YOUTH AND COMMUNITY WORK

Youth and Community work

Youth and Community Work

Introduction

Youth work and community work can be defined as the support activities that are established in order to enhance the lives of young people of the society. It became legally accepted, and the youth work act become a law in December 2001. The law says:.

“A planned programme of education designed for the purpose of enhancing and aiding the personal and social development of young people through their voluntary involvement, which is complementary to their formal, academic or professional education and training and provided directly by voluntary youth work organizations” (Youth Work Act, 2001).

It gives some responsibilities to the minister of education and sciences in order to coordinate youth work programmes, education and other services. It organizes various activities to improve current conditions and providing opportunities for professional and social development of youth. The youth work activities include social, educational, cultural and political activities.

Discussion

Youth work is commonly offered by the voluntary organizations with the primary aim to provide the youth with the educational and developmental processes with the legal assistance of ministry of education and sciences.

According to Young, the main purpose of youth work is to make strong relationships with youth and support them to learn and develop skills, help them in examining their values and social responsibilities (1999). Youth workers promote social education, organize real educational experiences and encourage young people to have freedom of expression (smith, 1988). According to Merton (2004), the primary purpose of youth work is the development of young people in terms of personal development and social development.

Purpose of youth work

The most important purpose of youth and community work is to create ambitions in youth. It plays a significantly prominent role in order to realize the vision for youth. It has various purposes in a youth's life that are as following;

The main purpose is to provide learning prospects in order to assist young people to gain extensive knowledge as well as to develop new skills in them.

The other role is to make them feel secured, valued and supported. Youth work teaches them to take the greater control of their lives.

It provides them with the platform to become active citizens.

It helps boosting up their self confidence as well as self esteem.

Their crucial role is to listen to the problems of youth and help them accordingly.

Youth works make sure to provide the young people with the informal, non-formal and structured learning programmes in order to develop them personally, educationally, socially and politically.

Another role of youth work is to develop social awareness in the young generation.

It helps young people in managing their social as well as personal relationships.

The other main role of the youth work is to guide and advice young people for their issues and helps them to understand their social responsibilities and rights.

It provides counseling services to youth.

It also supports youth to make constructive use of their skills and time.

Youth work helps to move toward the autonomy and independency.

It guides young people to take part in leisure time activities ...