Anyone can provide young people with what they want. Many, like parts of the leisure industry for example, do a very good job at it, but it is not youth work.
Youth work takes account of what young people need and is driven by a strong educational quality that assesses the whole young person, not just that which satisfies the need for entertainment.
Nichols also refers to "engaging young people virtually". The point about youth workers is that they engage face-to-face with young people, supporting the development of social and personal skills.
The creeping privatisation he advocates allows the market forces to override the best interests of young people, sometimes driving down standards. Fortunately, many youth work organisations are resisting this pressure.
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