International Youth Work
Dr Simon Stewart makes a case for increased availability of International Youth Work programmes. International Youth Work has been difficult to define, with some people seeing it as just a ‘tourist jolly’. However, International Youth Work leading to intercultural learning offers an unrivalled experience for young people and should be open to as many young people as possible. But, with limited budgets and little scientific evidence to showcase International Youth Work’s advantages, there has been little headway made in introducing International Youth Work programmes across Wales.
In a bid to provide much-needed supporting evidence illuminating the values of these programmes, Simon conducted several interviews with Professional Youth Workers to investigate their understanding and opinions on International Youth Work. Using Gilligan’s relational voice-centred analysis method, the rich narratives gained from the interviews told stories using participants’ unique voices. Through the participants’ narratives, there were a variety of appraisals of International Youth Work, and it was clear that not everyone was on the same page when thinking about the definition. The virtues of International Youth Work are more difficult to clarify if people interpret the phrase differently.
One interpretation was that International Youth Work challenges the exclusionary narrative of ‘difference’. In today’s globalised environment, the next generation of young people needs to be familiar and comfortable with differences. International Youth Work is also said to offer a plethora of skills and improve personal development, such as increased self-confidence, independence, reflective capacities, and enriched social skills and mental health. The Youth Workers noted that young people they worked with on an international placement had enhanced self-understanding and personal growth, and developed vital critical thinking skills necessary to navigate today’s muddy social world of fake news and conspiracy theories.
