Is Youth Work For You? 5 Tips To Decide

People constantly strive to learn new ways to make a difference in the world. Learning a new skill whether it is in the workplace or in life can help stave off boredom and keep your interest levels high.

Repetitive work can quickly lead to demotivation and boredom as it can become unexciting. Learning a new skill can help break that cycle and make day-to-day work-life balance more enjoyable and interesting.

Youth Work has become one of the most popular career choices as it is a rewarding avenue. The dedication and support to vulnerable young people will help guide lives to be better.

Depending on your job outcome, a career in Youth Work explores complex issues such as homelessness, poverty, and mental health.

What Is Youth Work?

Youth work is a community-based program to help support and guide young people (older children and Adolescents). The aim is to provide an environment where they can engage in informal education activities.

Youth Work focuses on positive youth development programs to strengthen young people's sense of belonging and identity. Treat young people with respect and utilise their view of the world in belief for the future.

To nurture and develop young people's attitudes and skills and not just remedy the ‘Problem Behaviours’. While also helping them to develop self-regulation and self-efficacy.

To help build young people’s confidence socially, cognitively, and emotionally. To support behavioural competence and stronger relationships and collective identities.

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All the youth work can transpire in vast settings such as educational institutes, youth cafes, youth centres, uniformed groups and community venues. It can happen in different manners like outdoor pursuits, health initiatives, drama workshops, peer education, and such work to entertain the needs of youth.

Youth work methods have proven extremely effective in helping individuals find the right guidance to get their lives on track and live the way they had always dreamed of.

This has steered towards a pleasantly increasing amount of institutions and communities developing various youth work methods.

There are many ways to aid youths with mental health improvement and the justice system to reform precious lives, too. This success demonstrates the wide range of how you can help young minds and enable their success stories.

The youth work sector embraces such evolutions and strives to collaborate with those wishing to participate in the young public’s personal and social development.

Youth Work's Purpose

At its core, youth work is about handling a young person's life and helping them make the right choices. It is not just a job; someone's life relies on the guidance you give. While this may sound intimidating, it is anything so.

Many youth workers adore their profession because it gives them such a strong sense of purpose and the trust the younger ones have in them. You will always be there for someone; they can count on you to help them navigate life best, no matter how many curve balls they are thrown.

Below we have briefly touched upon the purpose of Youth Work:

• To help build the necessary self-esteem and self-confidence.
• Developing skills to manage personal and social relationships.
• Enabling learning and helping to find new skills.
• Encouraging positive atmospheres.
• Building the young people's capacity to understand risk, make informed, positive decisions and have control over their lives.
• Helping youth get that 'world view’ can widen their horizons.

Is Youth Work For You?

If you are still indecisive and want to know if youth work is the right choice, then don't worry; we got you.

We have composed decisive factors that can help determine if this world is for you.

1) You Have The Best Communication and Listening Skills

Many of us may not think much of having the right communication skills, for they may come to us naturally, but those skills can be put to great use. If you think you have the capacity to give someone young a comfortable environment where they can speak freely and communicate everything with you, then youth work may be for you.

Communication is among the core and fundamental traits prospective youth workers must have so they can talk to the young person with complete ease.

We aren't solely talking about having the clearest speaking abilities. If you can listen to them well and make them feel like their experiences and emotions are valid, it allows them to have a relaxed environment where they can trust you with their thoughts.

Many young people have trouble communicating because trust does not come easy; a youth worker who can open room for comfortable conversation is a huge success.

Do you see yourself being an epic listener and acting as a great communicator that can instantly get people to trust them? Then you might want to consider youth work.

2) You are Passionate About Helping Young People

If you feel like pursuing something that will have a much deeper and profound effect and your passion for helping will come into play, this is your field.

Social work is all about trusting your abilities to make a difference in someone's life. If you yearn for the feeling that you want to wake up every day and are ready to help others, knowing that what you are doing matters, then you may be the right person for this work.

You can be a highly knowledgeable and dedicated professional in the field with such a mindset that empowers you every day to work for the welfare of the younger generation. Help them sort out their life so they can live fulfilled life with dreams and passion.

3) Resilience is Your Strongest Trait

It is not all sunshine and rainbows when discussing social duties like youth work. There can be times when workers come across tricky and challenging situations because the younger individual may not be the easiest to handle.

Some youths have lived troubled lives, meaning they have a warped sense of reality and are not instantly accepting of any help. They may even be extremely sceptical, knowing what you try to do will not help them.

However, this is another angle of the youth work world that makes many want to try even harder. If you find challenging situations fuel you further to try your hardest, then Youth work is for you.

You will work with a wide spectrum of individuals, issues, lives and matters as a youth worker. The key is the strong ability to cope with such days while maintaining your professional conduct without fail. Your unfaltering resilience during tough situations will make all the difference to those working with you.

4) You Have Quick Adaptability and Seek Constant Learning

Let's face it. Challenges you faced growing up are poles apart from those the younger generation faces today. If you feel you have the right adaptability skills to keep up with whatever changes are happening and learn new things, you should get into youth work.

If you have the capacity to stay abreast of ongoing hurdles youth face while keeping your guidance relevant and useful, then you are the perfect fit.

Although the fundamentals remain unchanged, any societal, technological, and cultural changes can imply you must adapt quickly. You cannot stick to your ways and think nothing can surpass your old methods.

It can be with the little things like the current social media addiction the youths have and their quest to constantly portray they are living the high life and have the most followers.

Even these communication differences and your adaptability and willingness to learn and handle these matters make all the difference.

5) You Are Empathic

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While the right communication methods and the most relevant guidance are undisputed traits, youth workers must have the ability to empathize with the young ones they work with.

When you can truly empathize with someone, your genuineness and authenticity show, that's when the other person can feel that you really understand their problems and want to help them.

Empathy can tie it all together because if you can connect with a younger mind and make them feel at ease, everything can get easier for the giver and the recipient. If this sounds like you, don't delay; pursue being a youth worker.

Conclusion

So what do you say? Does youth work seem like it checks all the boxes for you? Can this seem like something you may want to pursue and truly make a difference in the younger public's lives?

If this world interests you and you wish to get the Certificate IV in Youth Course and the Diploma of Youth Work that can help your career, Hader Institute offers it all to get you going.

FAQs

What age individuals can youth workers work with?

A youth worker can proffer guidance to people aged 12-24 years and aid them in reaching their full potential.

Why does youth care matter?

It is because giving assistance to young minds going through tough situations is critical.

What qualifications does a youth worker need in Australia?

Youth workers must achieve the diploma qualification in the youth work practice.

What are the core values of a youth worker?

They must be mindful of inclusivity, diversity, and equality while being respectful, empowering, and positive at all times.