Why Training

The Training Unit is committed to the lifelong learning agenda and strives to provide positive and valuable learning opportunities for young people, young leaders, volunteers and workers.

Youth Work Training

Undertaking youth work training is central to quality and effective youth work practice.  By undertaking training we can ensure that   our work with young people is delivered in a professional way and to the highest standard.

Youth work training

• Develops  leadership potential
• Enables us to gain new skills and greater knowledge to work  more effectively 
• Opens up pathways and opportunities  to developing a career in youth work
• Builds the capacity of our local communities
• Allows us to engage with other workers to share and develop  practice

Our suite of training and accreditation is available at a range of levels. We offer  a comprehensive package of accredited youth work training for the volunteer, the young leader or the part time worker. These courses are designed to develop core skills and knowledge  needed to work effectively with young people.

Our suite of training which is recognised by the Youth Work Training Board for Northern Ireland  provides a pathway and progression route which can lead you to professional youth work training. Our long established links with the University of Ulster and more  recently with Dundalk Institute of Technology  has created many new opportunities  and pathways into Higher Education and professional youth work training.

We also offer specialised  youth work training courses  to support workers and volunteers to develop specific skills and knowledge in particular areas of their practice.

 The role of youth work in young people’s learning

Creating connections between formal and non formal learning is a key part of YouthAction’s work with young people. We use non formal youth work approaches to support young people to have their achievements formally recognised, to support them to gain qualifications and to develop the skills and knowledge to support them towards or into employment. We have developed a range of effective models aimed particularly at young unemployed people aged 16 – 25 yrs who have left school with little or no qualifications and who face many disadvantages in their lives.

Our programmes such as The Youth Achievement Awards, The Reach Project and the Moving On Programme for young mothers are tried and tested models which have been specifically designed to meet the needs of young people to give them the skills and confidence to move  forward and make positive changes  in their lives particularly in relation to  work and education.