Developing Practice or Management Struggle?

Youth work is ill-defined and practitioners come
from a range of disciplines, thus a range of
practices are claimed as youth work. This book
discusses the workplace experiences of thirteen
youth work practitioners as it relates to their work
with young people living with violence. Research
estimates that as many as 16% of Western Australian
young people currently experience violence at home
and young women in particular are most vulnerable to
violence in intimate relationships. Practitioners
acknowledge that many of the young people using
their services may be included in this figure but
often believe they cannot provide the support
required. The book identifies an ideological
tension between what youth workers are employed to
do and what youth workers believe their role to be
and argues for greater recognition of youth work
practice and for the professionalisation of youth
work. It claims that youth work is more than just
the provision of recreation for young people and
that professional youth work practice requires an
extensive range of specialist skills.

Autorentext
Judy Kulisa, PhD, is a member of the Centre for Social Research
and lectures in Youth Work & Community Studies in the School of
Psychology and Social Science, Edith Cowan University,
Australia. Judy s particular research interests are
professional youth work practice, family violence, and the needs
of refugee women and young people.

Klappentext
Youth work is ill-defined and practitioners come from a range of disciplines, thus a range of practices are claimed as youth work. This book discusses the workplace experiences of thirteen youth work practitioners as it relates to their work with young people living with violence. Research estimates that as many as 16% of Western Australian young people currently experience violence at home and young women in particular are most vulnerable to violence in intimate relationships. Practitioners acknowledge that many of the young people using their services may be included in this figure but often believe they cannot provide the support required. The book identifies an ideological tension between what youth workers are employed to do and what youth workers believe their role to be and argues for greater recognition of youth work practice and for the professionalisation of youth work. It claims that youth work is more than just the provision of recreation for young people and that professional youth work practice requires an extensive range of specialist skills.