Seven Characteristics of a Youth Worker

A Youth Worker is an educator who engages with young people in a diverse setting. They create relationships in order to create a condition of learning. Youth Work is a Social Practice. This is used through personal information, advice and, guidance work. Social Practice enables young people to practice their values, morals, attitudes, and behaviors. In a youth setting, the setting is set up to pull young people in. From there, the youth worker works together with the young people to create a space that is comfortable for everyone. The youth worker gives the mic to the young people. Asking them how they want the program to run. Youth work is social justice. This is understanding the oppression and power, commitment to empowerment, and the ability to focus on change. The role of the youth worker is to address power imbalances in the community. Youth work is supporting causes, walks that young people want to participate in. Young people chose to be involved in this kind of work rather than have to or are compelled to. Here, they are not being told what they need to do, rather they are creating their own space for them. Youth workers are there to encourage the voices of young people. It is a working with rather than working alone. Youth work is a welfare practice. They promote the safety and welfare of young people. They work with young people of needs and deprivation. Young people value youth workers because they trust them. If there is no relationship between the two it will be hard to create programs or create that personal relationship to try and help them. Good youth workers have a good sense of self. They use problem solving and reflection skills to understand their own identity. They recognize the commitment to lifelong learning. They act ethically and professional. Local knowledge is developing an understanding of their community. Social Policy can shape, support, and challenge the work with young people. Effective youth workers develops a framework or assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating work. They need to an effective listener and converser to engage with different groups of people. Lastly, youth workers need to keep in mind the principles of anti-oppressive practice to effectively challenge discrimination to help young people. For me, being a youth worker is creating an open and honest space for young people to come and participate. I feel it is necessarily to open up the floor for them to speak their minds. Everyone should be working together to create a safe environment. Youth workers need to be mindful of each person in their organization, their background, their morals and beliefs. From working with the youth my entire life, I have learned their are different approaches to different situations. Not every child is going to learn the same, adapt the same, or have the same opinions/views. Being a good youth worker is also being able to adapt to different challenges thrown at you.