Best practice > Youth Workers Workforce Project > Information sheet June 2006

Information sheet June 2006

An update on the Youth Workers Workforce Development Project and ways to get involved.

Note: this page is also available to download as a Word document under the "Related documents" heading at the end of this web page.

What is the Youth Workers Workforce Development Project all about?
The aim of the Youth Workers Workforce Development Project (YWWDP) is to identify practical ways in which the professional development of the youth work sector can be supported and strengthened.  It responds to research and anecdotal evidence that suggests that youth workers are adversely affected by a range of issues and builds on some of the excellent work already being done by the sector to address these. 

It is being led by the Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) in partnership with people and agencies who work with young people.

Who makes up the youth sector workforce?
The present lack of formal qualifications or professional guidelines around the youth work sector makes it difficult to calculate exactly how many youth workers there are in New Zealand. 

For the purpose of the YWWDP, the definition of “youth workers” includes paid and unpaid people working in the youth work sector, for whom that work is their primary focus.  

The project DOES NOT include:

• people who may be working with young people, but for whom that work is one part of a larger brief, eg Work and Income case managers, ACC case managers
• people who are qualified professionals working with young people but in another capacity, eg school teachers, family counsellors, psychologists.

• low wages
• insecure and inadequate funding
• lack of job security
• lack of formal training opportunities and limited accessible qualifications for youth workers
• a low number of signatories to a code of ethics to guide youth work practice
• low participation in professional youth worker networks
• lack of regular professional supervision.

• a literature review on issues facing the youth worker workforce in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, Youth Work Today: a review of the issues and challenges
• a stocktake of government and non-government initiatives (eg policy work, strategies and research) focused on improving workforce capacity and conditions that may be relevant to the youth worker workforce
• supporting the National Youth Workers Network to finalise its national research project report, Real Work
• development of a draft consultation document about the best ways the youth worker workforce can be strengthened and supported
• initial consultation with youth workers, service providers and training organisations
• funding for the National Youth Workers Network
• advice to the Minister of Youth Affairs.

• finalising and disseminating the consultation document about the best ways the youth worker workforce can be strengthened and supported
• undertaking further consultation through focus groups and other means
• exploring options for supporting and improving participation in local youth worker networks, professional supervision, professional development, and codes of ethics
• improving information and communication about training and career development pathways
• exploring options for supporting the National Youth Workers Network
• reporting to the Minister of Youth Affairs on research on the youth worker workforce development and options for enhanced youth worker training and sector development.
• exploring other options for supporting and strengthening the youth workers workforce.

• helping to identify key stakeholders
• helping to identify relevant strategic documents or information on the youth work sector’s capacity, competence, capability, research and policy work
• helping to ensure that this project and other similar initiatives are aligned
• providing input into a Programme for Action to address issues raised through the project and identifying policy issues and priorities.

Top of page