Course Title: Working with Individual Young People (Youth Work Theory and Practice 3)

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Working with Individual Young People (Youth Work Theory and Practice 3)

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Coordinator: Anna Hedjes

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 0439 370903

Course Coordinator Email: ahedjes@kcfs.org.au

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This is available as an elective course in either second or third years of the Bachelor of Social Science (Youth Work)


Course Description

This subject introduces students to various practice models used in youth work, including case management, networking, advocacy, report writing and counselling with young people. Through lectures, videos, guest speakers, role plays and the use of reflective journals, students will explore practical issues in a self reflective manner.

This subject draws largely on existing management styles within youth organisations in Victoria including; Child Protection and SAAP services and includes many practical examples of practice with young people including assessment, planning, monitoring, case co-ordination and review.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

2. Appropriate youth-work practice knowledge and skills grounded in an ability to reflect on their own actions in a variety of contemporary sites and modes. This requires an ability to:
• articulate the main features of official and expert discourses and social science narratives that characterize childhood and reflect critically on the relationship between those accounts and specific interventions into young peoples lives;
• identify key influences that inform practices and policies in youth related practice, and critically reflect on those influences and practice.
• Identify alternative accounts of young people’s own experiences at a personal level and in term of various cultural expressions.


On completion of this subject will have:
 An opportunity to develop and practice their own methods of practice with young people,
 A critical understanding of youth work practices as a process of working with young people.
 An understanding of the basic principals of counselling practice in the context of working with individual young people; including engaging, developing empathy through active listening, using open/closed and clarifying questions, encouraging young people to tell their story and exploring options.
 An appreciation and demonstration of youth work skills with young people in different contexts including advocacy, conflict resolution, involuntary services users, case management and endings


Overview of Learning Activities

The practice skills sessions explore various approaches through discussion, role plays and individual and group reflections. During these sessions students will have an opportunity to conceptualise, practice and observe different ways of working with individual young people. Students will participate in role plays dealing with a variety of issues including, engagement, assessment, risk management and violence while exploring aspects such as boundaries, self-care and ethics.


Overview of Learning Resources

Banks S. (ed) (1999) Ethical Issues in Youth Work, Routledge, London

Barber J. (1991) Beyond Casework, Macmillan Education UK

Bessant, Judith, Sercombe, H and Watts, R (1998) Youth studies: An Australian perspective. Longman, Melbourne

Egan, R (2004) Practice Skills in Social Work Welfare, Allen and Unwin NSW

Fuller, A (1998) From surviving to thriving: promoting mental health in young people. Camberwell, Vic: Australian Council for Educational Research.

Geldard D. (1998) Basic Personal Counselling (3rd Edition), Prentice Hall

Geldard K. and Geldard D. (1999) Counselling Adolescents, London, SAGE publications Ltd.

Rothman J. (1992) Guidelines for Case Management, Putting Research to Professional Use, Peacock Publishers, Illinios.

Slattery P. (2001) Youthworks: A very practical book about working with young people, New South Wales, Australia. Published by Peter Slattery.

Thompson, N (2002) People Skills, Palgrave UK

Trotter, C. (1999) Working with Involuntary Clients; A guide to Practice, St. Leonards Australia, Allen & Unwin.

Woodside M. (1998) Generalist case management : a method of human service delivery. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole Publishing.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks and percentage of each task

1. Preparation and participation 10%
2. Reflective skills video and paper 30%
3. Reflective journals 20%
4. Essay 40%


1. Task: Preparation and participation
Students are expected to be prepared for the lectures and discussions by reading set reading materials and participating in group discussions and role plays.

2. Task: Reflective Skills Video and Reflections Due date: 3rd May (Week 9)
This task requires you to video a role play scenario that involves working with young people. As well as the video of your 5 minute youth work interview role play – you need to attach a 1500 word critical reflection of your role in this video.

You are not being assessed on your skills as a youth worker (or as an actor), but on your critical reflection of your skills (or lack of) as the youth work interviewer.

When critically reflecting on your role, you should address the following criteria:
 Your listening skills
 Your observing skills
 Engaging: do you clarify your role?
 Your body language, your clients body language: body position and space, facial expressions, non-verbal behaviour, eye-contact
 Do you control your own anxieties and relax?
 Percentage of the time you/client spend talking
 Your active listening skills; reflecting content, reflecting feeling, paraphrasing, summarising…etc
 Your formulation of questions
 Your use of open or closed questions
 Do you provide direction and keep focus in the interview?
 Your own reactions to the interview: how did you feel about it? What did you like and dislike? What would you do differently if you were to do this interview again?

The reflections should make appropriate links with theory and readings. You will need to supply your own video tape (which will be returned). You can use your own video camera or you can book one through technical services located in building 8 on level 7.

Assignment cover sheets need to be attached to critical reflections, which need to be handed in with the video (placing all in a plastic sheet is a good idea). All assessments should be handed in to the administration office in Building 22.

3. Task: Reflective Journals Due date: 10th May (Week 10)
Journals are a weekly reflection on each session from weeks 1 to 10. These reflections are designed to enable students to articulate thoughts about connections, reactions and challenged assumptions throughout the lectures and practice skills sessions. It is expected that students will complete 8 of the eleven journal entries for assessment. They can be handed in weekly or handed in on due date.

4. Task: Essay Due date: 24th May (Week 12)
A 2,500 word essay on a topic related to the lecture and practice material presented. The essay topics will be advised early in the semester and they will require an analytical and critical response to an issue covered during the semester.