Celebrating Youth Work Week at Wrexham University

Youth Work Week 2025 is here – a time to recognise and celebrate the vital work that youth workers do across Wales to support and empower young people. At Wrexham University, we’re proud to play our part in this journey, through our commitment to educating youth workers and championing youth work across communities. 

Here are five things we’re celebrating during Youth Work Week 2025:

1. The Home of Youth Work in Wales

Wrexham University proudly considers itself the home of youth work in Wales, having been the first organisation in Wales to deliver youth and community work education back in 1977. Since then, we’ve remained at the forefront of youth work education, supporting generations of students to develop the skills, values and confidence needed to work alongside young people and make a difference. 

2. High Levels of Student Satisfaction

Our Youth and Community Work  degree has been ranked 2nd in the UK for Student Satisfaction*. This ranking reflects the outstanding experience our students have while studying with us – from the support they receive to the confidence they build to contribute to the field and make a real difference to young people’s lives.

3. Brand New, Flexible Undergraduate Course

We’re excited to launch our brand-new undergraduate BA (Hons) Youth and Community Work (JNC) degree starting in September. Alongside full-time study options, we now offer a four-year part-time route and HyFlex blended learning opportunities. These flexible pathways make it even easier to gain a JNC professional youth work qualification and register with the Education Workforce Council in Wales.

4. Youth Work Research

We are proud to be contributing to meaningful Youth Work research alongside our colleagues, partners and students to capture the difference youth work makes to the lives of young people. From taking part in the Welsh Government Youth Work Funding Review, to researching dynamic ways of teaching youth work and supporting students to publish their own research on topics that matter most to young people such as Food Insecurity – we’re working to evidence and enhance the impact of youth work.

5. Our Students and Graduates

Above all, we are celebrating our students and graduates who work with young people on a range of issues and in different settings to make a real difference for young people.  This includes work in youth and community centres, schools, youth justice settings and work in hospitals. Our students work with and support a range of people, including young carers, young people who are refugees and asylum seekers, young people who are disabled, young parents, homeless individuals, those in need of support because of substance use, and those suffering from poor mental health.  We are proud of all of our students and the contributions that they make to the youth work field on a daily basis. 

All of this makes me proud to be a youth worker too.

- Written by Hayley Douglas, Senior Lecturer in Youth and Community Studies.

If this blog has sparked your interest in a career working with young people, why not explore our courses and/or attend one of our upcoming open days? Meet our staff and students and discover where a future in youth work could take you. 

*This course is part of a subject area ranked 2nd in the UK for Student Satisfaction in the Social Work subject area league table in the Complete University Guide 2026.