UDYTWKJR - BSc (Hons) Youth Work (with JNC Recognition)

This course supports students to develop their competency level knowledge, skills and capabilities in the area of youth work. This will be achieved through blending academic learning with significant placement activity
The course has been designed in recognition of the need for a professionally recognised JNC level programme that meets the needs of youth workers from a range of backgrounds who wish to gain a National Youth Agency (NYA) approved qualification, leading to Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) recognition as a Professional Youth Worker The course leads to NYA recognition.
During their studies, students will critically engage with the tensions and challenges of current practice, both in the UK and overseas, building a sophisticated knowledge of effective youth work approaches. They will explore and understand recent developments in the field, exchange experiences with practitioners and learn from one another. In particular, students will learn about mental health, wellbeing and counselling young people and develop strategies to support young people experiencing difficult and often traumatic experiences.
The course exemplifies the Universities commitment to the Education, Equalities and Social Justice Framework by drawing on the values of social justice, anti-oppressive practice, group work and counselling, students will learn about theory, policy and practice that will help to develop a mix of academic and vocational skills. As the course conforms to the JNC requirements, students must meet the NYA Standards of Proficiency and will learn in a stimulating, challenging and supportive environment.
Students' learning will be structured around the contact time with the teaching team and will be complemented by students' independent work based on the guidance supplied in lectures, group work, tutorials and interactive workshops. Enquiry-based learning and problem-based learning will be used to help students to comprehend theoretical concepts. Students will be required to engage continuously and constructively with the course.
The materials for the BSc Youth Work build on the range of sources already provided for the BSc Leadership in Communities and the BSc Youth Studies and the MSc. In Youth Work and Community Development. Physical resources are provided in the library. The library stock is incrementally moving to electronic resources, which are more accessible to students.
A Subject Librarian has been assigned to the above programmes. The Academic Liaison Librarian has created a Subject Guide resource for community and youth students. This provides a subject resource including research engines and relevant journals. It also includes BOB (Box of Broadcasts) which gives students access to all television documentaries and other programmes. The library also provides sessions for students to explain how to use the library, how to reference and how to use search engines.
Students can remotely access a range of journals. These include the Community Development Journal and Journal of Youth Studies, and other relevant sources such as Disability Now and the Journal of Critical Social Policy.
We also provide significant additional resources through Weblearn, our virtual learning environment. This is helpful because both youth and community are fast-moving areas of study, and also because we are mindful that many students have limited resources to purchase text books. Direct access is provided to the reading list through the Weblearn site. In addition, we are increasingly using the facility to scan individual chapters of books that are of most relevance to assessments.
Other important learning support is available through drop ins with Academic Mentors and through the virtual resources. Students will be able to bring together skills gained across the programme through their dissertation. Students’ progress is monitored and assessed throughout the programme and informal and formal feedback is given in relation to the development of higher level critical skills.
Wellbeing of students is supported through an academic liaison team and a counselling and advice service.

The BSc (Hons) Youth Work aims to engage students in learning that integrates subject knowledge, professional practice and theory. The course aims to develop students who are socially mobile, socially aware and driven by values such as social justice, equality and a commitment to implement anti-oppressive practice. Students will be able to apply knowledge related to youth work, and will develop transferable and employability skills. The course aims to develop individuals who will embody community spirit, authentic leadership and resilience, using professional skills to transform their own lives, and the prospects of marginalised communities and individuals. It will also serve to ensure that young people are seen as valuable contributing members of the community and challenge the labelling and prejudices which depict them as delinquents and trouble makers.

The course aims to:
1. Promote reflective professional practice and reflexivity among youth workers and help them to develop critical and analytical skills in relation to concepts of youth work practice
2. Develop professional identity of youth workers, underpinned by a commitment to values, ethics and the requirements of relevant national occupational standards – this includes achievement of NYA accreditation and JNC recognition
3. Facilitate critical awareness of diversity and forms of oppression and enable students to develop strategies to combat oppression
4. Promote a systematic understanding of research knowledge and skills for youth work and enable students to develop autonomy and problem-solving skills in the context of youth work
5. Provide a theoretical and practical base for a deep understanding and ability to apply counselling skills and promote competency in their ability to work in and manage groups and staff

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

1. Evaluate contemporary youth work practice in the context of its historical and comparative perspectives and synthesize a range of knowledge about the principles, purposes and values underpinning informal social education work with young people and communities
2. Analyse the trends in social policy that impact on the lives of young people and communities, and shape the delivery of youth work
3. Develop a deep understanding of how power operates and a commitment to challenging all forms of oppression
4. Acquire personal attributes of responsiveness and resilience to create appropriate relationships with communities, individuals and groups of young people
5. Catalyse communication and counselling skills and the qualities of proactive leadership and management to transform teams working with young people and communities
6. Work reflexively with a wide range of theoretical approaches to youth work in order to negotiate key challenges involved in youth work practice
7. Develop an understanding of policy in relation to youth work values; young people’s rights, responsibilities and freedoms in order to navigate complex ethical dilemmas arising from a wider range of professional contexts
8. Work as a team member able to contribute innovative approaches in an advanced or specialist area of practice.
9. Work as an effective group worker with young people and colleagues.
10. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline and as an effective ani-oppressive practitioner.

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Students are assessed through a variety of methods.

1. Within the general principle of mixed mode formative and summative assessments can be found a diversity of instruments including poster and oral presentations, podcasts, reports, poetry, music, art, portfolios, case study analysis and completion of all elements of practice-based learning as well as self and peer assessment.
2. In line with the school’s assessment strategy the course will reflect on how the content and the marking scheme link to their work
3. The ongoing weekly discussions will direct their work and help students to complete draft formative submissions. A detailed feedback based on the marking scheme will be provided which will enable to students to identify areas that they need to develop further prior to their summative submissions
4. Students will be given clear deadlines for handing in drafts well in advance of their final submissions
5. The BSc includes a dissertation based on action research and the student’s own area of interest but must be relevant to youth work.
There will be a clear and transparent marking scheme with a greater emphasis on addressing oppression which reinforces the Education for Social Justice Framework

A mandatory feature of the course teaching is the 800-hour assessed practice-based placement which will equip students to meet the requirements of the National Youth Agency and the National Occupational Standards for Youth Work. The 800 hours of assessed professional practice is spread across the programme, with a minimum of 50% of this time spent in contact work with young people. Such work will normally be with 13-19 year old individuals, but may extend to 11-25 year old individuals with learning needs.
Professional practice will enable students to experience more than one youth and community work setting. Students are required to undertake placements in at least 2 different organisations, with 20% of practice from an alternative setting to the normal place of work for those in employment. Students are encouraged to locate a placement; this enables the student to network and engage with the wider field. In the event that a student is unable to do so, the course tutors and the wider work related learning support team will offer support in finding a suitable placement.

The part-time structure is designed in a manner that would enable students to complete their studies anytime between 4-6 years depending on the time they could designate and the options available at that time. There are a multitude of options available for this purpose as well as for their particular interests.

Course regulations for the BSc Youth work can be found here
They can also be found in the Course Handbook and Placement guide

1. If a student fails to pass the fieldwork modules at L4 then provided they have 120 Credits they can exit with a Cert HE in Working with Young People (Non-JNC) award
2. If a student fails to pass the fieldwork modules at L5 then provided they have 240 Credits they can exit with a Dip HE in Working with Young People (Non-JNC) award
3. If a student successfully passes the L4 module in Counselling Skills and Youth Work it will be recognised as equivalent to the L2 qualification in Counselling Skills
4. If a student successfully passes the L4 module in Counselling Skills and Youth Work and they successfully pass the two other counselling modules at L5 and L6 then it will be recognised as equivalent to the L3 qualification in Counselling Skills
5. If a student passes any of the two counselling modules it will be recognised as the equivalent of a L2 qualification in Counselling.
6. If a student passes one of the three counselling modules it will be recognised as equivalent to a L1 qualification in Counselling.

The nature of this intensive professional course is oriented to personal and professional development from the start where they have to engage with reflective writing. It is an expectation that students develop capacity as reflective practitioners. Through the modules, students are required to demonstrate that they are adopting the appropriate values and ethics and their ability to reflect on theory and practice and are incorporating understanding of areas such as trauma, mental health, wellbeing, counselling and practice-led research.
Seminar based activities such as unseen scenarios, group work and critical analysis of theory to practice and opportunities enable students to reflect in a safe environment. Students are encouraged to keep reflective logs and diaries for different modules and in their portfolios. All contribute to helping form their professional identity through a lens of critical youth and community work and socialisation in practice. This approach is in line with QAA guidance: ‘the promotion of reflection and of reflexivity is central to all teaching, learning and assessment in this subject area, The Course will facilitate critical thinking and reflection by questioning and critically discussing beliefs, discourses and attitudes. Teaching is flexible, adaptable, participative, interactive, intersubjective and collaborative in ways that are consistent with the subject area and congruent with informal and non-formal learning. (QAA Benchmarks 2019)’

The BSc will lead to JNC recognition. Typically, students are already employed as youth and community workers in a variety of agencies across the public, voluntary and independent sectors, working within a variety of settings.
Recent London Met graduates from the Community and Youth Subject have been employed in a range of local authority social services departments, mental health trusts, drugs and alcohol services, children’s centres, social prescribing, work in A&E with young victims of knife crime, among others. Graduates have the opportunity to progress to senior youth and community positions, in management and supervisory responsibilities. Students who demonstrate research potential may be encouraged to undertake doctoral studies.
Career opportunities will be enhanced by professional recognition of the programme. Professional accreditation is through two organisations. The first is via the National Youth Agency and Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC).
The course modules will also offer the equivalent of a L3 certificate in Counselling which will enhance the employability further. Through our strong ongoing connections with former students work opportunities are regularly advertised and appropriate workers are sought after. We will continue to invite alumni into sessions to share good practice with our existing students, including problem solving, based on issues in real life case studies.

This Youth Work BSc is Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) accredited by the National Youth Agency. Our lecturers are JNC-qualified and extremely experienced practitioners in youth and community work, and research. We also welcome external speakers for you to learn from.

Additional funding planned for the youth service sector is set to see a huge increase in jobs in the coming years. The JNC award ensures workers are paid at nationally recognised rates.

You will also gain the equivalent of the L2 Counselling Skills qualification and thereafter depending on which options you choose in Year two and three of the undergraduate programme you will qualify to gain a L3 Counselling Skills qualification as well.

Our social work graduates have gone on to have rewarding careers as social workers, youth justice workers, independant living officers, inclusion support managers and supported housing officers at the NHS, various councils and public sector organisations.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• three A-levels with minimum grades BBC, or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent level 3 qualification
• English Language GCSE at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent, eg Key Skills Level 2 in Communications or Functional Skills Level 2)
• considerable life experience or experiences in supporting young people
• an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for the Child Workforce, which is registered with the DBS Update Service

A Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in Youth Work is desirable but not essential.

Please note, an interview will be required for this course.

You may be eligible for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) for this course, provided your previous course was also JNC accredited.