Skip to content
University of East London
  • Staff login
  • Student login
  • Study

    Study

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Undergraduate study

    View all of our undergraduate subjects.

    Explore now
    • COURSES
      • Undergraduate
      • Postgraduate
      • Getting back into education
      • Subjects
      • May starts
      • Apprenticeships
    • STUDENT INFORMATION
      • Student life
      • Current students
      • New students
      • Accommodation
      • Term dates
      • Fees and funding
      • Scholarships
    • VISIT UEL
      • Open days and events
      • Our location
  • International

    International

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Virtual Open Events

    Need support during your admission journey?

    Attend our virtual events
    • APPLYING
      • Advice for your region
      • Pre-degree courses
      • Immigration advice and compliance
      • Transferring to UEL
      • International admission deadlines
      • Pre-sessional English
      • Malvern House pathway programmes
    • STUDENT INFORMATION
      • Accommodation
      • Term dates
      • Fees and funding
      • Scholarships
    • VISIT UEL
      • Open days and events
      • Our location
      • Virtual open events
  • Your career

    Your career

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Are you an employer?

    Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

    Get started
    • STARTING YOUR CAREER
      • Career Zone
      • Explore your career
      • Career coaching and mentoring
    • GETTING A JOB
      • Meet employers
      • Be your own boss
      • Volunteering
      • Work while you study
  • Partners

    Partners

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Are you an employer?

    Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

    Get started
    • Partnerships at UEL
    • Train your workforce
    • Share your skills
    • Connect with our people
  • Our research

    Our research

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    REF 2021

    Read about our Research Excellence Framework submissions and results

    Impact case studies
    • Postgraduate research students
    • Research impact
    • Partnerships
    • REF 2021
  • About

    About

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Connected campus

    We are improving our three campuses for people to study, work and live.

    What we're doing
    • OUR UNIVERSITY
      • Our schools and subjects
      • Staff
      • Governance
      • Professional services
      • Vision 2028
      • Alumni
      • Accreditations
      • Sustainable Development Goals
    • TEACHING AND SUPPORT
      • How we teach
      • Mental wealth
      • On-campus nursery
    • GET INVOLVED
      • Events
      • News
    • GET IN TOUCH
      • Our location
      • Contact us
  • Home
  • About UEL

New UEL youth work degree gains validation

Hero Carousel

Youth Work accreditation web resized

New degree could make big difference to Newham local community

See all of our News articles

Published

20 July 2020

Share

Share On Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn

A new youth work degree at the University of East London (UEL) has secured validation from the National Youth Agency.

The new degree comes at a time when the University's home borough - Newham - is proposing to spend an extra £4.5million to support children and young people, employing 40 extra youth workers and doubling youth club provision.

We're pleased to be able to offer this new degree course that not only promises to create the foundation of a meaningful career but also provides a tried-and-tested route into work.

"Validation from the National Youth Agency confirms that students' experience and knowledge will be relevant to the challenges of modern youth work and their skills will be highly valued by employers,"

Richard Harty, dean of the School of Education and Communities, said.

In a statement in February, Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said, "At a time when austerity is forcing many local authorities to cut youth funding, Newham is bucking the trend. This new money was not easy to come by, but we have no choice, these young people are our future and must be our priority."

The University has extensive links with the local authority, providing placements and a path from study into employment.

Nigel Godfrey is senior lecturer in the youth and community work programme. He said, "This is an unsettling moment for people who are caught in the cross-currents of Covid-19, lockdown and economic concerns.

"Young people are likely to be particularly affected. Many struggle with challenges in their lives anyway, especially in Newham where child poverty levels are among the highest in the country.

"Our degree course puts candidates in the frontline, applying their academic studies to the lives of young people who may be disorientated by all this upheaval.

"The challenges may be immense, but so are the rewards - making a meaningful difference to young people and helping them to build the sort of lives they want for themselves."

Kevin Jones of the National Youth Agency (NYA) said, "The NYA is committed to championing the role youth workers play as 'trusted adults' who support young people in navigating their way through, and contributing to, a society which all too often leaves them at the margins.

"Youth workers play a unique role in walking with young people through their discoveries, trials, relationships and negotiations as they try to make sense of the world and their place in it."

Duncan James, 35, is studying for a master's degree in youth and community at the University of East London.

He said, "I have seen the impact of my work with others manifest in different ways, some of which may seem small, but are nonetheless massive steps with some young people. Others I have seen completely turn their lives around.

"Our impact as youth workers can sometimes be felt in the moment or may take time. Sometimes you may never get to see the positive impact you have made, but even with the young people who have been the most difficult to engage with, I know that my presence has made a difference to their lives in some way."

Gail May, director of Civic Engagement at the University of East London, said, "It is fantastic to see the launch of the Youth Work undergraduate programme. After many years of reducing youth provision we have seen new, innovative and exciting youth provision launched in our local boroughs with increased resource and a welcome focus on young people in our local communities."

The course details

The BA (Hons) Youth Work is delivered within the School of Education and Communities which has a reputation for teaching excellence, industry connections and real-world relevance that appeals to applicants aspiring to make a difference in their communities and in the lives of young people.

As well as a blend of on campus and online learning, this vocational programme entails 800 hours of work-based learning. Significant time is spent on placement, where you will develop your skills and knowledge by undertaking supervised work with young people aged between 11 and 25 years old.

For more details on applying for the course, visit the University's website.

Share

Share On Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn

Communications team

Contact us for press and interview requests

 

+44 (0)20 8223 2911
pressoffice@uel.ac.uk

Help us make this site better by telling us what you think about this page

Social Media

Follow us on social media:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube Instagram TikTok

University of East London

University Way

London, E16 2RD

United Kingdom



T. +44 20 8223 3000


Explore UEL

  • About UEL
  • Take a virtual tour
  • Calendars
  • Freedom of information
  • Governance management
  • Services and departments
  • Find us
  • Contact us

The University

  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • News
  • Events
  • Jobs

University of East London

University Way

London, E16 2RD

United Kingdom



T. +44 20 8223 3000


Copyright ©2023 University of East London

  • Accessibility
  • Data protection
  • Sitemap
  • AccessAble
  • Modern slavery
  • Legal and compliance
  • Cookie settings
  • Privacy