £28,000.

Skills and personal qualities

Youth and community workers should:

• be able to communicate with a wide range of people
• have good listening skills
• be able to establish good relationships and earn the trust of others
• be emotionally mature and sensitive
• be resilient and tough
• have initiative and enthusiasm
• have good organisational skills.

Interests

It helps to have a wide range of interests or skills in things like health, sports, arts, technology and film-making.

Getting in

Youth and community workers are employed by a range of organisations, including local authorities, the Connexions Service, other services and agencies such as youth offending teams, voluntary organisations such as the YMCA or Barnardo's, local community organisations and government-funded projects and initiatives.
The Connexions Service in England is creating new opportunities both for experienced and recently qualified youth and community workers.

Entry for young people

People who want to become full-time youth and community workers normally need to do a professional training course. The entry requirements vary, but applicants under 21 may need A levels/H grades and GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent qualifications. Relevant experience is usually required for entry to courses.

Part-time and voluntary youth and community workers do not need academic qualifications and can study for a local youth work qualification at NVQ Level 3.
In England, most professional youth and community workers have a qualification validated by the National Youth Agency (NYA). Courses leading to these qualifications include diplomas of higher education (DipHE), degrees and postgraduate awards.

In Scotland, qualified community education workers must take courses that are endorsed by the Community Education Validation and Endorsement (CeVe) Committee of Communities Scotland. Degree courses in community education are available at Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Dundee universities. The Bachelor of Community Education and Community Development is available through Glasgow University and a work-based route through the Linked Work Training Trust Central. Postgraduate courses are also available.

In Wales, three institutions (North East Wales Institute, University of Wales College Newport, University of Wales Institute Cardiff) offer courses in youth and community work leading to the DipHE. Further study can lead to a degree.

In Northern Ireland, there is a two-year DipHE Community Youth Work course at the University of Ulster. Students have the option of completing a third year for a degree. Employers recruiting staff to work with young people are entitled to have checks done by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Entry for adults

Most entrants are adults with relevant experience. Mature, experienced applicants for professional training courses may not need academic qualifications, particularly if they have done a relevant Access course or taken part in local training courses.

Training

There are also employment-based, part-time training courses leading to a DipHE, with the option of further part-time study for a degree.
Within Connexions, qualified youth and community workers take further training to prepare for the personal adviser role.

Awarding Bodies Consortium (ABC) and City & Guilds offer NVQs at Levels 2 and 3.
In community work, many organisations offer short courses. There are also NVQs/SVQs in Community Work at Levels 2 to 4.

Part-time and voluntary youth workers usually do basic introductory training, supplemented by in-service courses on particular aspects of youth work.
All staff are required to do child protection training.

Getting on

With the expansion of opportunities for qualified youth and community workers, prospects for promotion are likely to be good. There may be opportunities to move into managerial posts or into specialist work (with young offenders, for example).

Further information

Communities Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5YA. 0131 313 3700. Website: www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk
National Youth Agency, Eastgate House, 19-23 Humberstone Road, Leicester LE1 3GJ. 0116 242 7350. Website: www.nya.org.uk
PAULO (care of ENTO), 4th Floor Kimberley House, 47 Vaughn Way, Leicester LE1 4SG. 0116 251 7979. Website: www.paulo.org.uk
Wales Youth Agency, Leslie Court, Lon-y-Llyn, Caerphilly CF83 1BQ. 0292 085 5700. Website: www.wya.org.uk
Youth Council for Northern Ireland, Forestview, Purdy's Lane, Belfast BT8 7AR. 028 90 643882. Website: www.youthcouncil-ni.org.uk

Further reading

Working in advice & counselling - Connexions
Working in music - Connexions

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