This weeks reading from Youth Work: Preparation for Practice, introduces us to what it means to be a youth worker and the characteristics of a successful youth worker. Not only does it take skill to be a successful youth worker but you must also have the passion to help others. Growing up I always knew I wanted to work with children but I knew I didn't want to be a traditional teacher. I looked up to my dance teachers, who had created such a safe environment where we all felt we could talk about our problems while learning. My teachers would take the time to listen and give advice or simply listen and say things like, "Well good thing you are here now lets dance our problems away for the hour" and it always seemed to work. Based on the experience I had growing up I knew I wanted to give kids a place that kept them busy, growing, and out of trouble. Many of my friends were motivated in high school to go to parties and I simply was excited to spend the weekend at the dance studio.
This chapter discusses the seven characteristics of a youth worker; teaching an informal curriculum, youth work as a social practice, challenging inequality, young people should choose to be involved, strengthen youth voice, youth is a welfare practice, holistically working with you.
Teaching an informal curriculum: this refers to the skills youth workers can teach the youth in which they serve. Youth workers can teach their youth skills they can use in their day to day life. Including things like anger management, time management, healthy choices, and many more depending on the individual child's needs.
Youth work as a social practice: in youth work it is important to build a community within your program. Building a strong bond between your youth will help the group to grow along with each individual. Creating activities that allow students to see their commonalities as well as what makes them different can help to build a sense of unity. For students who struggle with social situations this can help to show them they have a safe space to express themselves openly.
Challenging inequality: Number one in the youth space it needs to be clear that everyone is equal. Allow the kids to express what is important to them and create rules or morals of their community. Once they have created their ideal space you can then talk about the injustice or inequality they may see or experience out in the community and discuss how they can make their community better.
Youth should choose to be involved: The youth in your program should want to come back. Although the initial involvement may not be the youths choice you want to create a space they feel comfortable coming back and grow to want to come back.
Strengthen youth voice: I believe this is one of the most important aspects of youth work. As a child I was always encouraged by my mother to stand up for myself. She taught me to always be respectful but to know my value, worth, and morals and stand up for what I believe. Although I had people who tried to tell me otherwise I always knew that I was right for standing up for myself, it didn't mean I was always right but it taught me to work through confrontation or debates without cowering down. I learned to express myself in a manner that made people listen and I learned to listen in return. As a youth worker you want to teach the youth to express their opinion and emotions.
Youth work is a welfare practice: Youth work is about meeting the youth where they are at and helping them to improve their situation or problem that they are struggling with. It can require you to help them solve the problem but while doing this you must teach them how to help themselves.
Holistically working with youth: As a youth worker you want to help the students get to the reasons why they are feeling the way they are feeling. Helping them to feel emotionally sound and help them to get to the healthiest happiest version of themselves. Most individuals feel best when they are leading healthy lives. Helping children to identify the true sou
rce of their problem can help to release the some of the stress they are feeling.
Going into the future I plan to create a safe space for children to be exposed to arts, primarily dance. Where those who don't feel speaking about their problems is their option of choice, can still express themselves. I have found that many who don't succeed academically excel in the arts. I believe that it is so important to show children that success in life means much more than getting the highest grade the math test, or getting into the "best" college, or having the nicest clothes. Success means something different to each individual and that is ok.
