Youth work organisations shirk their responsibility
Organisations must care for their staff This morning I got to have breakfast with one of my amazing mates. Over the healthiest option I could care to find (a double shot latte and a three stack of pancakes and maple syrup) we discussed the ins and outs of the youth sector. Particularly we spoke about […]
Mental state exam for youth workers: Thought process and content
So we are a little over half way in this series. We have been developing an understanding of the core components of a mental state exam so that we can support our young people as best we can. This week I was speaking with a youth worker in one of Victoria’s largest Christian denominations about […]
Youth work in the education system: where theory and practice collide.
Last week we spoke about the need for youth workers in the education system to have good relationships. This week we look at the need for a good understanding of theory…youth work and educational. In youth work we study youth development, theories of participation and many others that help us to work with young people […]
A new paradigm for world wide youth work
For a long time now there has been a conversation going on in youth work. A professional/ para-professional dichotomy which many believe is subversive to the current push for professionalization. A conversation which preaches resistance to the neo-liberal free market push which seeks qualification over experience and cheap labour over appropriate supports. The issue […]
First step of faith for Ultimate Youth Worker’s
Welcome to another Monday Ultimate Youth Workers. I was recently read about the amazing work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the turbulent times of the 1960’s. There is something about a man who is thrown in to the deep end of such a massive issue that not only swims but tows a nation behind […]
Mental state exam for youth workers: Mood and Affect.
So far in this series we have been developing an understanding of the core components of a mental state exam. So far we have discussed how a young persons appearance, behaviour, speech and language can provide indicators as to their mental state. Today we discuss how a young persons mood and affect can provide insight into their current […]
Youth work in the education system
In the early days of my career I had the privileged of being a youth worker that went into our local high school. I was employed by my local church as a schools worker and spent much of my time running lunchtime programs. I spent much of my time building relationships with teachers, support staff and principals. […]
Why youth ministers need to embrace youth work practices: Youth ministry in the 21st century.
A while back I was reading a blog post by Mark Oestreicher, A youth pastor from the USA. In it he states that youth pastors need a title change. They should be known as youth workers. This comment made me both uncomfortable and elated at the same time. Uncomfortable as it brings youth ministry into a realm that […]
Motivation Monday: Ideas for the Ultimate Youth Worker
American composer John Milton Cage is quoted as saying “I can’t understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I’m frightened by old ones”. What old ideas about youth work or the youth sector frighten you? What holds us back? What would you change about our current situation? What new ideas make you thrive? What […]
What can youth worker’s learn from ANZAC day?
Today Australians throughout the world stop to pay tribute and remember those who lost their lives in World War One and subsequent conflicts. We remember that these young men and women fought for the cause of freedom and lost their lives to help us live the lives we live today. Their sacrifices will never be […]