Running Header: A YOUTH WORK PROFILE

A Youth Work Profile

A Youth Work Profile

Introduction

The many representations of “youth” are central to understanding this segment of community-based media. The term “youth” is often used to indicate dysfunction. Young people are mostly called “youth” when they do something improper or illegal (smashing bottles, stealing cars, or wearing unusual clothes). In some populist accounts, youth live in an alien and untamed state, hazardous to themselves and to society. It is the opposite of “adulthood”—a time of life associated with maturity and responsibility. In relation to media policy, young people have been invoked in contradictory and problematic ways as victims, criminals, or “digital natives.” High-stakes enforcement issues such as Internet censorship, piracy, and cyber-bullying are pursued for the good of young people. Critics have observed that in many instances, young people are merely used as an emotive and symbolic device, disguising other legal, corporate, or government agendas resulting in Internet control. At the other end of the spectrum, appealing to youth is a marketing and design device. Ideas and trends that emerge in the cultural spheres inhabited by young people get re appropriated for the purposes of fashion, advertising, and branding on a much wider scale. In this way, the inventions of a youth subculture (such as punks, skaters, and hip hop) are made part of the mainstream.

Discussion

Behaviours that indicate a child is at risk often occur at school. Students with excessive tardiness or absenteeism, that do not pay attention in class or complete work as assigned, who have poor or failing grades, verbal and language deficiencies, and low test scores may be at risk. Research on delinquent youths consistently finds that youths who get in trouble with the law generally have poor academic and communication skills, and youths who develop substance abuse problems generally report a history of truancy and acting out in school. Habitual truancy is one of the largest predictors of who will ultimately drop out of high school. Warning signs of dropping out include youths who are academically behind their classmates, who have failed a grade, have been previously suspended or expelled, or youths who have friends who have also dropped out.

Dalston Youth Project

The Dalston Youth Project is located within the London Borough of Hackney, which is one of the most deprived inner city areas in the country. This project is formed to work with young people aged 8 to 11 who were defined to be 'at risk' of dropping out of school because of low attendance. It is a unique programme in to borough.

Aim and Target

The aim of this programme is those young people who are at risk of truanting from or the ones having poor attendance. Dalston Youth Project is keen and has already built successful and strong partnerships with young people, parents and schools. Transition for many children is a stressful and difficult time. Therefore, the target of this programme is to work with the young people for at least two to three years up until ...