The Youth Work sector is one of several sectors in which we specialise here at Skills and Education Group Awards. We offer Youth Work qualifications from Levels 1 – 4.
For Youth Work Week 2023, we heard from Youth Focus: North East, a Skills and Education Group Awards Centre and independent charity with a vision to improve the lives of young people through high-quality youth work.
Read on to hear about two of their learners and how they have benefited from our Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles.
Arlene
Arlene began her journey into Youth Work as a young person. She attended the Youth Club at Patchwork, a neighbourhood project based in Newcastle, and when she turned 17, began to volunteer at Patchwork. She then had roles in call centres and completed an apprenticeship in business administration. Arlene then joined the AA as a manager for six years but never felt this was the right career for her, so returned to Patchwork as a volunteer until successfully gaining full-time employment.
Arlene was interested in gaining a qualification in Youth Work and her previous Programme Manager was keen to support Arlene to gain this qualification. The Level 2 qualification created a base for Arlene and supported her in gaining entry into university and to study at degree level. The Level 2 qualification supported Arlene in her role, providing an overview of what Youth Work is.
Arlene is now a second-year student at Sunderland University, studying the BA (Hons) Community and Youth Work degree. She is the first person in her family to go to university and study at degree level.
The Level 2 qualification created a base for Arlene and supported her in gaining entry into university.
Josh
Josh has been in the field of Youth Work since 2014. Previously, he trained as a teacher and worked in a college as a Music Teacher and Pastoral Care Support Worker with young people aged 16-18 in another region.
Josh was keen to do this Youth Work qualification for over a year and a half after he started his current role. He now works with young people aged 8-17, a much broader age group than his previous work, and wished to support his practice with a formal qualification. His current team are qualified as Youth Workers and he wished to gain a qualification to support his role as their manager.
Josh had not studied for 10 years and this qualification got him back into studying. It had a number of benefits for Josh, including: interacting with other learners, the group sessions, use of breakout rooms, the opportunity to listen to others’ approaches, and the opportunity to socialise (online).
Josh reflected that there was the opportunity throughout the course for him and the other learners to reflect on their own practice and experience and to share this with others. He felt comfortable to share personal and professional examples and this helped him to build rapport with the other learners and the tutors.
This course has enabled Josh to gain a formal qualification in Youth Work, and for him to understand his own and his team’s youth practice. The course met expectations, the workload and learning were manageable, and there was enough time to study and learn, especially for the theory-related units.
It has given Josh an insight into what further study might look like and developed a foundation to build on, such as the theory element of the training. The training has supported him in his own role and enabled him to reflect where he is at with his own delivery and working practice with young people. Josh had previously learnt on the job and this course has reinforced his own practice and areas of development.
This course has enabled Josh to gain a formal qualification in Youth Work, and for him to understand his own and his team’s youth practice.
Start delivering Youth Work qualifications
Along with the Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles (England), we also offer the following Youth Work qualifications:
- Level 1 Certificate in Exploring Youth Work
- Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles (Wales)
- Level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice (England)
- Level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice (Wales)
- Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice (England)
- Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice (Wales)
- Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice (England)
- Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice (Wales)
- Level 4 Certificate in Professional Development (Youth Work)
Get in touch with our Relationship Managers to find out more.