Course Resources Archive

This module supports the development of skills necessary to work effectively with young people through informal education by providing an introduction to some of the key principles and practices behind successful practical interventions with young people.

This module will cover the following topics:

• The development of Informal education and youth work;
• How young people can use their learning to enhance their health, wellbeing psychological and spiritual development and be active citizens able to actively tackle problems and manage risk;
• Friere and contemporary theorists (e.g. Jeffs & Smith)
• Youth work methodology – context, content, process; detached, centre-based, focus, outdoor, residentials etc;
• Planning, evaluation and reviewing – monitoring and recording work with young people;
• Tools for youth work activities;
• Curriculum and outcomes and their links to national policy and targets;
• Youth engagement and participation
• Accreditation of young people’s journey/learning within youth work activities;
• Ethical issues and codes of practice in youth work – organisational context, funding dilemmas, statutory or voluntary;
• How equality of opportunity and anti discriminatory practices fit with youth work methodology and the psychological nature of oppression;
• Understanding self and how personal experience and values affect practice;
• Youth work as a vocation.

i. Knowledge and Understanding
On successful completion of the module the student should be able to:
a) Understand the historical basis for informal education;
b) Evaluate and analyse the core concepts in informal education and available tools;
c) Develop an understanding of the principles of informal mentoring and role-modelling;
d) Discuss and contrast different youth work settings such as street working, fixed centre, outreach and educational contexts;
e) Evaluate the role of curriculum in youth work practice.

ii. Skills
On successful completion of the module the student should be able to:
a) Integrate planning and review of activities into a workable structure for practice;
b) Practice scenarios and rehearse/ polish role play and modelling skills for working with young people;
c) Coach the skills of others;
d) Use available tools to devise appropriate models for delivery.

Staff/student contact: 20% (lectures/workshops/tutorials/WebCT)
Student directed learning: 60%Work based learning: 20%

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.