'Youth work is the answer' - New research shows an increase in the
role and number of youth workers
21 May 2008
Unite, Britain's biggest union, is calling for the formal
recognition, through registration and licensing, of youth workers,
as new research points to an increase in the role and number of
youth workers in the UK.
Doug Nicholls, Unite national secretary for the Community and
Youth Working Union said: "Tragically over sixty young people have
died in gang and gun related crimes this year. Studies have proved
youth work to be the most effective way of preventing these crimes.
Furthermore, they also reduce the chances of re-offending.
For those young people who face difficulties in life, youth work
provides a unique hope and alternatives to help reintegrate them
into education and employment. Youth work is also key to active
citizenship amongst young people and youth workers support most of
the new youth councils and parliaments."
Unlike other professions in the new integrated youth services,
youth work though valued, is not licensed, anyone can call
themselves a youth worker and this puts the public at risk. Youth
work is the longest established profession within youth services,
with well established systems to endorse qualifications, linked to
coherent national terms and conditions, agreed with local authority
and voluntary sector employers.The move towards integrated services
for children and young people means the role of youth workers is
valued more highly than ever before but they need formal
recognition of their skills and dedication.
Over 80% of local authorities took part in the research
commissioned by the Community Youth Workers section of Unite the
union. Early research findings show the following.
Youth Workers
There has been an overall increase in the employment of youth
workers, with no plans by local authorities to cut the number of
directly employed youth workers, but with fewer part time workers.
Up to 90% of local authorities apply national pay and
conditions for youth workers, with no plans to change. This
confirms the professional role for youth work in education and
learning, supporting the personal and social development of young
people.
Youth Service
Bucking the trend, 4 out of 10 local authorities plan to keep a
distinct youth service; the same number have decided not to tender
those services and have not adopted the controversial principle of
contestability (see notes to editors) in the way that their youth
services are provided. In most cases, the local authority youth
service has retained its specialism even when part of multi-agency
or multidisciplinary teams.
Funding
In many areas, there is discrete funding for youth services;
elsewhere measures have been taken to ensure that youth service
provision does not lose out in terms of spending. 7 out of 10 local
authorities said that youth service funding has not been pooled
with other service provision. However in some areas, even with a
dedicated youth service, youth work depends on numerous
applications for external funding with insufficient core
funding.
Doug Nicholls, Unite national secretary for the Community and
Youth Working Union continued: "Never before has youth work had a
greater impact and we are able to evidence its beneficial social
and educational effect. With youth work in the ascendancy, we now
need a formal recognition of our role, through a registration and a
license to practice for youth workers.
In the national debate about increased youth participation and
the government's pledge for new or refurbished youth centres in
every constituency, the one essential ingredient overlooked is the
youth worker. The youth worker has the specialist skills and
training to enable the young person to manage the youth centres and
to deliver the youth service in all its settings."
- ENDS -
For media inquiries contact: Contact Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931
315 or Doug Nichols on 07970345381
Notes to the Editor:-
a) 112 local authorities out of a possible 140 took part in the
CYWU commissioned research. The full findings will be published in
June 2008.
b) "Contestability is defined as being the process of
considering different supplier options, rather than just
considering changing the management, method or processes of the
existing supplier" - Local Government Information Unit.
c) The Community and Youth Workers' Union is a national section
of Unite the Union. CYWU only organises and represents those
working or training to work with children, young people and
communities.
