Course Outline
The Postgraduate Diploma in Youth Work is ideally suited to enthusiastic, fun-loving, critical-thinking, and creative people who are motivated to impact positively in young people's lives. Youth work encompasses a broad and diverse range of social, cultural, educational and political activities, which are based on young people's voluntary participation in leisure time activities that emphasise social inclusion and support civic engagement. The Postgraduate Diploma in Youth Work prepares students for exciting, meaningful, and challenging careers in youth work and related organisations that aim to promote young people's wellbeing and to empower young people as active, critical citizens who can contribute to positive social change at local, national, and global levels. This is a professionally accredited course that provides practice-based training to aspiring professional youth workers and continuing professional development for existing youth workers (who do not already hold a JNC-recognised qualification). The course may be undertaken on a full-time basis only.
The course includes a variety of taught modules that focus on youth work professional training and continuing professional development in youth work. All modules are delivered through the School of Applied Social Studies. The course comprises five taught modules, two placement modules, and individual and group tutorials (60 credits in total).
Why Choose This Course
The Postgraduate Diploma in Youth Work is professionally endorsed by the North South Education and Training Standards Committee for Youth Work (NSETS). Completion of this programme allows graduates to qualify as professional youth workers in less than one year. This programme is ideally suited to graduates who have completed undergraduate studies within a related discipline, and who have a keep interest in impactinig positively on the lives of young people.
Placement or Study Abroad Information
Students undertake two placements on the projects, which are located in a wide range of community-based youth organisations. Students may undertake the second placement abroad in a suitable youth work agency. Students' community-based learning is a very important feature of the course, which allows students to develop their practice skills and to build their confidence.
a. A short practice placement of 100 hours (Placement I).
b. An intensive, block practice placement, which is a minimum of 10 weeks in duration, comprising 30 hours per week (Placement II).