Role of the Youth Worker

Get Active - Exercise

Ask yourself: How do you see your role?

• To help young people to find their own way, to become involved and active
• To pursue a change in the community
• To inspire young people / to create ideas
• To give young people the chance to explore the world
• To give young people a positive self-image
• To offer young people interesting things to do in their free time
• To acquire funding for projects
• To create a strong link between youth work and the benefits to the whole community (no successful community without happy young people:-)
• To do something for 'somebody else' - but also do it for 'yourself' (your chance to learn professionally and personally)
• To open young people's minds
• To offer Non-Formal Education and leisure time activities
• To offer space for self-development and being creative
• To be aware of their identity and find their place in local society
• To give young people an active role - make them responsible
• To be a coach for young people
• To get involved in the young people's 'way of life', in order to design projects according to their own desires and needs

Is there anything missing for you?

• What is the most important feature (skill, competence,..) a rural youth worker needs to have in your village/rural area?
• Why are YOU a rural youth worker?
• What are your personal motivations?

^^ top ^^

From the SALTO TC Rural:

Mariana (Estonia) "I am a youth worker because I love dealing with the challenges of rural youth, because I want to help people find their own way to become involved and active."

Korhan (Turkey): "Working with young people opens my mind."

Luis (Portugal): "Observing the work I do ... it makes a difference in the community and that keeps me motivated to go on ... and achieve more, as well as involve more young people."

^^ top ^^