• Prepare you for professional roles in public, voluntary and private organisations working with young people and communities.
• Achieve a JNC professional qualification in youth work endorsed by the National Youth Agency (NYA) and an endorsement for community development by the Endorsement and Quality Standards Board for Community Development (ESB).
• Undertake an exciting pathway in your final year to hone your knowledge and skills around particular groups, which could also include a further professional qualification in youth justice if you select that pathway (Youth Justice in Effective Practice Certificate - YJEPC).

With its emphasis on innovation and effective informal engagement, this course equips you with the professional skills and knowledge to have a positive impact on people’s lives.

We’re proud to welcome applications from candidates with practice experience in youth work, health, social care and education. This is as part of our commitment to enable those from non-traditional backgrounds to be able to study as part of our commitment to widening participation.

Ready for Current Practice

This course received recognition from professional bodies and agencies for student support, employer relations, (local, national and international placements), innovative assessments, creative use of technology, an outstanding teaching team and exemplary integration of inter-professional working.  Therefore, this degree prepares you to develop and lead initiatives which help people build resilience and engagement skills, while addressing professional challenges ranging from complex lives.

Simon Williams, Senior Lecturer for Youth Work and Community Development, discusses a potentially more positive future for Youth Work and young people in his blog. 

Pathways

Responding to current changes in practice which are transforming the nature of services for young people and community work across the UK, the degree offers multiple specialist pathways which offer you the skills, knowledge and experiences which puts you at the forefront of practice:

• The Youth Justice Pathway, if you want to work with young offenders, youth justice or probation and have the opportunity to gain the nationally recognised professional award, the Youth Justice in Effective Practice Certificate (YJEPC).
• The Mental Health Pathway, if you want additional knowledge in the counselling, support and advocacy for young people experiencing poor emotional well-being.
• The Special Educational Needs Pathway, if you want to work with young people with special educational needs.
• The Outdoor Learning Pathway, if you want to work with people in outdoors environments such as outdoors, environmental or adventure education. 

Please note that the specialist pathways are subject to minimum numbers in order to run.