The National Youth Agency (NYA) has opened up a consultation on its proposed changes to the youth work qualification framework, as part of a drive to build a skilled and sustainable workforce which is able to respond to the needs of young people today and in the future.
The proposals respond to recruitment challenges, barriers to progression through the existing training pathway and a recognition that the sector needs to grow quickly to meet the growing demand for the particular skills of youth workers in national and local policy and decision making.
The qualification framework which has been proposed aims to encourage and support career-long development to upskill those already working in the sector as well as helping to rapidly attract a pipeline of new entrants.
Key aspects of the new framework include:
- New opportunities and support to build on existing experience and learning to enable more accessible routes into youth work training and progression through the training pathway
- Qualifications to be developed in a fully modular fashion, enabling people to build their learning across their career
- The introduction of a new qualification available as an HND or qualification recognised at DipHE as part of an Honours degree as well as a stand-alone HND available at Further Education providers or Higher Education institutions
- Recognition of Level 4 and 5 as part of the national training and progression pathway
- Continued promotion of all Level 6 and above Higher Education qualifications including the apprenticeship degree
- Postgraduate level qualifications which focus on strategic leadership
The youth work sector has reduced over more than a decade due to £1.1 billion per annum worth of spending cuts to local authority budgets since 2010/11. (YMCA’s On the Ropes report, Feb 2024). This has had an impact on ‘open access’ youth work provision, with many qualified and experienced workers moving into allied professions. The lack of visible youth workers in communities has been detrimental to youth work degrees – with only six of the 17 undergraduate courses that were available in 2013 remaining, and entrants at a record low.
Based on data from the National Youth Sector Census and Workforce Survey (2023) the NYA estimates that there are an estimated 21,150 paid youth workers in England, of which only 4350 are qualified to Level 6 or above (professional youth worker status) and 4,200 to Level 2 or 3 (youth support worker). There are an estimated 14,350 volunteers providing vital support alongside paid staff (excluding volunteers with uniformed groups). NYA’s latest Workforce Survey data (2023) also shows that over half of respondents have worked in the sector for over a decade and only just over a third have a Level 6 / degree level qualification.
”“With the prospect of a National Youth Strategy on the near horizon we need to act quickly to build back a youth work workforce which is suitably trained and qualified to meet demand. “Currently, the dearth of suitably qualified youth workers means that employers are increasingly unable to recruit to vacant posts and often readvertise roles with require professional youth work qualifications, with revised criteria focused on relevant skills and qualifications to fill the vacant posts. “With two thirds of youth workers lacking a degree level qualification and the sector heavily reliant on volunteer support, we cannot afford to ignore the need to make training and career progression more viable for those at entry level. Our proposals provide a smoother ramp up through the qualification framework, taking into consideration prior learning, to help foster continuous learning and development. The aim is to make training more viable so we can create a diverse pipeline of new workers at the speed needed.”
Abbee McLatchieDirector of Youth Work, National Youth Agency
Research shows that the absence of youth work is contributing to an increase in youth violence, as well as taking away vitally needed access to safe spaces and the support of a trusted adult which young people need now more than ever. With one in five young people experiencing mental ill health, and many young people experiencing anxiety and loneliness, the need for skilled practitioners to provide young people with access to fun activities, opportunities to connect with their peers and feel valued, is of paramount importance.
One of the most robust studies to be undertaken found evidence that providing after-school activities in deprived areas can be effective in crime prevention for school aged children. The study, undertaken by Carmen Villa-Llera at the University of Warwick, found that the closure of youth centres in London led to a 10% increase in crime amongst 10-15 year olds.
Research by UK Youth suggests that for every £1 government invests in youth work, the benefit to the taxpayer is between £3.20 and £6.40. Their Untapped report indicates that youth work is already saving the government £3.2 billion a year through improved education and employment outcomes and positive impacts on mental health.
The NYA is calling for organisations and individuals that will be impacted by the changes to participate in the consultation process, which comprises an online questionnaire (open until 24 January) stakeholder focus groups during early February; and workshops and interviews. The NYA is also undertaking desk and field research to provide real-time data and evidence to inform their plans.
A detailed consultation document: Supporting and Growing the Youth Work Workforce – The Critical Challenge provides the full rationale for the consultation and describes the proposed changes to the qualification framework in detail.
