Through non-formal education and experiential learning, the 'Pathways to Creative Youth Work' program provides those working with young people with practical skills to make their work more engaging and creative, offering recognition via Youthpass and a badge-based system
So, you're a youth leader, social worker, artist, creative working with young people, educator, or perhaps you have a professional interest in education and youth work and are looking for your next step?
Maybe you've been asking yourself how to genuinely connect with young people and make a bigger impact in your work? Perhaps you already use creative approaches but wonder how to use creativity and the arts more effectively, or how to become more creative in responding to the daily challenges you face in youth work?
If you have ideas for arts-based youth projects but aren't sure if you have the necessary skills, or if you're looking for ways to help your organisation develop the skills to better support staff, perhaps on something like a Youth Exchange, then the 'Pathways to Creative Youth Work' course is designed with you in mind. It offers a potential answer to these questions.
The main reason you might want to join is to explore creativity to increase your effectiveness in youth work. You'll get to delve into how to use creative skills and processes in your youth work, learning specific ways to use stories, music, visual arts, and theatre to present ideas and challenges to young people. Imagine using these media to actively develop rapport, gain attention, and build stronger relationships with the young people you work with.
This training isn't just about exploring creative methods; it's about understanding how to structure those creative ideas – perhaps ones that have even emerged from youth participation – so they fit into a model of effective habits. The course specifically uses a 7-Habit model to help you develop a systematic approach to creative youth work.
The structure of the course is quite unique, taking place over several months with a blend of in-person and online learning. You'll start with Part 1 in Sardinia, Italy, followed by a period of online self-directed learning (a practice phase) where you can apply what you've learned, and then conclude with Part 2 in Germany. This blended, multi-location approach allows for experiential learning and gives you time to practice and internalise the skills, helping you identify and realise opportunities to put creative youth work skills into effective practice. Plus, experiencing training in different countries adds a valuable international dimension.
Beyond the practical skills, this is presented as a unique and wonderful personal and professional development opportunity. The training specifically targets and helps you develop ETS Youth Work competences, offering clear recognition pathways through Youthpass, badge-based learning, and the ETS Youth Work framework. This could be a significant next step towards becoming a youth worker or provide valuable progression routes within your organisation.
You'll get to experience and better understand non-formal educational methods first-hand, as the training uses a range of experiential learning opportunities and informal techniques. The course also actively seeks a diverse age range among participants, which is believed to provide a rich variety of perspectives and experiences that add value to the training.
Ultimately, if you want to integrate your creative skills more deeply into your youth work, gain a greater awareness of creativity and the arts in youth work, and are looking for a structured, supported way to grow professionally and gain recognition, this course offers a compelling path forward.
