What is youth work?
Youth workers are skilled professionals who work with young people to support, education and help their social and educational development. Through encouraging positive changes and assisting young people with their lives, youth workers play a crucial role in the community. Youth work is often available in a variety of settings, including:
- Corrective and juvenile centres
- Community centres
- Schools
- Clinics
- Rehabilitation centres
Youth workers all have the same aim in their jobs: to improve the social and emotional development of young people in an informal educational setting. Through reinforcing positive values and decision-making, youth workers are very important in setting up children for their future. Many youth workers also deal with child protection and rehabilitation support, by being a reliable support for children from broken families and poor upbringings.
Youth Work in Australia
Youth work in Australia is always going to be in demand. With over 49,000 currently employed in the profession, strong growth is expected over the next few years. By 2019, it’s suspected that there’ll be up to 62,800 welfare support workers in Australia.
New South Wales also provides the most youth work jobs in the country; with 32% of all workers in that state alone, followed by Victoria and Queensland. Almost 75% of youth workers are female and most are between the ages of 34-44. The most common youth worker qualifications is a Bachelor degree, followed by a Certificate IV, such as the Certificate IV in Youth Work.
Youth Worker Jobs
There’s plenty of youth worker jobs and related positions available in Australia. They include:
- Community Services Officer
- Mental Health Counsellor
- Community Corrections Worker
- Welfare Support Worker
- Disability Service Worker
- Counsellor
- Rehabilitation Worker
- Child Services Officer
- Family Counsellor
- School Guidance Counsellor
Youth Worker Qualifications
To become youth worker in Australia, you will need an Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or a Diploma qualification in youth work, counselling or community services. You can also have completed at least 3 years of on-the-job training. A VET qualification, such as one of the many youth work courses at TAFE, is very common in this industry. Two in five workers have a VET qualification under an Advanced Diploma.
Most youth work courses will require work placement, which is an essential part of gaining the experience and knowledge required to give kids the very best support.
If you want to be a part of this extremely important sector and help change the lives who need your support, browse through the youth work courses available today and find one that suits you.