BA (Hons) Youth & Community Work (JNC) (with Foundation Year)

What you will study

This is a course for those wanting to work within informal education, examining youth and community theory and developing your practice in working with young people and communities through participation, empowerment and partnership working.

There are opportunities to develop youth and community work skills internationally both in Europe and further afield; taking into account the impact of emerging trends in Welsh, UK, European and global youth policy and practice.

YEAR 1 (FOUNDATION YEAR)

The Youth and Community Work Foundation year will introduce you to the theories of youth and community work and how they can be applied and evidenced in practice, alongside, gaining the necessary skills to work with young people and communities and academic skills to progress with your studies.  

You will be given an overview of the concept of young people’s development, anti-discriminatory practice, as well a 100 hours placement opportunity; leading to a level 2 and 3 Youth Support Worker qualification, accredited by Agored Cymru. 

MODULES

• The Skills You Need (Core): This module aims to ensure that you develop key academic, personal and professional skills required for successful study at High Education. The module focuses on developing the necessary practical, intellectual and communication skills to allow you to progress through the Honours Degree and prepare students for employment and further study.
• Youth and Community Work in Practice 1 (Core): This module aims to give you an overview of youth work practice and theory. It is an opportunity for you to apply learning from class in a practice environment; focussing on the theory of youth work and reflective practice, whilst ensuring you work towards safeguarding yourselves and others. This module contains 50 hours of placement activity.
• Young People’s Development (Core): This module explores the concepts of adolescence and young people’s physical, emotional and psychological development; analysing how this impacts young people’s lives, and the role of the youth and community worker in supporting young people through the transition into adulthood.
• Contextual Studies (Core): This module aims to introduce you to a broad variety of contemporary issues to stimulate discussion and debate. It will enable you to relate your area of interest to the issues presented.
• Youth and Community Work Practice 2 (Core): Building on learning from Youth and Community Work Practice 1, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills for youth and community work practice. This will include an understanding of the importance of conversation and dialogues in building professional relationships, the ability to plan and deliver group work activities, and recognising the causes of challenging behaviour. This module contains 50 hours of placement activity.
• Anti-Discriminatory Practice in Youth and Community Work (Core): This module supports you to reflect on your own values in relation to anti-discriminatory practice in youth and community work. It will explore how prejudice and discrimination impact youth and community work delivery and the barriers that young people face in society.

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 4)

In year two you will study the values and principles of youth and community work, creative skills and group work, and develop a knowledge of safeguarding and multi-agency working.

MODULES

• Placement 1 (Core): Preparation for Professional Practice, the first fieldwork placement helps you to establish the basic foundations of good youth and community work practice and embed reflective thinking skills.
• Values and Principles of Youth and Community Work (Core): Examine the core principles of youth and community work. Understand the values of informal education, in particular recognising and understanding anti-oppressive practice.  students will start to explore and develop their professional identity.
• Working Creatively with Groups (Core): An exciting module bringing together group work theory and creative practice.
• Working Together to Safeguard Others (Core): Exploring the role of the youth and community worker in safeguarding young people and vulnerable adults, and how to work effectively within multi-agency settings.

YEAR 3 (LEVEL 5)

In years three and four, you will build upon this learning, exploring politics and social policy, analysing informal education and developing skills in social research, international youth work, leadership and supervising others.

MODULES

• Placement 2 - Integrating Professional Practice (Core): The second fieldwork placement is a block placement, allowing you to be embedded within the field of youth and community work and develop your skills in practice. This could be a placement within Europe or further afield.
• Political and Sociological Perspectives in Youth and Community Work (Core): Identify and analyse how political agendas and social policies can shape the context of practice, and recognise different political perspectives on welfare and social policy.
• International Youth Work (Core): An opportunity to explore the benefits of international youth work and intercultural learning for young people. Identifying different youth work practices across the world, and the role of the youth and community worker in understanding their own, and helping others to understand their own cultural identity.
• Research Methods (Core): Identify what is meant by social research, and how it can be applied to investigate an area of practice or a social issue within youth and community work.

YEAR 4 (LEVEL 6)

In your final year, you will also undertake a research project, and develop skills and values that demonstrate your ability to become a professional practitioner.

MODULES

• Placement 3 – Leading in Professional Practice (Core): An opportunity for you to put leadership and supervisory skills into practice in a youth and community work setting.
• Research Project (Core): Supported by a research project supervisor, you will conduct a piece of unique research into an area related to youth and community work that will positively impact on practice and policy.
• Leading in Contemporary Youth and Community Work Practice (Core): Identify and critically evaluate models of leadership in youth and community work contexts, analysing the skills required to lead in contemporary practice and the demands of working within evidence-based practice environments.
• Professional Supervision (Core): You will understand the importance of professional supervision in supporting and developing staff and volunteers, and develop skills to implement this in practice.
• Critical Analysis of Education in Youth and Community Work (Core): Set within the current youth and community work policy context this module is an in-depth exploration of the core values and principles of informal education, critically analysing the concepts of dialogue, participation, empowerment, partnership and anti-oppressive practice. You will complete the module having developed their professional identity as informal educators.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Entry requirements & applying

Applicants need to have completed a relevant L3 qualification. Previous experience of 100 hours in a Youth and Community Work setting is required and must be evidenced. This can be gained in voluntary or paid work within the field of youth and community work. The programme team can advise students regarding volunteering and work experience opportunities if required.

All applicants considered suitable for the course will be interviewed, and those with disabilities or from relevant courses will automatically be offered an interview.

Many modules will require you to be working in, or have access to, a suitable youth and community work practice environment in order for you to contextualise your learning and complete the assessments.

You will also be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance (previously known as CRB) so that a check can be made on your suitability for working with children and/or vulnerable adults

Teaching & Assessment

Teaching and learning

The degree is delivered using a unique Hy-Flex approach to learning. This means that students can join the classroom in person or join synchronously online to engage in the learning activities. Sessions are also recorded for students to engage with alongside asynchronous online learning activities to scaffold the learning from the module. 

Assessments are designed with the dual aims of supporting a student’s professional development and their academic understanding. This builds knowledge and skill from a belief that being an excellent practitioner means not only working with people, but also being able to express yourself in a range of ways that includes writing reports, documents and essays based on the collection and analysis of evidence to build an argument.

Throughout the programme, and within individual modules, a variety of assessment methods are employed which seek to demonstrate equity with respect to the individual needs, learning styles and interests of students. The forms of assessment are selected to ensure that they characterise the academic level of the modules, and are designed to enable students to explore the philosophies, concepts and theories underpinning youth work and community work, through the exploration and analysis of issues pertinent to these areas of social provision.

The transference of learning from one module to another is encouraged, and the core modules provide a focus for this. As such, assessment methods on this programme are used to develop a student’s confidence and ability to carry out a range of transferable skills, which are considered useful in both academic work and professional practice.

Assessments on this programme will take on a variety of forms, including essays, presentations, reflections, portfolios and contributing to online forums.

Career prospects

Successful completion of this course leads to a JNC professional Youth Work Qualification, which is requirement for registration with the Education Work Force Council in Wales. This is also the professional qualification required for most Youth Work jobs in England and Scotland. You will complete 900 hours of placement on the course, which provides you with relevant work experience in the Youth and Community Work sector.

Graduates from the course work in a variety of settings from the local authority, voluntary and community sector, and education providers across England, Wales and internationally, including working in projects and services in the following areas: 

• Young Carers 
• Care Leavers and Young People in Care 
• Young Offenders 
• Hospital Youth Work 
• Mental Health 
• Youth Homelessness and Housing 
• Youth Sports and Health Development
• Youth Clubs and Street Based Youth Work 
• Child Sexual Exploitation 
• Outdoor Education 
• Community Development 
• Mentoring and Advocacy 
• Young People who have disabilities

Fees & funding

You do not have to pay your tuition fees upfront.

The fees you pay and the support available will depend on a number of different factors. Full information can be found on our fees & finance pages. You will also find information about what your fees include in the fee FAQs.

All fees are subject to any changes in government policy, view our undergraduate fees.

Programme specification

You can see the full programme specification here.

Accommodation

Subject to re-validation

As part of its continuous quality assurance and enhancement, the University reviews its courses on a regular basis to ensure that they reflect the needs of students and employers. Periodic review of the existing programmes is required every five years and major changes may be made to the programmes during the re-validation process. As soon as the programmes are re-validated the details of the course will be confirmed. The majority of courses that are still ‘subject to re-validation’ are approved by the validation process; however, this is not guaranteed and should the course not go ahead as planned, or be significantly amended, you will be informed by the university and assistance will be provided to those who have been offered a place to find a suitable alternative course either at Wrexham University or at another provider.