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Youth Work Foundation to help disadvantaged students gain qualifications

1 min read Education 16-19 learning Youth Work
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are to be encouraged to gain youth work qualifications with the help of a £40,000 bursary and scholarship scheme.

The board of the National Youth Agency (NYA) has established the scheme as an independent charity called the Youth Work Foundation. It is being funded by the agency, together with 02’s youth initiative Think Big.

The scheme will be open to disadvantaged students from the spring - by which time further details on eligibility will be announced - in time for the start of the 2014 academic year in September.

Ten higher education scholarships of £2,000 plus 100 bursaries worth £200 will be made available for those needing to take pre-entry courses before starting a youth work degree.

NYA chief executive Fiona Blacke said it would carry out fundraising activity to further boost the fund in 2014 and secure its long-term future.

She said: “We spoke to training providers to ask them what were the financial issues that were contributing to students being unable to continue with their course. Their answer was the added costs that mount up such as travel and books.

“Often these costs tip people financially over the edge. This money gives them that cushion and will help students be in a position to start and complete their course.”

The chair of the Youth Work Foundation is Michael Bracey, assistant director of children’s services at Milton Keynes council and an NYA trustee. Bracey said: “The youth work profession has always attracted a sizeable number of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.  With their direct experience of the obstacles faced by many young people, they often make some of the best practitioners.
 
“Yet in the current economic climate, this group are not choosing to pursue the profession further. We hope the foundation will help tackle this issue so young people do not miss out on talented, skilful youth workers who could make a real difference to their lives.”

Meanwhile, the NYA has announced that Ann-Marie Lawson, from Groundwork Northamptonshire, Corby, is the 2013 winner of its Youth Worker of the Year awards.

Lawson came to youth work in 2000 after a successful career at British Steel, where she was the first female manager and deputy treasurer for 28 years. In addition to her youth work in Corby she is also a visiting lecturer at Leicester’s De Montfort University.

The other finalists were Elaine Clark from Islington, Mike Burgess from North Shields and Mukith Miah from Camden.

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