Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Youth Studies-Youth Work new courses in the subject area
Applications have been flooding in for two new courses—Youth Work and Youth Studies—which is running for the first time in September. Following successful bids for funding, we have been working together with youth groups, FE Colleges and employers to bring these courses to fruition. The introduction of a youth work course at this time is in part due to the policy changes introduced by Government that makes youth work a graduate profession from 2010.
This course will help employers ensure they have a adequate pool of trained and qualified workers to deliver quality youth services. It also makes use of established expertise within DASS from social work, community work, criminology, sociology, social policy, media, and community development.
Participation by employers and young people is key and to that end we have established a curriculum development group that has met a number of times over the past year and which is made up of employers (Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Islington, Newham, Greenwich and Camden) and external experts. We held a one day consultation event with over 100 young people attending who told us exactly what they expect to see in a competent youth worker by way of knowledge, skills and values. Many of these young people will continue to contribute to the course through teaching, assessing and/or contributing to discussions on curriculum content. Eli Anderson has been appointed to lead the project through the National Youth Agency validation process.
Overall, we aim to have a vibrant and professionally relevant and accredited youth programme that serves the requirements of employers and meets the needs of young people for confident competent workers. The youth work degree will enhance our reputation in offering programmes relevant to employers in a way that is truly interdisciplinary and participative.
This development also contributes towards the advancement of local young people through the all encompassing focus on youth empowerment, youth rights, and social justice.
For more information please contact either Eli Anderson or Sinclair Coward.
londonmet.ac.uk/ug-prospectus/courses-10-11/youth-work.cfm
londonmet.ac.uk/ug-prospectus/courses-10-11/youth-studies.cfm
