All Job Categories
Youth worker
Youth workers support young people aged 11 up to 25 to help them with their personal, social and educational development.
Average salary (a year)
£22000
Starter
£35000
Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
37.0 to 39.0 hours
a week
Work Hours
evenings / weekends
on a rota
How to become
Explore the different ways to get into this role
You can get into this job through:a university course; a college course; an apprenticeship; working towards this role; applying directly
University
You can do a professional youth work qualification, which is a degree recognised by the National Youth Agency. Degree courses include
youth work, youth work and communities, youth work and theology
Postgraduate courses
You can do a postgraduate qualification to give you professional youth worker status if you have a degree in another subject and relevant experience.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
College
You’ll need a minimum of a level 2 youth work practice qualification to work with young people aged 11 and over.
This may help you to find a job as a youth support worker. It can also act as a stepping stone to higher-level courses to train to become a professional youth worker.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements for this route.
    Apprenticeship
    You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as
    Youth Support Worker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, Youth Worker Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
    These can take between 2 and 3 years to complete.
    Entry requirements
    Employers will set their own entry requirements.
      Work
      You could start as a part-time youth support worker and complete training on the job. You could then use this to join a youth work degree course.
      Volunteering
      Employers value work experience with young people so it's important to get as much as you can. You'll often need at least one year of experience to apply for a job or youth work course.
      You can find voluntary or part-time youth work opportunities through the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. You can also contact your local council for details of youth services in your area.
      Direct Application
      You could apply to become a youth worker if you've got experience and qualifications in teaching, careers guidance, probation or community development.
      You'll be expected to complete a postgraduate qualification while you're working to give you professional youth worker status.
      More information
      You can find out more about careers in youth work from the National Youth Agency.
      What it takes
      Find out what skills you’ll use in this role
      Skills and knowledge
      You'll need:
        Excellent verbal communication skills
        Sensitivity and understanding
        The ability to work well with others
        Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
        To be thorough and pay attention to detail
        Counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
        Knowledge of psychology
        The ability to understand people’s reactions
      Digital Skills Level
      to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
      Related Restrictions
      What you will do
      Discover the day-to-day tasks you’ll do in this role
      Day to day tasks
      As a youth worker, you could
      support young people, including carers and people at risk of offending, run projects that focus on issues like health, bullying, crime or drugs, design and organise activity programmes for young people, keep confidential records, manage budgets and apply for funding, work with other professionals, like social workers, teachers, probation officers and the police
      Working environment
      You could work in the community, at an outreach centre, at a college, in an office or at a school.
      Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding and outdoors some of the time.
      Career Path & Progression
      Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities
      With experience and further training, you could:become a team leader, project co-ordinator or service manager, specialise in an area like young people's mental health, work in youth policy and development of best practice, move into a related career and become a social worker, community development worker or counsellor
      Job profile data provided by The National Careers Service.
      Powered by
      Claim your school or college profile