Inspiring Course Training Tomorrow's Youth Workers
16 May 2013
Derby's new BA (Hons) Working with Young People and Communities degree, has been described as ahead of the field.
Community and youth workers are still in high demand in a wide range of public, voluntary and private organisations. Students who complete the course will be ready to work in these areas and will go on to have a real impact in people's lives.
”Vicki Millward, Programme Leader
A University of Derby degree - re-launched in response to changes in social policy - has been described as 'ahead of the field' by a leading national agency.
The National Youth Agency called Derby's new BA (Hons) Working with Young People and Communities degree, 'imaginative', 'creative', 'inspiring' and 'ahead of the field', and approved it with no conditions at a recent validation event.
Vicki Millward, Programme Leader for the course, said: "Changes in social policy over the last few years have transformed the nature of youth services and community work across the UK.
"Derby has responded by making significant changes to the content and focus of our degree programme to ensure our graduates are fully trained and prepared to work in this new landscape.
"Community and youth workers are still in high demand in a wide range of public, voluntary and private organisations where they work hard to tackle social problems such as school exclusion, unemployment, homelessness, poverty, drug misuse, crime and abuse. Students who complete the course will be ready to work in these areas and will go on to have a real impact in people's lives."
A graduate of the former BA (Hons) Community and Youth Work degree, Andrew McCreedy, 27, from Cannock, Staffordshire, now works as a Manager of Education in Peak Pursuits, an independent provider of a range of educational courses. Andrew secured the job after successfully completing a placement with the organisation in the final year of his University of Derby degree.
Andrew added: "I'd worked with young people for a number of years before starting my degree, on youth inclusion projects tacking anti-social behaviour within communities in south Staffordshire.
"I decided to go to University as I wanted to further my career - and as a result became interested in supporting young people at risk of being excluded from mainstream education.
"My degree and placement equipped me with the knowledge and skills to work effectively in this field, which is changing rapidly. It is great to see Derby's programme is changing to reflect this, and I know that it will continue to produce graduates with attributes that are sought after in community and youth work."
Students on the degree can choose to specialise in either Youth Work or Community Development. The community development pathway gives people wishing to pursue a community-based career appropriate module options.
Having been voted as 100% satisfactory by its students in the National Student Survey 2012, the degree course, formerly Community and Youth Work, has built on this success. Significant changes have been made and the course has been re-validated by the National Youth Agency, which means students who complete the Youth Work pathway also gain a recognised, professional qualification.
For more information on the new programme visit www.derby.ac.uk
