NYA Update: Comment -- Developing skills and vocational training

From my experience of vocational training, you not only gain practical experience, but also improve on essential life skills such as reading, writing, language and numeracy.

To support my own training and development within youth work, I am not only undertaking my Level 3 diploma in Youth Work Practice while working for the National Youth Agency, but also volunteer with a charity in Manchester called The Young People’s Support Foundation (YPSF).

The charity helps young people in Manchester to live independently. They provide advice and support to all young people, wherever they are from or what their background is.

Recently we have been focusing on a screen-printing project with One69a, a creative collective based in Manchester which specialises in screen printing and educational workshops.

Over the past month, we have been working with the young people to run a total of eight sessions exploring the "five steps to wellbeing" – a national initiative to promote simple ways of achieving overall wellbeing. The sessions provided not only the opportunities to discuss wellbeing, but also the chance to learn about print and design.

But, I have noticed, although I have been engaged in vocational training for the past two to three years myself, these sessions have really made a difference to the confidence and communication skills of all involved. I suppose when you are part of something like this you don’t realise the change in yourself.

I am really proud of the young people I have been working with. Physically, the outcome of this project has been the production of a range of screen-printed artwork which has been exhibited at Nexus Art Café in Manchester and is now due to be made into fabric murals to form part of a more permanent exhibition at the YPSF. But, emotionally, it has provided them with skills and experiences that will stay with them for life.

Jodie McNamara is a trainee at the National Youth Agency