Becoming a Youth Worker...
Youth Work is a skilled vocation which is both challenging and immensely rewarding at the same time. University
Vocational Training
Non-accredited training / short courses / workshops The QTAC site (www.qtac.edu.au) gives more information about location, full time, part time and external study options - search for "youth work" in "find a course" on the QTAC site. |
University Qualifications
Undergraduate study 1. Specialist Youth Work Qualifications eg Bachelor of Youth Work To our knowledge there are no specialist Bachelor of Youth Work or Youth Studies in Queensland. The closest would be the Bachelor of Human Services with a youth work specialty at QUT. There are youth work degree course available at the following interstate Universities: Australian Catholic University, Edith Cowan University (WA), RMIT (VIC), Swinburne University of Technology (VIC), University of Western Sydney (NSW), Victoria University. 2. Related qualifications with subjects or specialisations in youth work listed below: Australian Catholic University - Social Science Bond University - Social Sciences Central Queensland University - Health Promotion, Psychology, Social Work Griffith University - Child and Family Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Human Services, Psychogical Sciences, Social Work Queensland University of Technology - Behavioural Sciences, Social Work, Human Services (youth work specialty stream), The University of Qld - Psychological Science, Social Work University of Southern Queensland - Human Services, Human Services (Counselling) University of the Sunshine Coast - Social Science (Counselling), Social Work Post graduate study Contact QTAC and/or the Universities above to find out more informatin about graduate studies, including Honours program, Graduate Diplomas, Master, PhD and others. For more information about youth studies courses around Australia look at the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS) site. If you know of any other courses, please email your suggestions to admin@yanq.org.au Non accredited training
NAT any learning process that does not lead to a qualification outcome. This can include workshops, forums, mentoring, supervision, peer based learning, self directed learning such as reading journals and texts, keeping updated through websites and e-lists etc. It can help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to do your job. If you have evidence of participation in this learning, such as certificates, this may be helpful evidence in Recognition of Prior Learning Processes through Registered Training Organisations (such as TAFE etc). Here's some training providers who offer non-accredited training that youth workers may find useful:
Keep an eye on University Departments in your region as they often have seminars or guest speakers from overseas in topic areas of interest. You could also run training specific to your agency or across agencies using private consultant trainers or you could negotiate with your local TAFE, RTO or University about this. Check out the events/training/jobs list on the QCOSS website or the events/training list on the YANQ website. This is a start, please send us any additional suggestions to add to the list below: Community Door E-Learning Resources - on line resources for 8 units of competence from the CHC02 Community Services Training Package (now superseded by CHC08 CSTP) Multicultural, cross cultural and intercultural games and activities Toolbox for training and youth work, Salto Youth Resource Centre Youth Work Toolbox - Australian Flexible Learning Framework - e-learning toolbox, try the toolbox preview, linked to the outdated CHC99 Community Services Training Package but could be put to other use Training resources you can purchase for specific Units of Competence under the CHC08 Community Services Training Package listed below:
Funding and Resources for Professional Development
Little or no resources?
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VET Qualifications
Go here to find the TAFE courses available across Queensland. You can search for Youth Work, Youth Justice or Child Protection (Child, Youth and Family Intervention). Not all courses are listed here, so we also recommend you contact the RTOs or TAFE you find listed for these qualifications on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) and try to talk with the either the teaching team, the education manager for community services or business development unit at the TAFEs to find out what they can deliver and what delivery methods they use. Delivery methods can include: face to face, workshop style short courses, workplace based training, on-line, e-learning through my.TAFE or other, supervision and mentoring, work based projects, self paced learning, Recognition of Prior Learning, blended or flexible delivery using a combination of the previous methods and others. You can do individual units of competence (subjects), skills sets or whole qualifications. Contact details for each TAFE Institute here. You can go to the websites of each TAFE to find out what courses they offer as well. Vocational Education and Training (VET) is training accredited under the Australian Qualification Training Framework and is delivered by Registered Training Organisations (including TAFEs). A statement of attainment for each unit of competence (or subject) and qualification is nationally recognised within the national curriculum or Training Package. The current training package is the CHC08 Community Services Training Package. You can locate the CHC08 CSTP at the National Training Information Service. Search under training packages for CHC08. The current qualifications in youth work, child protection and youth justice are listed below: Youth Work
Child Protection
Youth Justice
To find all Registered Training Organisations (including TAFEs) who deliver these qualifications, search on the National Training Information Service. To find a TAFE course go here or look through Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC), under "find a course" search for "youth work". Open Colleges Open Colleges are an accredited vocational training provider that have recently partnered with TAFE (formerly Cengage Education). You can find available courses online at http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/courses/community-services/certificate-iv-youth-work. Recognition of Prior Learning In the Vocational Training System there are 2 pathways to gaining a qualification. The 1st is through Training and Assessment to achieve the qualification outcome. The 2nd is through an Assessment only pathway. Recognition of Prior Learning is one of these. Every Registered Training Organisation who offers a qualification is required to also offer a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pathway as well. RPL considers your previous work and education background, life experiences and any other evidence that you can provide that you meet the assessment criteria for each unit in the qualification. This pathway is much shorter than attending the whole course. Some options for RPL listed below:
You go in for an interview and can receive a $500 scholarship towards the cost of a Certificate IV course or $1000 towards the cost of a Diploma course. If you are successful in the interview, you will receive a letter confirming your scholarship and a list of Registered Training Organisations (including TAFEs) to choose from to do your RPL. You can then follow up with the RTO you'd like to work with. It usually makes the RPL process faster and smoother if you update your resume and have copies of training certificates, job descriptions and any other paperwork that provides evidence of your skills and knowledge. You could try the National Training Information Service, search under training packages for CHC08 Community Service Training Package (CSTP), this will give you a list of all the current qualifications under the CSTP and the job roles related to each qualification. This can help you decide what qualification you'd like to RPL. There are qualifications in youth work, child protection, youth justice, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, community services work, community education, community services management, social housing and many others. Key Links - VET Sector Australian Flexible Learning Framework - website to support online or E-Learning, includes toolboxes for a range of industries including youth work, AOD etc Australian Qualifications Framework - details of the overall Education system framework from primary right through to tertiary education, also has info on VET for schools, learning pathways, quality assurance, RPL principles and more Australian Qualifications Training Framework - all the AQTF standards and guidance publications and access to associated projects Centre for Training Materials - Dept of Education and Training, accredited resources across a range of industries, including community service Community Services and Health Industries Skills Council - National Peak for the Health and Community Services input into the VET sector - key projects include: reviewing the national Community Services and Health Training Packages Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations - Commonwealth Dept, funding, policy documents, training package development, quality assurance specifications, equity materials, research papers, links Dept of Education and Training - Qld State Dept, funds TAFEs, funding, policy, auditing of RTOs, etc Find a TAFE course in Queensland - also worth approaching the TAFEs themselves as not all courses may be listed on this site, try to speak the the teaching team or education manager for community services within the TAFE institute Health and Community Services Workforce Council Inc - is a peak body which leads and influences workforce development and innovation in the Health and Community Services Industries - key projects include: Integrated Skills Development Strategy - a regionally based training brokerage project for NGOs funded by the Dept of Communities National Training Information Service - database of all endorsed training packages - full text of units of competence, CHC08 the current Community Services Training Package can be downloaded from this site; National Register of qualifications and Registered Training Organisations; listings of training support materials that meet National Quality Council (NQC) criteria - full text not available but source indicated Resource Generator - provides trainer and assessors with access to information about units of competency, qualifications and learning resoruces across a range of industries |
Last updated May 2009
