04 August 2011
2 youth workers at Jersey Youth Service are celebrating after gaining a recognised youth work degree.
During the past 4 years the Youth Service has invested in 6 youth workers by creating training bursaries to support them in working towards a professional youth work qualification.
Sarah Walker and Karen Large have now gained that qualification.
Sarah Walker said: “Over the past 3 years I have been studying with the George Williams College in London as a distance learner and have now successfully completed my qualification in Informal Education, Youth Work and Community Learning and Development. During my time on the course I have learnt and developed my understanding of working with young people, informal education, community learning and development, reflecting on my practice and managing and evaluating the work that we do. This has enabled me to develop my skills as a youth worker and has given me the confidence and understanding to put into practice my learning in my role as an assistant youth worker within the Jersey Youth Service.
"Over the past year we have been able to do lots of targeted work with our young people including a fashion show for young women, organise an off-island trip to Spain and start an after school session with the Youth Service mobile project at Clos du Roncier amongst many other things. I have been able to give back the knowledge that I have learnt at the college and make an impact on the lives of the young people in my local community."
'Outstanding'
The remaining 4 members of staff have another year of study left until they qualify. 2 of them, Carmel Butel and Eve Ruddy, have had work published which was recognised as outstanding. Eve has also been awarded a prize for the distance learning student with the highest average mark at the end of level study, for whole of the UK.
Principal Youth Officer, Mark Capern, said: “The YMCA George Williams College, which we use for our trainees, has a very good distance learning programme. To meet the course requirements we give the trainees 10 hours per week of work face to face with young people to comply with the course requirements and also support them by giving the trainee a bursary which covers the course fees."
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