Youth Work Is...

Youth Work

Youth work is an educational practice

From the reading it suggests that we "educate students where they are at instead of using pre-determined learning outcomes and didactic teaching methods". Youth workers are supposed to make the youth feel comfortable in everything they do through education and daily life. Youth workers make a comfortable and creative environment for all youth so that the youth have optimal creativity and communication with others. There has been many occasions during my youth where there was not a creative environment which is why when I am working with youth I try to give them the most comfortable environment in order for them to feel themselves and be creative.

Youth work is a social practice

Social practice is focused around making youth comfortable with their social surroundings. Youth should be able to test their values, attitudes and behaviors in a social environment with other youth that are learning. Youth workers provide an appropriate social environment for the youth to 'test the waters' of their life. Youth workers expose youth to different groups or work through existing circumstances. At a young age I was exposed to different people from different backgrounds in school. There is more exposure now to many different people and ethnicity in school than when I was in school.

Youth workers actively challenge inequality and work towards social justice

We all know about anti-bullying this is the stand point that an youth worker should stand by. Every youth is equal no matter where they come from. Each youth deserves to be understood and empowered to fight against oppression in a respective manner. During my high school career I traveled to Rwanda, Africa on a mission trip but not only to give the less fortunate something but to also learn about their forgiveness process that each citizen had to go through when the genocide happened.

Young people choose to be involved

The key to teach the youth is to have them engaged in everything you do. One way to do this is to do make the environment around them youth friendly and to have a youth worker that is engaged in the setting. Youth workers should be engaged with the environment in order to help the youth feel comfortable. When the youth feels comfortable they will be able to bring out more of the previous youth work characteristics. I was the type that was always involved with peer activities while doing this I had friends who weren't so involved and I invited her to play and that helped her get involved with her peers.

Youth work seeks to strengthen the voice and influence of young people

When youth speak up they seem to be overlooked most of the time. Youth should not feel this way ever, youth works should make an environment where youth can speak their mind without having to feel suppressed. During youth development 250 we visited Central Falls, these youth were not afraid to speak their mind. Every youth in that group felt so deeply about their surroundings that they felt they could say and do what every they felt needed within a respectful manner.

Youth work is a welfare practice

Youth workers need to make the environment best for the youth, each voice needs to be heard. A youth worker should always want the best for the youth that come in their place of work. Youth workers use the welfare practice by keeping the stable and creative environment around them in order to keep them engaged. Each youth is different and each youth becomes creative in different environment so some youth might over come others and that is when the youth workers need to take control and change the activity slightly. When in school there were many instances where the classroom may have gotten out of hand and if the teacher were to have used the welfare practice I believe that the classroom environment would have been better for all students.

Youth work works with young people 'holistically'

When youth has a positive support system and positive influences they are known to do better overall. As a youth worker we are not only a teacher or a mentor but we are a positive influence on the youth around us. We must engage and support the youth around us so they can thrive and turn negative influences around. As a child I tried to help my peers become comfortable with the others. Sometimes this worked and sometimes it failed but I know I was a good support system for one of my friends that is still my friend to this day.