Tools

Challenges and problems in youth work

Introduction
What do you do when the young people fight?
What do you do when they turn up drunk or on drugs in the club or youth organisation?
What do you do when they bully people?
What do you do when you find out that they have severe problems at home?
What do you do if you find out that they have carried out criminal acts?

Youth work is filled with challenges and problems, no matter where in Europe you work with young people.

In this exercise, we look at the problems and challenges, that the participants face in their home organisations and we make role play about it to share experience about how to deal with and solve the problems.

The expected learning outcomes for youth workers:
decision-making: identify relevant information, weigh up the options available, decide on an outcome;
working with others: participate cooperatively with others, actively collaborate on developing ideas, engage in creative group work and activities;
problem –solving: identify problem, develop strategies and solutions, discuss and agree these with the team;
management of own emotions: show self-control, adapt to change, show commitment throughout challenges;
listening skills: display active listening skills, take turns in conversation, follow instructions;
negotiation: respect other points of view and opinions, agree and disagree when necessary, negotiate assertively, enthusiastically and persuasively, be prepared to compromise to resolve differences, listen to other people

Resumé of exercise
Challenges and problems in youth work consists of two exercises.
The first exercise is called “Hats� and is a warm up exercise.
The purpose of this exercise is to make the participants familiar with role play.

The second exercise is called “Challenges and problems�.
The purpose is to let the participants describe the challenges and problems they face in their work with young people and try to find solutions through role play.

List of exercises:

• Hats
• Challenges and Problems

• Back Up Material