The National Youth Agency (NYA) is celebrating the recruitment of 160 apprentices onto Level 3 and Level 6 Youth Work apprenticeships since 2024 this Apprenticeships Week, from 10-16 February. The apprenticeships form a vital part of the NYA’s strategy to rebuild the youth work workforce which has seen an estimated 4,500 youth workers leave the sector since 2011.
The reduction of local authority spending on youth work amounting to £1.1 billion since 2010/11 (YMCA’s On the Ropes report, Feb 2024) has resulted in swathes of open access provision being lost and many qualified and experienced youth workers moving into allied professions. Now as the government rolls out its plans to co-design National Youth Strategy, the NYA is proposing further changes to the qualification framework – on which it is currently consulting – to meet the demand for qualified youth workers.
NYA’s proposed new qualification framework also posits accreditation of prior learning and a modular approach to learning in order to build a smoother ramp through the qualification framework and attract people with the skills and aptitude to work with young people in a range of settings and to meet diverse needs.
Youth Work Apprenticeships, at Levels 3 and 6, were launched in 2024 as part of the NYA’s vision to build back the youth sector. As the national body for youth work, the NYA is responsible both for ensuring the quality of youth work which is delivered across England and establishing the necessary training programmes and infrastructure.
The Level 6 Apprenticeship enables people to gain a degree-level qualification whilst they work, through undertaking learning at one of eleven universities, or online through Captiva Training. Level 3 qualifications are delivered by nine accredited training bodies.
Boathouse Youth in Blackpool is utilising the government’s Apprenticeship Levy funding to boost the capacity of their workforce through nurturing their own young people through the qualification pathway. The charity currently has ten 16-year-old apprentices doing the Level 3 Youth Support Worker Diploma, having completed their Level 2 training at 14 years of age, as well as five employees on the new Youth Work Apprenticeship at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), on route to becoming fully qualified youth workers.
Pete Crossley, Deputy Chief Executive, Boathouse Youth said: “Thanks to the support of the NYA and with funding from NatWest’s Levy scheme we’ve been able to give these young people, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds, the opportunity to gain a university level qualification.
“The key now is for more consistent funding to build a more sustainable youth work infrastructure, so that youth work is seen as a more attractive career option for young people.”
Steph Kibirige, decided to embark on a career as a youth worker, after being made redundant from her corporate job. She initially got in touch with UCLan to explore courses and was advised that Boathouse Youth which had job vacancies, were supporting employees to access a youth work qualification through the NatWest Levy funding.
Steph explained, “It just seemed like the perfect storm. My job ended the week the apprenticeship started in September, and I was able to begin at The Boathouse on a part time basis whilst running down my corporate job. It was incredible really because I’d looked at doing this degree for such a long time.”
The NYA provides support to employers needing help to navigate the apprenticeship process, as well bridge access to the £3 million Apprenticeship Levy pot generously committed by NatWest Group solely to boost the youth work workforce from 2024 until 2026. To date the bank has enabled 220 learners to embark on youth work apprenticeships (71 at Level 3 and 89 at Level 6) amounting to one third of all youth work apprentices.
The Proud Trust in Manchester currently has two members of staff on the Level 6 Apprenticeships at University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). The organisation, which provides supports to LGBTQ+ young people, needs to employ staff who have specific lived experience, combined with the appropriate level of qualifications.
Liam Swanston, Senior Delivery Manager says that the Proud Trust would not have been able to finance the training without the Levy funding released by NatWest.
“It’s helped us recruit one of our current learners who started doing youth work years ago and wanted to enrol on the course but couldn’t with their previous employer. The funded apprenticeships are boosting the diversity of the workforce, providing better representation of the young people we work with.” said Liam.
Nazma Ghafoor, Apprenticeships Manager, NatWest Group said: “It’s great to understand the positive impact that the NatWest Apprenticeship Levy transfer funding is having. To know that it’s supporting young people to thrive and champion their potential into a career into youth work, shows the success of the scheme. Not only is this scheme boosting the number of Youth Workers, it’s also providing a positive impact to young people and communities across the UK. “
”“The youth work workforce has changed vastly over the past decade. Two thirds of the workforce lack a degree level qualification and according to our Workforce Survey data (2023) over half of respondents have worked in the sector for over a decade. “Apprenticeships have proven an effective route for employers to provide training for existing staff who are keen to progress their careers, as well as a means of attracting in people who are keen to advance their skills in the profession, but for whom gaining a degree at their stage in life may be difficult.” “We’re proposing a raft of changes to the qualification framework to help create a diverse pipeline of suitably qualified youth workers, and the apprenticeships are a vital component of that urgent recruitment drive.”
Abbee McLatchieDirector of Youth Work, National Youth Agency
