I see from 'Young people Now' that the snappily titled, 'Youth work sector skills council' are considering a 'Licence to Practice' for youth workers! It's early days yet and what this might mean is open to speculation but I thought it was worth flagging up. I guess it could be anything from a basic approach that means that you are registered and checked...... right up to a training requirement. I guess this is interesting for us in the 'faith sector' with SO much quality work being delivered by volunteers, not to mention the large number of employed youth workers with a diverse range of deployments and focuses. It's also interesting because the professional qualification will soon need to be a degree and I'm unsure whether this will limit the 'Christian' courses' ability to include theology and ministry in a degree that also gives professional youth work status.
I am a huge fan of the double-negative so enjoyed this take on the idea from 'Lifelong learning UK' that this,
'is not an uncontoversial issue!"
I cobbled together Youthblog's idea of a 'Licence to Practice' but obviously I'd prefer us to have nifty Metal Badges in a leather wallet ala the NYPD.
"Stand aside please I'm a Youthworker!
I like the design above but agree that the flip down leather wallet style would be much better!
Perhaps a uniform hoody rather than a badge?
On a serious note, a requirement for all people involved in yoofwork to have some qualification could desimate church youth work, as so much is done by volunteers. Even the introduction of CRB checks met opposition in my church, so I can only speculate what the Licence would do! I hope that organisations would only need one licensed person who could co-ordinate un-licensed volunteers.