Apprenticeship training course

Youth support worker (level 3)

There are 12 training providers who offer this course. Check if a training provider can deliver this training in the apprentice's work location.

Information about Youth support worker (level 3)

Work in a supporting role with young people aged 11-25 to promote their personal, social and educational development.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • Methods to build trust and rapport, with diverse groups of young people
  • Group work theory and its application in work with young people.
  • Local and national factors that impact on young people i.e. social, environmental, economic, political
  • Local community networks and ways in which young people might become involved
  • Partnership and multi-agency working
  • Communication techniques including verbal, written and electronic
  • Places and spaces that professional youth support work might happen and how approaches might differ dependent on context, environment and/or young person
  • Key reflective practice models that can be used in youth support work practice and their impact
  • Critical reflection, and how to use it in practice to enhance continuous professional development for youth support work
  • Professional approaches to informal education with individuals and groups in different settings
  • Youth support work planning, monitoring and evaluation methods and how these are applied in practice
  • Methods for evaluating and recording youth work sessions and how these are applied in practice
  • What is meant by values and beliefs and why it is important to encourage young people to explore these.
  • Different contexts, including cultural, social and political perspectives operating within young people’s communities and wider society
  • Methods for encouraging and enabling young people to participate in an inclusive manner
  • Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in youth work settings
  • Approaches for increasing active participation and creating opportunities for youth voice and leadership
  • Professional obligations regarding administration, recording and management of data i.e. GDPR
  • Current national and local policies for safeguarding young people and vulnerable adults; and the application of these to own practice
  • Indicators for abuse and exploitation and how to recognise these and take action within the context and setting
  • Health and safety policies relating to the care and wellbeing of young people and implementation of these in the youth support worker role
  • Positive risk benefit assessment to ensure there are safe working practices for youth support work
  • How to collect and use sources of information in order to demonstrate the impact and benefits of youth support work
  • Systems and procedures relevant to the role and setting
  • First line management styles that are supportive and developmental for volunteers and assistant youth support workers
  • Limits of professional behaviour boundaries in line with organisational policies and procedures

  Skills

  • Recognise, manage and reflect upon relational boundaries in professional youth support work
  • Communicate with stakeholders - internal and/or external
  • Facilitate the learning and development of young people
  • Encourage the participation of young people in developing their own learning
  • Facilitate activities and techniques to use with young people that promote self-confidence and build self-esteem and resilience
  • Reflect individually and through supervision on practice in line with daily tasks to enhance the support young people receive
  • Monitor and record the outcomes of own practice to identify areas for development and improvement
  • Appropriately manage behaviour boundaries in line with organisational policies
  • Plan youth support work programmes and sessions
  • Lead youth support work programmes and sessions
  • Evaluate youth support work programmes and sessions
  • Enable young people to express their views, aspirations, needs and concerns appropriately in line with youth support work principles
  • Identify, appropriately challenge and act upon oppressive or discriminatory attitudes, behaviours and situations
  • Support young people to participate in planning, organising, delivering and evaluating youth work activities and programmes, and engaging on issues of importance to them
  • Embeds in own practice a commitment to the rights of young people
  • Apply safeguarding procedures and protocols
  • Work within the parameters of organisational, local and national health and safety, child protection, data protection and equalities policies and procedures
  • Participate in risk assessments and manage risk and risk benefits within the workplace
  • Record all health and safety risks and take the correct actions to ensure the safety of all young people
  • Complete administrative responsibilities e.g., signing in young people, risk assessments and recording activities
  • Manage budgets and resources
  • Manage individuals in line with organisational procedures
  • Work with and maintain professional behaviour boundaries when working with young people

  Behaviours

  • Work in an anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory manner
  • Promote acceptance and understanding of others
  • Support positive engagement in activities
  • Uphold principles and values of youth work practice
  • Celebrate success and the journey of young people individually and collectively
  • Respect young people’s rights to make their own decision about involvement with youth work
  • Promote the values of justice, fairness and equality
  • Take a positive interest in young people’s concerns, ideas and interests
  • Promote the development of political and social education for and with young people
  • Compliance with relevant policies and procedures
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Care services
• Qualification level: 3; Equal to A level
• Course duration: 18 months
• Maximum funding: £4,500 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Youth club leader
  • Part-time youth leader
  • Youth development officer
  • Project worker
  • Participation worker
  • Deputy leader
  • Youth Support Worker

View more information about Youth support worker (level 3) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.