Understanding the need for Detached Youth Work during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond

Oct 21, 2020

Understanding the need for Detached Youth Work during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond


Below are some helpful highlights regarding Go-Getta CIC’s detached youth work model of delivery.

1. The core aims of Detached Youth Work remain:

  • to build meaningful relationships with young people based on mutual trust, respect and understanding
  • to support young people's personal, social and emotional development
  • to deter young people away from becoming involved in anti-social behaviour
  • to help keep young people safe

2. Detached youth work is a model of youth work delivery with workers going to where young people are; this can be in parks, ball courts, shopping centres or streets/neighbourhoods

3. Workers wear ID badges with the organisation logo, and provide information regarding our website, social media channels and contact details for anyone wishing to verify who we are. Detached youth work is always delivered in pairs of workers.

4. As with all youth work, there is a voluntary nature to the relationship between the workers and the young people. Props and freebies can be utilised to help facilitate engagement and 'break the ice'; this can include food/drinks, resources, games, leaflets etc.

5. Young people are given information on our service and what we do, and are asked information about themselves. Young people always have autonomy to not engage or not answer any of these questions. This is a time to learn about young people and what they want, offer emotional support and, with their guidance, develop a programme of intervention. This may include setting up of clubs or arranging educational visits, offering education around substance misuse or sexual health, or creating opportunities for learning skills such as arts or sports. Some individuals may require very specific support including being referred and accompanied to other agencies.

6. Data is captured and recorded to ascertain numbers of young people our projects work with, who those young people are, (ages, gender, location etc.), and the outcomes achieved through working with them. The relationships between workers and young people are based on trust and co-operation so that explanations can be given to young people as to why information is needed and what it will be used for. No personal details are recorded without the young persons consent, however, youth work does not practice absolute confidentiality, for e.g, if there are safeguarding concerns and information regarding the young person needs to be shared with appropriate agencies to keep them safe.

7. Prior to any detached youth work delivery, we have the following in place as a standard;

  • Risk assessments
  • Insurance
  • Policies and procedures, including Safeguarding, Health & Safety and Equality & Diversity
  • All workers are vetted in line with our Safer Recruitment policy

Go-Getta CIC is a member of 'UK Youth' and our work is underpinned by Detached Youth Work guidance issued by the National Youth Agency. Young peoples data is collected in line with our GDPR Policy and guidance regarding this legislation as outlined by the ICO and the NSPCC.

Refs:

https://www.ukyouth.org

https://nya.org.uk/resource/de...

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/...

https://ico.org.uk/for-organis...

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