My Youth Work

Read a variety of case studies which highlight the many ways people have entered the profession of Youth Work. If you would like us to include a case study of your Youth Work story, please contact youthwork@trinitysaintdavid.ac.uk

Students Case Study 1

Matthew

Matthew, aged 25, has just qualified as a Youth Worker, having completed his Diploma in Higher Education in Youth and Community Work as he studies towards his Degree. He is a Mobile Outreach Youth Worker with a Local Authority Youth Service, and has been in this role for almost 5 years.

"I finished school with not many qualifications and having had bad career advice. I then spent 2 years at college studying environmental conservation, and although I was unsure what to do career wise, I started studying for a degree in environmental conservation. I quickly realised that this was not for me. During this time I played in bands, recording and touring. My mother was a Youth Worker, and a former colleague of hers approached me to help out with some music workshops at a local Youth Project. This is where my interest in Youth Work began. From delivering these workshops I became more involved in working with young people, and completed my Foundation Certificate in Youth Work. Having this qualification opened even more doors for me, and I started running local youth clubs in the evenings; and when a permanent position became available for a Mobile Outreach Youth Worker I applied and got the job! I have been in this post for almost 5 years now. I was also fortunate to have the opportunity to study at my local HE College on a day release basis, and have recently completed my Diploma in Youth and Community Work, which has enabled me to become professionally qualified. My main goal within Youth Work is to specialise in working with young people with specific learning needs."

Students Case Study 2

Tom

Tom, aged 30, has just graduated with a BA Youth & Community Work degree. He has been employed by the Local Authority Youth Service for eight years, and during this time he has undertaken a variety of roles including Post-16 Outreach Youth Worker and Youth Development Officer. At present, he takes responsibility for a specific project, and also manages an alternative curriculum programme for young people and a team of 6 Youth Workers.

"I left College in 1997 to take up a graduate management scheme with McDonalds. A year later, whilst I was in this role, I started working on a part-time basis in a local youth club. I then enrolled on and passed the Foundation Certificate in Youth Work. In 1999 I was fortunate enough to secure a full time position in a town centre based Youth Centre, which enabled me to build upon my Youth Work experience. I was in this role for a year before moving to the Youth Service for a position as a Post-16 Outreach Youth Worker. I have been with the Youth Service itself for 8 years, and during this time I have had the opportunity to access a variety of training courses, from qualifications linked to outdoor education and sports leadership to studying towards a degree in Youth Work. I have also had the opportunity to develop my professional skills, and I currently manage a team of 6 Youth Workers".

Students Case Study 3

Carys

Carys, aged 30, is a professionally qualified Youth Worker, and has been working in the field of Youth Work for many years. She is currently a schools based Youth Worker, and also manages two part-time youth clubs

"I left school in 1996 with average A-level results. At this time, the careers advice offered to me wasn’t particularly helpful, and I was advised to undertake a degree in Welsh as this was my strongest subject at school. As I went to university, I really didn’t have any future career plans, however I did enjoy helping out at my local youth club, but never for one second thought that I would be able to have a full-time career in this field. In my early teenage years I was an active member of my local youth club. It was an independent youth club affiliated to the Red Cross, and was run by volunteers. Through the youth club I became involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and completed my Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. For the service section of my Gold Award I began to volunteer at the youth club focussing mainly on helping other club members through their Bronze and Silver Awards. My involvement continued whilst at university. When I graduated I was still none the wiser as to my career options, and took a temporary job at the local hospital. Again, during this time, I continued with my volunteering. A job opportunity became available within the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, based in their head office in Brecon. I applied, was interviewed, and was appointed as a Welsh Language Development Officer; I was in this role for 2 years. Although I had some basic contact with young people, I felt that this role wasn’t providing me with enough Youth Work opportunities. A position became available within my Local Authority Youth Service, and although I didn’t hold any Youth Work qualifications, I was successful and was appointed as a school based youth worker. I do feel that my many years of volunteering helped me in my application. Whilst at the Youth Service I have had a variety of training and other experiences to develop me both personally and professionally. I undertook the Foundation Certificate in Youth Work shortly after being employed, and I have also completed my Diploma of Higher Education in Youth and Community Work. I have also been fortunate to have been involved in several international youth projects, as well as managing two part-time youth clubs. When I look back to my time at school and university, I never once thought that I would become a Youth Worker. Although challenging at times, being a Youth Worker is very rewarding. It is a career that I feel passionately about, and one that I do not regret entering into".

Students Case Study 4

Nia

Nia, 32 is a professionally qualified schools’ based Youth Worker, employed by the Local Education Authority. She has many years of Youth Work experience.

"As a young person, I didn’t really participate in any youth clubs and had no idea what a Youth Worker did. When I left school, I was accepted to read for a Law degree at Cardiff University. However, after a few weeks into the course, I became aware that the course was not right for me. I then changed to study Education at Cardiff. In the final year of my studies, I was required to undertake a project working with young people. I started to volunteer in a church based youth club in order to carry out my project. I soon discovered that I enjoyed this kind of work very much and continued to volunteer at the youth club. After graduating, I had a job as a Youth Worker with St. John’s Ambulance in Cardiff, despite having no actual Youth Work specific qualifications. I then had a job as a Mentoring Co-ordinator, and after that I was successful in my interview to be a schools’ based Youth Worker, with the Local Education Authority Statutory Youth Service. I have been in post for 8 years to date. I have also worked as a detached youth worker with Communities First for almost two years, as well as being a Leader in Charge of a local youth club on a weekly basis. This has afforded me the opportunity to experience different contexts and roles of Youth Work, and to appreciate how diverse Youth Work actually is. I have completed my Foundation Certificate in Youth Work, and subsequently my Diploma in Youth and Community Work, which I studied on a day release basis at a local Higher Education College. Youth Work, in all its forms, can be challenging and frustrating at times but very rewarding. It can have a big impact on the lives of young people, although sometimes this can only be seen many years later. I thoroughly enjoy the vocation of Youth Work and would highly recommend it!

Students Case Study 5

Louise

Louise, 26 is a schools’ based youth worker, employed by the Local Education Authority.

"After finishing school I studied towards a Welsh degree, and after graduating I embarked on further training to become a qualified primary school teacher. I was lucky enough to find work quite soon after graduating with my PGCE, but even though I managed to find full time work as a primary school teacher, I was unable to find a full time contract. This frustrated me, so I began to actively look for employment which offered me the security of a full time contract. Alongside my primary teaching I was actively involved in running summer activity programmes with a local community based and language initiative, and I also ran a crèche for 0-14 year olds. This really helped broaden my experience of working with children and young people, and helped me realise that I wanted to work with older young people to utilise my skills. I saw a vacancy with the Youth Service, applied, and was appointed as a schools’ based youth worker. A year after commencing this role, I was given the opportunity to undertake some training to become professionally qualified. I completed my Certificate in Youth Work some months ago, and am now studying towards my Diploma. I’ve also had the opportunity to undertake other training opportunities, including woodland based qualifications, sexual health training, and other training to help me deliver the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and expeditions. I really enjoy my career as a Youth Worker, and look forward to becoming professionally qualified. My day to day work is so varied, which really captures the essence of Youth Work. On one day I could be providing one to one support or running emotional literacy workshops in school, and the next day I could be running activities and workshops in the forest using experiential learning, or Coasteering at sea!"