Careers in youth work

Why work with young people?

There are many layers to good youth work and being a great youth worker includes a combination of many roles:

  • Role Model and Trusted Adult
  • Mentor and Creative Counsellor
  • Informal Educator and Prevention Facilitator
  • Navigator and Convenor
  • Youth Agency Champion and Advocate
  • Creative Counsellor

A career in youth work means no two days are the same. It can be fun, energising and creative, while supporting young people to unlock their potential, navigate their emotions, education, friendships and all the challenges that life throws at them.

How to become a youth worker

Before training to become a Youth Worker, it’s useful to do some volunteering with a local youth organisation to ensure it’s a career you wish to pursue. To find out how, go to: Volunteering landing page - WCAVA . You will need to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which shows if you have a criminal record which may keep you from working with young people. You will also need to complete safeguarding training. Safeguarding is the term that is used for keeping children and young people safe and knowing how to report a concern.  It’s also possible to do an Introduction to Youth Work training course through Young Opportunities Solihull click here to see their training schedule.

To become qualified, youth workers will have a Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) qualification, which can be obtained through higher education or an apprenticeship. You can still work with young people without a JNC qualification, however, a JNC is needed to obtain the title ‘youth worker’. The National Youth Agency (NYA) is the professional, statutory and regulatory body for youth work in England. They work with educational providers to ensure that the training is up-to-date and relevant.

Higher Education: 

  • Study of an undergraduate or postgraduate programme with a JNC attached to it
  • A mixture of classroom teaching and placements
  • Yearly university prices apply

Apprenticeship:

  • Level 3 Youth Support Worker and Level 6 Youth Worker JNC recognised qualification is available for free through the NYA
  • Level 3 takes 18 months and Level 6 takes 3 years
  • You must be employed in a youth-facing role for at least 30 hours a week

For more information go to the NYA website: Apprenticeships - National Youth Agency