No such thing as involuntary youth work

22 December 2009 1 min read Youth Work

When I first meet a young person, I tell them it is their choice whether or not to get involved with the project. They are free to walk away without consequences. This "voluntary principle" is fundamental to youth work. We compensate for their lack of power by offering them a choice. This is the main thing that sets us apart from teachers, social workers and probation officers.

The element of choice is about practice as well as principle. Effective dialogue requires all participants to enter a conversation in the hope of learning something. So if young people don't want to talk when they meet me on the street, I genuinely prefer them to tell me so.

Young people often tell us we are different from other adults, because they have more of a say. They decide whether to work with us, and to a great extent they decide when and how. Of course, things are never that simple, and I have had young people attending programmes because their parents told them to or their social worker recommended it. But voluntary participation remains a reality or at least an aspiration for most youth workers.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits: