Course Title: Work effectively with young people in the youth work context

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2021

Course Code: HWSS6017C

Course Title: Work effectively with young people in the youth work context

School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5331 - Diploma of Youth Work

Course Contact: Dianne Mackey

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4454

Course Contact Email: dianne.mackay@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to work in the youth work context. You will focus on historical and contemporary youth sector practice and understanding of the current status of young people.

This unit is taught and assessed with:

CHCYTH001 Engage respectfully with young people

CHCPRT001 Identify and respond to children and young people at risk

 

 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCYTH002 Work effectively with young people in the youth work context

Element:

1. Apply understanding of the social, historical, economic, legal and political contexts of young people

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Assess and respond to the needs of young people within the context of their experiences

1.2 Research, analyse and maintain up-to-date knowledge and awareness of the social, political, economic and legal contexts of young people

1.3 Research, analyse and apply understanding of youth policy in practices of youth work

1.4 Apply understanding of the historical and cultural constructs of youth and the changing context of young people

Element:

2. Apply understanding of the context of youth work

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Apply knowledge of youth contexts to youth work practice

2.2 Identify legal frameworks which impact on context of youth work

2.3 Research, maintain and apply models and frameworks of youth work in a variety of youth work contexts

2.4 Develop a comprehensive understanding of the youth sector

Element:

3. Work within the core values and practice frameworks of youth work

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Assess core youth work practice values to ensure supports and interventions are young person-centred

3.2 Apply practice frameworks to maximise support for the young person as a unique individual

3.3 Demonstrate support for the young person’s rights and safety including access and equity of services

Element:

4. Work with understanding of the impact of values in determining the approach to working with young people

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Identify and reflect on own values and experiences which may impact on approaches to youth work

4.2 Work with awareness of organisation’s values

4.3 Make sure interventions and supports are appropriate to the young person’s own values

Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

This course will be a blended delivery online via Canvas/Collaborate Ultra with some face to face demonstration of skills and knowledge.

  • workshops in Collaborate Ultra and face to face
  • teacher directed group activities/projects 
  • peer teaching 
  • group discussion 
  • class activities to review discussions/lectures 
  • role play activities 

Out-of-class activities: 

  • independent project-based work online and other research 
  • independent study 
  • Work placement


Teaching Schedule

Week

Topic

Content

Week 1

Welcome, introductions, unit introduction
  • Welcome and introductions
  • Introduction to the cluster
  • Introduction to WIL
  • Introduction to assessments for the cluster
  • Expectations of students especially in relation to this cluster eg: email communication
  • Review cluster in Canvas

Week 2

 

History of youth work & “the youth work context”

Models of youth work practice
  • History of youth culture and subcultures
  • Harmful and helpful stereotypes about young people
  • Where does the concept of “youth” come from?
  • Why do we need youth workers
  • What role do youth workers play in society?
  • Professionalisation of youth work
  • Youth culture in Australia
  • Current topics of debate about young people in Australia
  • Develop comprehensive understanding of youth sector

Week 3

Mutual respect and autonomy in youth work.

Common misconceptions/myths.

Youth centred practice.
  • Communicating with young people
  • Confidentiality and duty of care working with young people
  • Working with the young person as the focus
  • Rights, responsibilities and needs of young people
  • Professional relationship boundaries
  • Power inequities in professional relationships
  • Social and media myths about young people
  • Myths about the ways youth workers work

Week 4

Working with Young People
  • Workplace Investigation, meeting WIL requirements and commencing work placement

Week 5

Recognising individual needs and circumstances.

Physical, moral and psychosocial development and behaviour of young people
  • Situating young people within their context.
  • Maintaining up to date knowledge and awareness of social, political, economic and legal contexts of young people
  • Apply knowledge and understanding of historical and cultural contexts to individual young people.

Week 6

Engaging with young people – how to build and maintain rapport.

Legal frameworks and duty of care requirements.
  • Duty of care
  • Mandatory reporting
  • Privacy and Confidentiality
  • Identify goals with the young person
  • Create a relationship of trust and respect

Week 6

Working with Young People
  • Workplace Investigation, meeting WIL requirements and commencing work placement

Week 7

Creating opportunities.

Goal setting and planning.

Recognising and responding to strengths and assets
  • Identify goals with the young person
  • Develop and implement action plans
  • Work with young people to identify their needs, rights, strengths, hopes and opportunities
  • Documentation of work.

 

Week 8

Working with diversity.
  • Reflect understanding of youth culture and subculture and individual experiences and development
  • Recognise the role cultural diversity plays in young people’s development
  • Recognise the ways other diversities play roles in young people’s development eg: sexuality, gender, disability, family structure etc. 

 

Week 9

Being informed – research in youth work

Preparing for placement – review assessments
  • Research, analyse and maintain up-to-date knowledge and awareness of the social, political, economic and legal contexts of young people.
  • Reputable and disreputable sources of information about young people.
  • Analysing data on young people.
  • Translating data into meaningful information

Week 10

Working with Young People
  • Workplace Investigation, meeting WIL requirements and commencing work placement

Week 11

 

Organisational context

Working for a youth organisation

Representing your workplace
  • Core values and practice frameworks of youth work as a profession
  • Core values and practice frameworks of different youth work organisations
  • Identifying organisations that align with your personal values and beliefs.

Week 12

Providing services to young people.

Goal and agenda setting.

Targeted assistance and referrals.

Advocacy
  • Identifying immediate vs long term needs
  • Explore issues facing young people
  • Explore nature of support services required/sought
  • Facilitate goal setting
  • Ensure true nature of needs is investigated within comfort of young person
  • Facilitate appropriate and achievable action planning
  • Provide targeted assistance
  • Investigate and negotiate other people/organisation’s involvement
  • Provide appropriate referrals
  • Document actions
  • Play advocacy role as requested/required

Week 13

Recognising and responding to risks experienced by young people

Responding to critical situations

Responding to crises with young people and their families
  • Implementing risk-minimisation strategies
  • Maintaining a safe environment before, during and after critical situations
  • Handling violent behaviour
  • Prevent escalation of violent behaviour
  • Securing the safety of clients, families, staff and bystanders

Week 14

Child protection

Child Safe Standards

Mandatory reporting

Abuse and neglect

Ethical concerns
  • Implementing work practices which support the protection of children and young people
  • Identify and report indications of possible risk of harm
  • Apply ethical and nurturing practices when working with young people
  • Identifying signs of abuse and neglect
  • Report writing for indicators of harm or risk of harm

Week 15

Working with Young People
  • Finalising assessment and WIL requirements

Week 16

Working with Young People
  • Finalising assessment and WIL requirements

Week 17

Working with Young People
  • Finalising assessment and WIL requirements


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students.


Overview of Assessment

 

 Students must complete 40 hours of work placement supported by RMIT to achieve competency in these units.  These units support students learning and assessment in the workplace.  

Assessment Task 1   Research questions

Assessment Task 2   Workplace investigation

Assessment Task  3   Workplace observation

Assessment Task 4   Workplace observation

Assessment Task 5   Workplace observation


Assessment Tasks

 Assessment Task 1

 

This assessment requires you to answer a series of questions about working with young people in the youth work context.

 

 Assessment Task 2

 

  This assessment requires you to conduct a workplace investigation locating policies and procedures and interviewing an experienced youth worker.

 

 Assessment Task  3

 

 This assessment requires you to be observed working with individual young people in the work place and verbally answering a series of questions.

 

 Assessment Task 4

 

This assessment requires you to be observed working with individual young people in the work place and verbally answering a series of questions.

 

Assessment Task 5

 

This assessment requires you to be observed working with a individual young people in the work place and verbally answering a series of questions.


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix is available in Canvas.

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview