scholarly journals Collecting and using youth development outcomes data to improve youth work practice

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-128
Author(s):  
Dean Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Group Process ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Structured Learning ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Development Outcomes

AbstractThere is increasing scrutiny on the factors necessary to ensure that youth development programs consistently enhance the learning and development of young people. One of these key factors is the involvement of high-quality youth work practitioners who can facilitate an individual or group process to the benefit of all participants. While the practice of reflective learning is a core best-practice principle of youth workers, there is little emphasis on their own structured learning and development beyond their initial qualification. Based on findings from a pilot project testing the first practitioner-led outcomes framework in New South Wales, Australia, this article examines the role of outcomes data in contributing to the ongoing development of youth workers and youth development organisations. It argues that external performance data is both critical to individual and organisational development, and can enhance existing reflective practices such as workplace supervision.

A Comparative Study of the State of Ethics in Youth Work Practice in Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cleopatra Monique Parkins
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Code Of Ethics ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
The United Kingdom

Even though youth work has played a critical role in fostering the holistic development of today’s youth, much controversy has surrounded the practice. Nevertheless, youth workers are slowly being accorded professional status, and a code of ethics has been developed in some jurisdictions. Some states are still to adopt this code; consequently the credibility of youth workers and the sector in general sway with the wind. This article presents a comparative analysis of ethical practices of youth work in Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, examining current trends in observing ethics and addressing ethical issues. In the case of Jamaica, the researcher used the non-probability convenience sampling technique and collected primary data from a questionnaire administered to a sample of youth workers. The perspective of the ministerial arm responsible for youth work in Jamaica was also captured through an interview. In the case of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the framework of the profession and specifically matters pertaining to ethical practices were examined through the use of secondary data sources, which included reports on youth work practices in the selected countries. A mixed methodology was employed in analysing the data collected. The major findings of this study confirmed that advancing youth work as a profession is dependent on the acceptance and integration of a formal code of ethics, that youth workers must receive training on ethics and that a national youth work policy is important to guide youth work practice. In accordance with the findings, the researcher makes a number of recommendations and highlights notable best practices that may help with the overall professionalisation of the sector.

scholarly journals Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of a Core Competencies Measure for Malaysian Youth Workers

Young ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-405
Author(s):  
Mahazan Muhammad ◽  
Steven Eric Krauss ◽  
Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh ◽  
Lee Kwan Meng ◽  
Azimi Hamzah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Core Competency ◽  
Psychometric Validation ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Validity And Reliability

Core competencies in youth work refer to demonstrated capacities of quality performance that allow youth development workers to be resources for the young people, organizations and communities with whom they work. While a number of practice frameworks based on core competencies have been developed, few validated assessment measures exist to help identify professional development needs for youth workers. This article describes the adaptation and psychometric validation of a core competency assessment tool for youth work practitioners in Malaysia. A quantitative study was undertaken to validate an adapted core competency measure with a sample of 300 Malaysian youth workers. Psychometric validation included both internal consistency and construct, convergent and discriminant validity tests. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded 12 core competency sub-scales. Adequate internal consistency was achieved for each subscale along with the full measure. The findings support the validity and reliability of the core competency measure. Recommendations for application and further research are discussed.

scholarly journals How adult volunteers contribute to positive youth development in the twenty-first century

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Denis O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
Development Outcomes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Adult Volunteers

AbstractThis article reflects on the importance of adult volunteers in Foróige, a leading Irish youth development organisation. Volunteers make up some 97 per cent of all youth workers in Ireland. Outcomes for huge numbers of young people are mediated through and depend upon volunteers’ suitability, availability, knowledge and skills. The article takes as its starting point three pieces of research in Foróige. Using this evidence, I describe what appear to be the key strengths of the cohorts of volunteers we studied and how Foróige builds on these to reach positive youth development outcomes similar to those sought by the Queensland framework. To support this, Foróige has invested heavily on volunteer development to increase volunteer engagement and provide more roles in which volunteers can participate in achieving youth development outcomes. I explore the value of the positive interactions between volunteers and young people, the role of volunteers in increasing young people's connectedness to community, and the impact on volunteers of other life issues that compete for their time. I outline how the outputs and outcomes of youth work in Foróige would be hugely diminished without adult volunteers.

scholarly journals Youth Work Matters: Online Professional Development for Youth Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Robideau ◽  
Karyn Santl
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Online Setting ◽  
Viable Method

As the field of youth development becomes more recognized as a profession, it is imperative that youth workers are trained in foundational youth development research and practice. However, accessibility and cost can limit participation in face-to-face workshops and conferences. Online, cohort-based courses are a viable method to offer professional development for youth workers. This program article provides an overview of the online course, Youth Work Matters, which has provided training to youth workers for over 10 years. The authors demonstrate that professional development for youth workers in an online setting will increase access to learning opportunities. This article also describes key components for an online, non-credit course for participants to gain knowledge, apply new concepts and participate in learning communities.

scholarly journals Detached Youth Work: A critical analysis of theory and practice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Natalie Dowling
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Key Skills

This thesis provides a critical analysis of the theory and practice of detached youth work (DYW) as a form of engagement with young people which has lacked attention within policy and research. The research aim was to develop a contemporary definition for DYW in order to create a model of best practice and establish a set of key practitioner skills. The thesis addressed three research objectives, 1: To develop a contemporary definition of DYW using current theory and analysis of practice, 2: To critically analyse current DYW processes to establish a model of best operational practice and 3: To evaluate the work of practitioners in order to establish a set of key practitioner skills for effective DYW. These were achieved through an ethnographic case study approach across two locations, employing three interviews with detached youth workers and 15 participant observations. This was combined with an online survey of 32 detached youth workers exploring their experiences of practice. The thesis illustrates the problems, exacerbated by austerity, in supporting marginalised young people. Responding to the first objective it develops an umbrella term to define DYW, while advising on ideal requirements for this form of practice. For the second objective a model of best operational practice is constructed, emphasising the importance of locations of practice, engagement tools and aspects related to the community and police. The final objective of this thesis contributes a new three-stage process for engagement with new groups of young people through DYW, alongside drawing on data analysis to establish a set of key practitioner skills particularly beneficial in development of job descriptions and recruitment consideration. The thesis concludes that greater understanding of DYW is required to support this form of engagement and allow effective practice to make a difference to individuals at risk. Moreover, in responding to the research aim, it evidences the need for effective relationships and the key skills required for any practitioner engaging with individuals and communities. Without investment in youth services this form of practice is at risk of becoming lost or viewed as ineffective due to inappropriate understandings.

scholarly journals The Youth Development Workforce: The People, the Profession, and the Possibilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Lynne M. Borden ◽  
Michael Conn ◽  
Casey D. Mull ◽  
Michele Wilkens
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
The People ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
System Approaches

Understanding the role of youth workers and promoting an accurate representation of these professionals and their work requires a focus on current research, practice, and policies that capture the challenges and opportunities of the youth development workforce. An overview of this special issue of the Journal of Youth Development examines efforts to support individual youth workers, strategies organizations use to prepare and assist youth workers, and system approaches to building the capacity of the workforce in key areas such as quality and social emotional learning, and concludes with an encapsulation of interviews with 10 key leaders nationwide. They identified the overarching task as one of identification of the elements that can make the field cohesive across the different settings and programs, while supporting youth in their growth through experiences that are rooted in the science of learning and development. Finally, this special issue offers the opportunity to better understand the youth workers, examine different types of professional development pathways, explore the role that systems can play in support of these workers, and reflect on the challenges and opportunities raised by key leaders in the profession.

Youth Work and Digital Technologies

2020 ◽  
pp. 21-40
Author(s):  
Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh ◽  
Seyedali Ahrari ◽  
Steven Eric Krauss ◽  
Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah ◽  
Siti Zobidah Omar
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Dynamic Force ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Youth Service ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Wide Range

In today's digital world, digital youth work is rapidly becoming a novel area of specialization. The digital environment in professional practice is an up-to-date dynamic force that places us at the forefront of the hi-tech revolution, inspiring youth work both as a scientific field and as a profession. First, this chapter provides a synopsis and a serious perspective on digital technologies in youth work practice. Researchers believe that the functions of digital technology have an impact on a wide range of youth service settings. Various nations have reacted in different ways in terms of policy and practice. Second, research concerns, as well as a new policy development plan, research accuracy, more theoretical complexity, and awareness of the need for multidisciplinary work, are discussed. Moreover, there is a need for participatory research that can provide a better understanding of the experiences and needs of youth workers using digital technologies as well as how these needs can be met.

scholarly journals IDEOLOGIES AND THEORIES FOR YOUTH PRACTICE WORK

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-74
Author(s):  
Ramadimetje Bernice Hlagala ◽  
Catharina Sophia Delport
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mix And Match

There are many youth workers who continue to design their interventions without any theoretical basis, despite a long history of youth work as a field of practice. The aim of this article is to present selected ideologies and theoretical frameworks underpinning youth work practice. These ideologies and theories, although predominantly borrowed from other disciplines, provide insight on how youth work should be practised.Based on a thorough literature review, the authors have selected different theories and ideologies that youth workers, like other professionals, are expected to know, understand and to adapt to youth work practice. These theories are important and would serve as theoretical frameworks on which youth work interventions will be based and, thereby, provide youth workers with the means to predict and analyse the situations of young people from different viewpoints to enable the development of different strategies to address relevant problems.The article concludes that theories and ideologies should be used as reference points, and youth workers mix and match different theories and ideologies depending on the nature of problem they are addressing at that particular time.

scholarly journals Positieve jeugdontwikkelingsbenadering in jongerencentra en jeugdclubs

Pedagogiek ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-313
Author(s):  
Willy Faché
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Group 14 ◽  
Developmental Approach ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
Youth Centers ◽  
Development Outcomes

Abstract Positive youth development outcomes of youth centers. International literature study.This article is about open access youth centers. Because these centers focus on the age group 14-25, a target group that is in the transition from child to adulthood, they must seek to maximize positive developmental outcomes for youth. After discussing the positive developmental approach, we describe how open access youth centers realize youth development in the world. This article is based on an analysis of Dutch, English, French and German language studies on the outcomes, objectives and functions of youth centers in Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. The positive development outcomes, which I found in the literature, have been brought together in fifteen functions. The aim of this article is to give inspiration for improvement and innovation of youth work practice in Flanders.

Youth work and youth violence in a European context

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Seal ◽  
Pete Harris
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Violence ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Gang Violence ◽  
Populated Area ◽  
Working Definition ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Uk

In this chapter, the authors present an outline of the philosophical underpinnings of youth work practice and discuss how youth work is conceived, organised and delivered in different member states, and specifically in those the authors encountered in their study (Germany, Austria and the UK). They then introduce their working definition of youth violence. The authors were keen to move beyond the narrow confines of conceptualisation of youth violence as ‘gang’ violence, partly because this is a heavily populated area of enquiry, but also because they recognised that youth workers will be engaging with young people whose experience of violence falls both within and outside of the bounded and contestable phenomenon of the ‘gang’.

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