Youth workers need …

to see the need for, and seek ways to engage young people in all stages of the youth work process.

Thinking that things are done faster, smother and better if you do them yourself is quite common, and at the same time it is one of the worst traps that a youth worker could fall into. In order to avoid this youth workers must understand why it is crucial that young people are engaged in all stages of the youth work process, and how damaging it is when short term “efficiency” is put before young people’s participation and learning.

This is also why youth workers must be able to help young people to gain the knowledge and skills they need in order to participate, instead of carrying out different tasks by themselves.

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Do you agree on what this means in practice?
Do you agree on to what degree youth work meets this bullet point? 
Here you find the questions you need to discuss to find out! 

If you think that this is something you need to work on, click the “Add to development agenda” button below. You will then find your agenda on your personal page and be able to start a development process. 

Please note! 
If you start a development process related to this bullet point you will find the below questions also under the page “Discuss and assess”. There you will also be able to take notes. 

Questions to discuss 

  • Are local youth workers actively stimulating and supporting young people to take part in all steps of the participatory process?
  • Are local youth workers sometimes doing tasks that just as well could have been done by young people?
    • What are the (various) reasons for this?
  • Is local youth work run by young people with the support of youth workers?
  • What are the risks with youth workers taking “shortcuts” in the participatory process, taking over tasks from young people?

References & tips