This year Youth Work Week is taking place between 4 – 10 November. National Youth Agency, one of the Youth Investment Fund delivery partners, is calling on youth workers to celebrate the rich diversity of young people they support and the ways they make their provision accessible in line with this year’s theme: A right to youth work for all – delivering positive futures for young people.
The theme aims to highlight the many ways that youth workspaces are made accessible to all, and which enable young people to explore and celebrate their own identity and values. It’s a great opportunity to share the impact of all the youth services funded through the Youth Investment Fund (YIF), and the difference the funding is making to young people’s lives right across the country. Over the last two years the Youth Investment Fund has helped youth services to make their spaces accessible to all young people in the community.
Youth Work Week is a chance to raise awareness of the difference youth work makes to young people, providing them with somewhere to go, something fun to do, the chance to make new friends, learn new skills and receive the support of a trusted adult.
Throughout Youth Work Week we will be celebrating all the youth projects funded by the Youth Investment Fund and sharing your stories to show the rich diversity of youth work across England.
Youth clubs can choose to celebrate in any way they wish and there’s lots of guidance on how to go about planning your event on the NYA’s website, as well as downloadable assets and templates to help you engage your local MP and media.
The NYA has also launched the Art of Youth Work campaign, which is an invitation for young people to create a piece of original music, dance, spoken word or visual art which brings to life how their youth club or provision provides a safe and inclusive space where they can discover their talents, celebrate their identity and feel connected within their communities. Youth clubs and provision are being encouraged to unveil their creations or host a celebratory performance as part of their Youth Work Week celebrations.
BSL Poet Laureate, Ismael Mansoor is backing the campaign and will be creating a BSL poem all about youth work inspired by a visit to a youth club which supports young people who are deaf.
The campaign is also being supported by Britain’s Got Talent finalist Harrison Pettman and actor Tienne Simon, whose character, ‘Bishop’, was supported by a youth worker in the BBC 3 series Grime Kids.
For more information and to download the guidance and resources visit the Youth Work Week page on the NYA’s website.
