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Overview of Youth Services
Youth development courses provide you with the skills, legal knowledge and training to be a youth welfare worker.
As a youth development worker, you will engage the youth community and assist them with their educational, employment placement and personal development.
Studying Youth Services
Youth development or youth work courses are offered as certificate courses in private and community colleges, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions and private training centres. Certificate courses can last from six months to a year. |
A basic youth development course helps you to address potential problems faced within the youth community. You are also trained to create and co-ordinate programmes that are beneficial to the youths you’ll be working with.
Areas covered in a youth development certificate course are social and psychological issues, behavioural and health problems, welfare and personal development needs and job advisory training.
Higher education pathways for certified youth workers include undertaking a diploma or undergraduate social work degree programme at a TAFE or university. A diploma in youth-related courses might take one to two years; while a bachelor degree can take three to four years to complete.
Postgraduate options, in the form of graduate diplomas or Master of Social Work, are also available once a relevant social work and welfare bachelor degree has been completed.
Careers in Youth Services
As a youth worker, you can gain employment in statutory welfare organisations as youth welfare workers; homeless shelters as residential workers; correctional homes or outreach services centres as correctional officers; health centres and hospitals as youth counsellers; and religious groups as youth activist leaders.
Increasingly, community centres and educational institutions are also offering youth counselling services to provide advice, or help young people with drugs and alcohol problems.
If you’re working with youth under the age of 18, you may need to obtain police and Work With Children clearance from the justice department in your state.
Skills needed in Youth Services
Personal qualities such as leadership, and a non-judgmental attitude are essential. You must also be culturally attuned to youths from different ethnic backgrounds.
More information
Community & Welfare Services
Children Services
Community & Aged Care
Palliative Care