Tom Batten's book sprang from a rather different tradition. He and Madge, his wife and close collaborator, had worked in Africa and brought back to the UK, particularly to the post-Albemarle youth service, an approach he had used there in community development. He labelled it "non-directive" to distinguish it from two other approaches: directive and passive or laissez-faire. Neither of these, in Batten's view, would produce long-term betterment. Instead, "workers no longer try to persuade. They stimulate people to think about their needs, feed in information about ways of meeting them and encourage them to decide for themselves".
This book sets out these non-directive principles, the conditions for success and the role of the worker, especially with groups of young people.
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:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
