Commonwealth Youth Work Week is being celebrated across the Commonwealth during the week November 6-12, 2017 and this year focuses on the theme of `Promoting professional recognition for youth work’
Commonwealth Youth Work Week is being celebrated across the Commonwealth during the week November 6-12, 2017 and this year focuses on the theme of `Promoting professional recognition for youth work’.
Youth work, in many cases, is not recognised as a distinct profession.
The Commonwealth Secretariat is attempting to put youth development higher on global and national development agendas, including encouraging the role of youth workers in enabling young people’s self-empowerment to be more highly valued.
Globally, one in three young people aged between 15 and 29 are citizens of Commonwealth countries, making up 60% of the Commonwealth’s 2.4 billion population.
Youth Work Week is an annual initiative led by the Commonwealth Secretariat which aims to contribute to achievements of youth work, workers, and organisations throughout the 52 member countries.
The Commonwealth defines youth work as “all forms of rights-based youth engagement approaches that build personal awareness and support the social, political and economic education and empowerment of young people, delivered through non-formal learning within a matrix of care”.
It aims to professionally engage young people in Commonwealth countries to help enhance their employability, self-confidence, social connectedness and productivity.
The Secretariat states that, when sufficiently funded and resourced, youth work benefits wider society and institutions, as it reduces demands on social services, enhances public service efficiency and promotes both inter-generational equity and national development.
Events and consultations during this year’s Youth Work Week will be based on findings within a new Commonwealth study, `Youth Work in the Commonwealth: A Growth Profession’.
The publication will be launched on November 9, 2017 and will set out key approaches in professionalising youth work, as well as assessing its status 35 Commonwealth member states.
It aims to contribute to the Commonwealth’s shared knowledge base and identify gaps in current education and training policies for youth work.
