Master of Arts - Working for Children and Young People (Youth Work Initial Qualifying)

The MA Working for Children and Young People (Youth Work Initial Qualifying) incorporating the Postgraduate Diploma Youth and community work (Initial Qualifying) course is professionally endorsed by Education Training Skills Wales (ETS), and will enable learners to qualify as a professional Youth and Community worker in one academic year.

This course has been designed to reflect the changing statutory and voluntary social and education sector that embraces professionals working in youth work, community development, health, education, social care and youth justice. It focuses on inter-professional practice, and how the needs of children, young people, families and communities can best be met in a rapidly changing policy, strategic and operational context.

Students will develop leadership skills, together with a greater understanding of the policy and practice context of this specific area of professional work, through both academic learning and practical placements.

Learners will be taught by a team of lecturers who have long-standing expertise and actively practice in the fields of youth work, community development and related work with children and young people. The course includes lectures, seminars and tutorials as well as directed and independent study. The dissertation research will be supervised by a member of the teaching team. The students will also undertake two professional placements, totaling 300 hours.

If students are undertaking the Youth Work Initial Qualifying (IQ) route these will be supervised by a JNC qualified supervisor and they will undertake placements with young people aged 11-25 years old. If they are not undertaking the IQ route, placements will be supervised by a professional supervisor (who may not be JNC qualified) and the placement will occur within a wider range of service areas working with children, young people, families and communities.