7 Characteristics of Youth Work

Youth Work is an Educational Practice
Instead of using the traditional form of teaching a child in a "classroom" setting, youth workers have more of an option to be creative with their form of teaching.  You are no longer trying to "train" a student to be smart enough to pass a test but you are teaching them in alternative ways custom to their way of learning.  Youth work may also be a bit more sociable, youth will be able to feed and learn off of each other rather than remaining quiet and listening to one teacher who might be telling them one way to do something.

Youth Work is a Social Practice
As I stated above, youth are given the chance to feed off of each other.  Youth often communicate non-verbally and they learn their interactions, attitudes, and behavior off of each other.  When they learn to interact and work in teams the correct way they are more likely to be a bit more successful when working with others as they become older.  

Youth Work and Social Justice
Many times, as a youth worker, one may end up working with a child who is in the margins.  He/she may be a part of a minority group or one that is discriminated against.  Rather than going around the fact that there is a social injustice a youth worker may approach the issue and discuss the inequality directly.  Altogether, the purpose in to run toward social justice, not away from it.  The more you can help these children address inequality, the more progress we may have in the future.

Youth choose to be Involved in Youth Work
Rather than being forced to attend a class, students are given the opportunity to choose whether or not to attend a youth group/class.  This is a very positive start, the student has a higher chance of engaging and participating since they chose to be there.  Usually, youth groups have many different sectors/classes that may engage different interests which gives students a chance to choose a certain skill or hobby that they would like to learn about.  This is something that is used at the MET High school is Providence.  Seniors are given the opportunity to choose their final project and they must complete hours during an internship of their choice of any trade.