BA (Honours) Youth and Community Work
Three years full-time
UCAS code • L590
Location • Collegiate Campus
Subject area • Social work
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At a glance
Prepare for a career in youth work and community work. Develop the knowledge and skills that enable you to work with young people and their communities. You learn to consider important professional factors such as safeguarding, equality and diversity, and the social conditions of young people in contemporary society. You'll be able to apply your learning in practice as the course consists of over 20 weeks on work placements.
Key points
• Study on a course validated by the National Youth Agency.
• Learn in the £13m purpose-built Robert Winston Building.
• Spend up to 20 weeks with at least two placement providers.
• Develop a work-based portfolio to help you in your career.
What is youth and community work?
The main purpose of youth and community work is to carry out activities that contribute to the personal and social development of young people and their social inclusion. Youth work helps young people learn about themselves, others and society through non-formal educational activities, such as outdoor activities, arts and music projects, environmental projects, youth councils and sport that combine enjoyment, challenge, learning and achievement.
Youth workers work mainly with young people aged between 13 and 19 to promote their personal and social development and give them a voice, influence and place in their communities and society as a whole. Community workers work in a range of ways to support people and communities to develop and thrive. Inclusion of both youth and community work in this course leads to a wider range of employment opportunities.
This course
This course prepares you for a career in community work with young people, on a professional course validated by the National Youth Agency’s Education and Training Standards Committee, guaranteeing the highest-quality youth work education and experience.
Your teaching is partly based at our £13 million purpose-built Robert Winston Building on the Collegiate Campus. You attend lectures, seminars and group work on a range of topics, including communication and people skills, safeguarding, equality and diversity, young people's rights, management and leadership and inter-professional learning, where you'll be taught alongside other professions such as social workers and nurses.
You spend up to 20 weeks on placement in each of the first two years of study. This could be in a range of settings including • youth club or youth centre • young people's advice centre • inclusion project • community development project • detached work team • youth offending team.
Whilst you're on placement, you work alongside qualified youth workers and a range of other professionals, such as social workers and teachers. Your placements take place in at least two different organisations so you can experience different types of youth and community work. This also enables you to apply your learning in different settings.
You produce a work-based learning portfolio for each of your placements. Your portfolios provide evidence of a range of knowledge, skills and experience and are designed to be presented in job interviews.
On your placement you are assigned a workplace supervisor who is trained to guide you during the placement and ensure you are achieving your learning objectives and make sure you are comfortable in the roles you carry out.
Key areas of study
Key areas include • safeguarding children and young people • equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities • young people and community development • management and leadership • understanding young people.
Part-time route
If you are already employed in a setting working with young people and communities, you can take this course part-time. You attend University for one day a week over five years and can use your place of employment as one of the placements.
Fast track route
If you already have a degree in an appropriate subject, you can become a qualified youth worker by studying our fast track Graduate Diploma in Youth Work.
Find out more about BA (Honours) Youth and Community Work
Related courses
You apply for this course through UCAS.
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/study/ug/fees-and-funding
• coursework • case studies • in class timed assessments • presentations • reflective portfolio of work • vocational based assessments • work based learning portfolios
This course is approved by the National Youth Agency. This means it is recognised by the Joint Negotiating Committee for youth and community workers and, successful completion gains you qualified status in youth and community work in England.
Key Information Set 
Keely Marshall
BA Youth and Community Work, 2010 graduate
'I chose to study at Sheffield Hallam after speaking to other students who had previously done the course.
'I have found my entire course really interesting. Returning to study as a mature student was nerveracking but that only lasted a couple of hours. I was made to feel really comfortable and at ease as I was one of many mature students doing this course.
'The placements have been fantastic. Before I began my placement I had little insight into how the system actually worked, but while on placement at Supporting Others through Voluntary Action (SOVA) I was taught so much about myself and others, not only by my supervisor but from the young people. This placement benefited me in many ways as I became more aware of the situations the young people were in and how their lives were so different to my own. I was accepted and respected during my time at SOVA and totally enjoyed the time I spent on the placement.
'Student support at Sheffield Hallam is great. When I first started I had concerns because I am partially sighted and was worried I would struggle. I approached my tutor and student disability support, who were fantastic and helped me with everything I had concerns about.
'I wasn't looked at as being any different to any other student and was given many ways in which I could complete my course without problems. Thankfully the support is continually there, whether it is on the end of the phone or by e-mail. Someone is always willing to help.
'If I was to give advice to anybody thinking about studying at Sheffield Hallam, I'd say 'go for it now'! No matter what age, gender etc you are! Everyone at Sheffield Hallam is like a big family and is in the same boat. You most certainly get the academic bug for learning - the more you do, the more you want.
'The course is such a positive one with many things to learn, not only from tutors but from other students and young people while you're out on placement. All of it has so far been a fantastic experience and I am so pleased that I finally took the leap to expand my mind.'
Profiles
Keely Marshall
BA Youth and Community Work, 2010 graduate
Together in the real world of health and social care
Our health and social care courses place a strong emphasis on interprofessional learning. This means that you train alongside practitioners from other health professions. So, depending on your course you could spend time working alongside
• nurses
• midwives
• operating department practitioners
This gives you a fresh perspective on situations. And it also prepares you for the real world. Collaboration between health professionals is increasing as organisations try to provide a more integrated and effective service. At Sheffield Hallam we understand that by working together we can we give the best possible care.
Staff profiles
Visit the Department of Allied Health Professions website to view profiles of the staff who teach in this subject area.
