THE NATIONAL YOUTH AGENCY: Comment - Not quite "The Archers"

But what is distinctive about rural youth work? Why do we need a body that represents its interests? All good youth work is differentiated to meet the diverse needs of young people and their communities. Rural areas have more than their fair share of social needs. The isolation of individuals in small communities. Poor transport. Fewer jobs. The cost of housing and fuel. Limited social provision for young people. Youth workers in rural areas have to engage with those issues as well as with the traditional tools of encouraging personal and social development. Those who work in urban areas can sometimes avoid the broader social context. There's reasonable public transport and readier access to employment for young people so the town-based youth worker can be tempted into focusing on their leisure-time needs. A youth worker in a rural area rarely has that luxury. She or he must engage directly with broader issues, working with the individual youngster, with the peer group - where there is one - and in trying to influence the wider community.