Youth Work Model
The model of youth work that underpins the youth work programme is based upon the Personal Development and Critical Social Education Models progressing to include elements of the Radical Social Change Model, as outlined by Louise Hurley and David Tracey, Models of Youth Work, A Sociological Framework, Irish Youth Press, 1993.
The Personal Development Model has a programme emphasis on:
• Education for Life Programmes
• Recreational Provision
• Social/Political Awareness
• Vocational Training
• Arts/Creativity
The process involved includes:
• Youth Workers acting as confidantes / counsellors'
• Development of relationship with young people to take part in all aspects of the programme structures
• Group processes and group work values guide the operations of practice
• Young people are respected as equals by adult volunteers
• Relationship created supports personal learning and development
Outcomes for young people:
• Young people are prepared for an active role in society
• Young people develop respect for themselves and others and have the ability to build and maintain relationships
• Young people have learned basic leadership skills by limited opportunities in decision-making structures
• Young people have a sense of control in their lives and believe that they can succeed if they try hard enough
The Critical Social Education Model
The same programme elements are used in this model as the Personal Development Model, accept it emphasises a greater social awareness across broader/global issues.
The process involved includes:
• Youth work has the positive intention of transferring power to young people
• Relationship with young people is undertaken with a view to 'engaging' them as partners
• Youth worker adopts the role of 'problem poser'
• Young people actively involved in identifying, exploring and understanding issues of concern to them
• Two way process of mutual dialogue between young people and adults
• Action the result of analysis and reflection
Outcomes for young people:
• Young people have developed the ability to analyse and assess alternatives
• Young people have developed the capacity to define 'their position' in their world and the skills to act to change it if they sought
• Young people are aware of the inequities which institutions promote
• Young people are active in mobilising groups at local level to seek changes within existing structures
The outcomes for young people once having progressed through the youth work programme to include elements of the Radical Social Change Model include:
• Young people viewed as political
• Young people are skilled to act towards an objective of social transformation
