To help children and young adults achieve goals, enable them to find solutions for problems and guide them through the complex process of becoming a healthy; productive and happy member of society is an important job. It is also one of the most interesting and challenging of careers available. Many who know they wish to enter youth projects as a full-time career start by volunteering with youth work agencies. This may take place while earning a degree or while between jobs, to gain relevant experience. If you are interested in the area of youth work jobs and youth projects, here are some tips.
Who Should be a Youth Worker?
Almost anyone has something to offer in the field of youth work, jobs vary greatly from hands-on outreach programs to office jobs processing applications for government schemes recently launched, such as those under the “Every Child Matters” initiative.
More specific qualifications for youth work jobs can be had while working as a paid member of staff or a volunteer for organizations who work with young people. In many cases they can recommend you or assist in applications for other youth jobs and further training.
NVQ and SVQ
National or Scottish Vocational Qualifications are well-respected professional qualifications which can be earned while working in any capacity in a relevant field. Those with a health care bias would, for example, choose a NVQ in Health and Social Care. NVQ and SVQ courses give the option to specialize in an area of interest and evaluate candidates by experience. Financial support for this study can be either through the agency you work with or from Direct gov. Certification can lead to jobs in any area of youth work, depending on your specialization choices.
Volunteer with the Citizens Advice Bureau
CAB trains its workers for a six-month period with no formal qualification at the end of the course. Working for CAB helps to get a good overall view of youth work and allows those who work with them to have a reference from a respected agency included in any future applications for youth jobs and courses.
Goals of Youth Projects
Various organizations set out to achieve the same results for young people in differing ways. Based on the governmental guidelines and tailored to the communities they serve, these include the following rights.
The Right to be Healthy
At the time when young bodies are reaching the from their adult lives will have to live with, education in nutrition, good exercise habits and avoiding substance abuse is a vital part of youth work.
The Right to be Safe
With so many influences impacting young lives it is essential they have all the needed information about where to get help in situations that vary from school and cyber-bullying to serious physical abuse.
The right to Enjoy Life
Young people need outlets in the form of safe entertainments as well as aid to focus on the achievements that lay the foundations for later careers. Offering support to those with learning difficulties and helping socially isolated teens integrate into society is worthwhile work.
Working to improve the quality of life for young people is an investment in the generations of the future. It is possible, through a career in youth work, to make a real difference to a number of lives in a positive way.
Steve Volman – writer, thinker and general muser. Interests include youth work
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