Apprenticeship training course

Youth worker (level 6)

There are 6 training providers who offer this course. Check if a training provider can deliver this training in the apprentice's work location.

Information about Youth worker (level 6)

Enable young people to develop and working with young people to facilitate personal, social and educational development.

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

  Knowledge

  • The importance of building trust and rapport, and methods for achieving this.
  • Professional relationship boundaries and the implications of these for youth workers.
  • Communication styles and methods, including barriers to communication and ways to overcome these.
  • Different models of youth work e.g. Outreach, Detached, Open access, Targeted, Social Action, Digital
  • Theories of management and leadership e.g. inter-professional and inter-disciplinary working.
  • Human resources procedures, e.g. professional development, disciplinary, grievance.
  • Youth work supervision models.
  • The importance of staff development.
  • Resource, financial and facilities management, including relevant legislation and regulations that need to be followed.
  • National and local plans and strategies relevant to youth work and young people.
  • Roles, remit and responsibilities of key stakeholders.
  • Strategies to build and manage professional partnerships.
  • Theories and models of informal and non-formal education and their application in practice.
  • Theories and models for programme planning, development, delivery and evaluation.
  • Policies and strategies related to the national and local youth work curriculum.
  • Contemporary models for impact and evaluation of youth work.
  • Models for inclusive and active participation and barriers to participation.
  • International, national and local factors impacting on young people’s engagement in decision making, including legislation (e.g. UNCRC) and local and national participation strategies.
  • Models to undertake appropriate situational needs analysis.
  • Project management tools and processes, including assessing and managing risk.
  • Evaluation and impact processes and strategies.
  • Commissioning and funding processes.
  • Theories, models and principles for reflective practice.
  • The importance of critical reflection and continuous professional development for youth work practice
  • The relationship between rights, responsibilities and power dynamics in professional youth work relationships and society.
  • Cultural and community competency in good youth work practice.
  • Principles of anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice.
  • Safeguarding legislation, government guidance and national framework regarding record keeping, disclosure management and reporting referrals to a designated safeguarding lead.
  • Safer recruitment and staff management processes (including for volunteers).
  • Boundaries of professional accountability and responsibility for self, staff and project leadership.
  • Principles of child development and human growth applicable to behaviours likely to be observed in youth activities.

  Skills

  • Evaluate and utilise a range of styles of communication suited to the audience, e.g. verbal, non-verbal, written and electronic methods.
  • Maintain professional boundaries in relationships with young people and colleagues.
  • Select and use suitable youth work models for the needs of young people they are engaging with.
  • Work in partnership with young people to develop suitable services.
  • Utilise appropriate methods and tools for planning, monitoring and evaluating youth work.
  • Complete, store and retain accurate administrative and financial records.
  • Carry out regular supervision, staff development and appraisals (where appropriate) with colleagues.
  • Apply different leadership styles appropriate to the needs of colleagues.
  • Utilise a range of sources of information to inform service development.
  • Identify and work with appropriate partners to add value to work with young people, e.g., Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), schools, local councillors.
  • Advocate for young people and youth work in policy and service development.
  • Select and use appropriate methods and tools when planning youth work programmes and activities.
  • Identify and apply differentiated methods and styles when engaging with groups to meet the needs of young people, promoting learning and development
  • Facilitate youth work programmes that support the learning and development of young people in line with the youth work curriculum.
  • Evaluate, demonstrate and report on the impact of youth work.
  • Provide a safe environment for young people to explore and challenge values, beliefs, ideas and issues.
  • Create and evaluate effectiveness of inclusive and participatory learning environments.
  • Support young people to plan, organise and deliver youth-led activities and programmes.
  • Select and apply appropriate participation models to overcome barriers to participation
  • Support young people to make their voice heard to influence change on issues affecting them.
  • Identify and challenge oppressive attitudes, behaviours and situations.
  • Conduct and use information from situational needs analysis to develop projects.
  • Produce reports, evaluations and summary data in a format appropriate for the intended audience, e.g. commissioners, funders or other stakeholders.
  • Use outcomes of evaluation of service delivery to inform, develop and enhance practice and projects.
  • Monitor own practice and use supervision to identify areas for continuing professional development and improvement.
  • Apply appropriate supervision models to support the development of colleagues.
  • Ensure professional ethical standards are developed, promoted and maintained across the youth work environment.
  • Demonstrate and promote a person-centred approach to youth work.
  • Implement, identify and report safeguarding referrals, drawing on safeguarding information, in line with safeguarding policies and procedures, to take action when a young person discloses information.
  • Carry out risk assessments, plan activities, visits, and manage situations to mitigate risks to ensure the safety of all young people, depending on the setting and the environment they are working in.

  Behaviours

  • Work in an anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory manner
  • Act as an ambassador for young people and youth work.
  • Leads and manages by example, demonstrating inclusive and participatory behaviours in their work.
  • Work collaboratively for the benefit of young people by personal example, encouraging and facilitating cooperation, trust and commitment.
  • Be a reflective practitioner.
  • 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: 6; Equal to degree
• Course duration: 36 months
• Maximum funding: £20,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Youth Worker
  • Youth Work Manager

View more information about Youth worker (level 6) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.