goodmoves’ Post

The youth and community work sector has been massively underfunded for years, resulting in huge disparities and inequalities of access to youth work. Young people aren't the future, they are the here and now. They need support now. And to do that we need more youth workers, who are supported and have access to appropriate training. Thank you BBC Spotlight National Youth Agency and Abbee McLatchie for highlighting this. We need to double the number of youth and community workers in the South West. Young People need access to young people-friendly spaces. And youth and community workers need access to support and training. https://lnkd.in/eFCTwvf6

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲'𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆 ... "𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗼𝘀" Reduced funding and youth club closures, have seen many qualified and capable individuals leave the youth & children’s sector for other more economically stable careers. We identified the devastating impact of the pandemic mass closures of youth facilities and less youth workers. A huge percentage of whom had part-time short-term contracts experienced financial hardship and were unable to return to the sector at all unfortunately. The merit of youth work is well known but extremely undervalued. Youth work plays a crucial role in empowering young people. They fundamentally support young people's development, providing guidance, mentorship, and a safe space for growth and learning. Many youth workers have grown up in the same localities in which they work, and most will have faced the same challenges and obstacles as young people today albeit in different forms. This lived experience qualifies an individual to be a better frontline youth worker because it fosters empathy, understanding, and relatability with the challenges young people face. It enables the youth worker to connect on a deeper level, offering more meaningful support and guidance based on personal understanding and shared experiences. Informal support provided by trusted adults within the community, key figures to improving safety, and a vital protective factor in any public health strategy aimed at tackling knife crime and serious youth violence. Everyday they work closely with Social workers, Teachers, Police, Therapists and many other professionals. They pick up referrals and the huge caseload of work that authorities are overwhelmed and overload with. They advocate for young people and their families. These frontline youth workers are constantly undervalued and underpaid, stereotyped to be wearing hoodies and playing pool all day. Those light workers are trusted adults and have taken the position as youth work practitioners who needlessly require to be supported and represented as key figures in society. They need to be adequately invested in to be trained to understand the impact of trauma on young people. Through my 20yrs of experience, youth workers are best placed to spot the signs of potential risks and violence and understand how to intervene at early stages through simple words of advice that can positively impact young people’s critical thinking process. #youthwork #youth #youngpeople #community #uk #youthworker #youthworkworks #youthgroup #youthempowerment #thefuture #thisisyouthwork #staysafe #investinthefuture #thenextgeneration #education #youthdevelopment #charity #support #enfield #londonyouth #linkedincommunity #linkdinpost #youthmentoring #exodusyouthworxuk

Youth work generally and youth services more specifically is often underestimated. Those of us who have worked with children and young people know that youth work in all its forms is essential across all ages and stages. It has a key role in early intervention and prevention services as well as working with children and young people experiencing the most awful trauma. Sometime youth workers are the only ones who make that life changing difference. To imagine that there will not be significant consequences in cutting these essential services is to misunderstand what is needed to keep young people healthy, happy and well. I say all of the above as a proud social worker.

Supporting young people with a functioning youth service is an investment in prosperity and security.

Accessibility goes beyond disability. There is a distinct difference between accessible transport service access in Australia's metropolitan areas and regional or remote communities. Kudos to the Hunter Youth Committee for elevating awareness of this issue. Safe, reliable, accessible and frequent public transport should be an option for everyone - regardless of location. Visual description: a group of seven proud and happy young people standing beside a banner, on which a quote reads "Committee for the Hunter: a Unified Voice for the Hunter". #PublicTransport #AccessiblePublicTransport #2024DisabilityEmpowerment

Labour Youth Hubs: Don't Exclude the Village🌱 John Barneby FRSA, Chief Executive of Oasis Community Learning, underscores the importance of a community-led, holistic approach for Labour's new Youth Hubs to succeed. It’s not just about reducing teen violence - it’s about creating spaces where young people and their families feel heard, supported, and empowered. By involving local residents in decision-making and fostering a true sense of belonging, we can build lasting, positive impacts that transform lives. The path forward must be collaborative, inclusive, and driven by the needs of the community. ''Real change happens when communities come together, not when solutions are imposed from above.'' Read on 👇 https://lnkd.in/djN5yMP9 #youthhubs #communityled #positivechange #empowerment #labour #positiveinitiative #localcommunities

There's now a free guide to dyslexia for Youth Workers in Scotland. We're proud to have collaborated with Youth Scotland on this informative download. The 4-page guide is relevant to all youth work practitioners, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, whether in community-based, employability or thematic youth work settings. Please share. #YouthWorkChangesLives #DyslexiaFriendlyScotland #GIRFEC https://lnkd.in/e2uqj2hM

Transition Tuesday! Check out this video from the Youth Engagement Now (YEN) Project talking about the importance of helping young adults gain social capital. Having social capital can lead to employment opportunities! https://bit.ly/3YwJE72 #TransitionTuesday

Target communities often discuss being behind in life in terms of education, employment, opportunities, development, and growth. It has frequently been noted that these communities need a more rights-based strategic approach to support them effectively. #CommunityDevelopment #GrowthForAll #RightsBasedApproach #SupportCommunities #StrategicSupport

Did you know that youth work funding in 2008 was €90.5 million and by 2015, it had dropped by almost 45%? Youth work reaches the four corners of Ireland and our communities. We are asking general election candidates to ensure that youth work funding is restored to pre-austerity levels as well as pay parity for youth workers. #SupportYourLocal ETB and remind your general election candidate to back their ETB! For more information about Youth Work in the ETB sector and our asks, read this document 👉 https://shorturl.at/nPvN2 Department of Education — Ireland Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Patrick O'Donovan TD Roderic O'Gorman