youth work characteristics





Blog # 1

Youth work characteristics

There are so many different qualities and characteristics to a great youth worker.  According to Youth Work: Preparation for practice, an book introduction written by Jason Wood, Sue Westwood, and Gill Thompson, there are key characteristics that define a youth worker. The characteristics are, seeing youth work as an educational, social, and welfare practice, actively challenging inequalities and working towards social justice, choosing to involve the young people, seeking to strengthen young peoples voices and influences, and working holistically with young people.

Youth work is educational practice because it opens and has trusting relationships to promote an environment of learning.  It also uses different methods and activities for informal education and learning to create a learning relationship among peers and advocates. Lastly, it creates opportunities, activites, and conversations that enable young people to think, feel and act differently in their social world.

Youth work is a social practice because it promotes working in groups in order for young people to engage and associate with their peers. Youth work engages in pro social modeling which is a group environment that enables young people to test their values, attitudes, and behaviors.

Youth work actively challenges inequality and work towards social justice because it is geared toward the social injustice of the margins of people that are excluded by personal, cultural, and structural barriers.  Youth workers are people who actually stand up for someone and are a voice no matter the environment you are in. 

Youth work strengthens the voice and influence of young people.  They have a huge impact in the area / community that they live in.  Empowerment is recognized and admired when a youth worker is making change. 
 
Youth work is welfare practice because it promotes the welfare and safety of young people.  Youth workers are exposed to youth who are deprived of the resources that we use everyday to survive.  There is always problem solving and positive next steps in the mind of a youth worker.  
 
Youth workers work with young people holistically because they have a well rounded understanding of where a lot of them are coming from and that is so important when working with youth. 

All of these characteristics make an exceptional youth worker for kids to look up to and follow as a guide through life.