Though not total, it is intrinsic - at any point the young person can just say no.
This reality underpins effective youth work practice, making sure practitioners are always in negotiation with young people. Some workers in other settings choose this approach, sometimes to help generate motivation. For youth workers, however, there is no choice. Without winning young people over, there can be no educational engagement - and possibly no young people.
The voluntary principle also affects the meaning of "what is on offer".
Large numbers of young people tolerate - many say endure or survive - school because of the future benefits it promises: qualifications, access to higher education, better-paid jobs. Because engagement in youth work requires an investment of their time, young people expect it to be rewarding in its own right, now or pretty soon. Moreover, the "hidden" agenda will be just as important - how they and their mates are treated; how much say they have.
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