… there are always opportunities to keep learning, and doing that makes you feel more confident about yourself and your ability to do your work …(Gary).
Study and training undoubtedly contributes to professional development. All participants engaged in study and/or training either prior to arriving at youth work (those who specifically undertook community services studies in the first instance); and all practitioners engaged in some form of study or training throughout the period of their professional practice. Formal studies, as outlined earlier, included a range of courses – certificates, diplomas and degrees. Those participants who engaged in specific community service or youth work studies undertook work experience through
student placements in real-world community service or youth work programs as part of their TAFE studies. A number of participants gained further experience in volunteer or paid positions as they completed their studies. Melinda completed 240 placement hours at a crisis refuge and “enjoyed it that much so I stayed on as a volunteer, and then they offered me a casual employment … I stayed there for a little while” before being offered a casual position at her current workplace where she stayed for two years whilst completing her studies before moving a full-time role at another Service after graduating. Nathan found himself juggling his studies whilst completing his first placement for his Diploma at an inner-city community outreach service
I moved from just doing a student placement, to trying to finish student placement hours at the same time I was working - doing three hours extra at night at King’s Cross, which it was fun. It was certainly a sort of a wakeup call (Nathan).
He then completed a further student placement at a Youth Service when he transferred to a course interstate therefore providing him with a range of experiences in different settings. Jess completed a number of Diplomas – the first being a Diploma in Community Services.
During that Diploma I did one placement at [an inner-city outreach service] where I continued to volunteer for another 2 years as well as my second placement [which] was at [a] Youth Centre. I then went on to do a Diploma in Alcohol and Other Drugs which was something I wanted to specialise in - during that study I was casually working at [a] Council as a youth worker … I’ve also done a Diploma in Case Management as well (Jess).
Most youth workers didn’t explicitly report upon, or perhaps entirely recognise, the learning and professional development benefits of their tertiary studies. Whilst not necessarily apparent – to themselves or to others i.e. Melinda’s belief that “nothing” from her course provided benefit or preparedness for the job - the data shows that the embedded experiences of student placements provided a starting point - a grounded, situated perspective, and an impetus for future practice. The embedded compulsory component of the qualification enabled students to become familiar, certified, and authoritative to a degree, as they move further and deeper into the work to learn, develop, and evolve as practitioners. Even those within the field, many coming from different backgrounds and varying levels of study or training, view differently the
skills and knowledge that other practitioners bring to the field. For example, Nick felt that a certain depth of knowledge is required as
… youth work is not easy. It’s a very complex, complex work with many kinds of layers and complexities and so on ... young people come here, and you know they’re in crisis; and they’re cutting, and they’re contemplating suicide … (Nick).
He believes, from the place where he observes, engages and practices, that … to be able to be effective you have to more training than having two years of TAFE, or however many years they provide at TAFE, you know, to do this work … (Nick).
Whereas from another perspective, when asked what she would recommend for future youth workers coming into the field, Alex suggested that broader life skills and experiences were equally valuable for practice and recommends that youth workers come to the field with
… life skills in something, like sports, or something like that, so you kind of have something to offer - like something specific … it will be good for your own program, it adds to other programs … like music or art … or even like cooking … already having something that you are passionate about yourself, and then you can bring it to your work … some sort of passion that you have, and then you can teach other people (Alex).
Perceived benefits from formal study are relational to the background, the interests, the motivation and outlook of the individual, particularly in ways that they can apply that which they have learned. Whilst one practitioner may work within a theoretical framework, another practitioner may seek to work within a practical, active and embodied framework – hence, finding value in different aspects of education and learning. Different programs deliver different services, with some centres structured to deliver a range of services for young people. Young people’s needs are varied where for some it may well be enough to be acknowledged; to have the opportunity of contact and informal engagement with other young people with access to adults willing to listen; whilst others may be seeking intensive support and assistance. Different skill sets are required for the variety of services found within the youth sector.
Jess spoke not of ‘book knowledge’ but rather what, and how, she had learned at TAFE from “an amazing teacher that really inspired me”
… he taught me how to run really fun activities, and engaging activities … the education aspect of things - so a lot of my skills were developed during that Diploma. It was very hands-on … everything that we learnt was through activities that we then could use with other people (Jess)
Such activities were strongly reflected in her current practice and significantly informed and served the project work that she developed to inclusively engage with a broad range of young people.
Nathan viewed himself as predominantly a facilitator of the range of activities and services that can be available on any given day in the very busy and unpredictable environment of a drop- in youth service. He reflected upon his formal learning – first through Diploma studies, followed by a degree in Social Science and Human Services - which he described as a foundation for his professional development.
One of the things with facilitation is its things about prioritisation … that expert definition of need - and that’s something I’ve learned through university and TAFE, with being taught various decision-making processes, decision-making structures … (Nathan).
During his studies at TAFE Nathan reported that while aspects of the “values and ethics courses were quite challenging for all the students” and “confronting because you were placed in situations where you were in ethical dilemmas all of the time” he found that it was a “really good grounding in that regard’. Articulating further into a degree program, and delving into the theoretical basis for action, he found that
University kind of expanded on that in terms of understanding not just your own ethical decision-making frameworks, but also understanding that there were different types of professional ethical decision-making frameworks … (Nathan).
This study broadened his understanding of professional practice, and encouraged new and different ways of thinking.
Similarly, Alex sought to increase her knowledge and expand on her skills in order to widen her scope for practice. She “decided to go to University and complete a post- graduate diploma in social health … a specialist counselling diploma” so that she could “do counselling as well as case work because I wanted to feel more equipped - to be able to like deal with some of the stuff that was coming up …”. She also stated that it meant that she would “actually have something valid”. Although already qualified and an experienced youth worker, for Alex, undertaking further studies,
acquiring specific counselling skills and knowledge and gaining formal degree credentials strengthened her confidence by “validating” her skills. It enabled her to feel “better about myself” when providing support to young people.
I get concerned that I could be working with someone with psychosis and I’m advising them or pushing them to do things that maybe they’re not ready for or not able to do - and that’s a constant worry for me, so I just want to know that I’ve got the skills (Alex)
Having the skills provided her with a sense of reinforcement and assurance for her practice.