We all know what Youth Work is, but what is 'Digital Youth Work' and what does it mean for the sector?
We asked our very own Teri Greaves who had recently attended a 'Digital Youth Work' webinar hosted by our friends at the National Youth Agency to explain to us.......
'I recently attended a webinar hosted by the National Youth Agency and Space Youth Work on how Digital Youth Work can make an impact on young people’s lives.
It was a real eye opener as to what digital means for the sector and how it can impact the future of the sectors work.
Going into this webinar with little knowledge of what digital could or should mean, my initial thoughts were that we would discuss youth workers and young people meeting on zoom for a chat. Well, that’s only one of the ways we can encourage young people to engage!
Digital Youth Work doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t be face to face but it’s how we use technology around us to engage with the next generation. This could include using computers and other types of technology to support young individuals in activities like, game design, coding, graphic design, and media production.
Now comes the fun bit - Digital can also include virtual reality, meeting in online spaces, gaming with others at a youth centre or from the ease of their home. Going digital is a real opportunity for youth workers to work with young people in spaces where they may feel more comfortable and it can also make it more accessible for those who don’t live close by to a youth centre, struggle to engage in person or are struggling with their mental or physical health.
At Open Awards we currently offer a range of Youth Work qualifications from Level 2- Level 4. For me, it’s vital that we keep these qualifications current and consider how digital youth work can be embedded into these.
Digital Youth Work is beneficial to youth workers to help them feel more confident, better understand how the youth use technology and the positives and negatives that come with this. It’s impossible to escape technology - if we don't choose to embrace it, we will only be left behind.
I'm very excited to extend these conversations with the National Youth Agency and see how we can make a digital impact in the sector!
For more information on our fabulous Youth Work qualifications please click here.
If you would like to discuss working with us for your End Point Assessment on the Level 3 Youth Work standard, please click here.