Youth Facilitating Essay

2540 Words11 Pages
This paper discusses the development of youth work, how it originally started and how certain sectors of the community were oppressed, also about how all of this affects the way in which I practice youth work. However, before discussing the importance of education in the development of youth work, let us establish what education is and what youth work is. Education is categorised as being formal, informal and non formal. It is a process of understanding the world, and of acquiring the confidence to explore its workings. Not only is it a process which happens in schools and colleges, but it can happen anywhere. Today, there are many perceptions as to what exactly youth work is. Formed either by individuals working with young people, or by individuals who are associated with services providing for the development of young people. As a youth worker I would say in relation to education, that youth work is education for life. It works by building relationships with young people, and offering them programmes of activities using an informal educational approach. Which is a crucial addition to the education offered in schools and colleges. Informal education being: ‘a special set of processes which involves’ ‘broad ways of thinking and acting so that people can engage with what is going on’. (Jeffs and Smith, 1990:3). Youth work also involves both non formal and informal education, because it is necessary to provide young people with a variety of experiences. Non-formal education being an ‘organised educational activity outside formal systems’. (Jeffs and Smith,1996:71). That will inturn help them ‘pursue their rights and responsibilities as individuals and as members of groups and communities’. (NYA, 1999). It is extremely important to provide a facility for young people to grow and flourish academically, but also encourage them to
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