The standards have been launched by the National Youth Agency (NYA) and aim to make it easier for youth workers to use digital tools already popular with young people, such as online gaming and virtual reality, to discuss sensitive issues and boost online safety.
The NYA also wants to improve access to youth groups where no face-to-face services are available, especially for young people who struggle with in person contact such as those persistently absent from school or with poor mental health.
The 12 standards cover safeguarding and risk management, digital wellbeing, data protection and privacy, workforce and leadership.
Research found that only a quarter of youth workers surveyed had undertaken digital specific youth work training, while fear of the unknown is a key barrier to using it.
Just over half (53%) think it isn’t as impactful as ‘traditional’ youth work, according to research from the NYA, commissioned by Fusion21 Foundation.
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Bex Pink, NYA's national digital innovation lead, argued that digital youth work does not mean replacing in person contact with virtual services and that it is vital that youth work services evolve with the needs of young people, who spend significant amounts of time online.
“Digital tools and technologies can help reach more young people – we know online platforms make it easier to connect with young people who may otherwise be unable to access face to face provision. Online spaces can create a sense of belonging in the same way as a youth club can,” added Pink.
Digital youth work can take place on or offline, and includes in person sessions using virtual reality or video games to develop skills or explore issues, supporting young people to use tech responsibly and to deliver youth work sessions remotely.
The standards, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), come amid a crisis in funding for youth work, with 4,500 practitioners having left the sector since 2021 and cuts of £1.2bn.
Space Youth Services charity based in Exeter, Devon, runs an Online Youth Centre three evenings a week, where 11-19 year olds can chat, play games and ‘meet’ online, supported by trained youth workers. Many young people often go on to meet in-person through face-to-face delivery.
Matt Bakall, senior youth support worker in charge at the organisation, said the club is “a safe place for young people who are neurodiverse and LGBTQ+” and “recognises the need for support services for young people within rural communities that may not have access to youth work provision.”
