The Workforce Development Group (previously known as Regional Trainers Group) is a longstanding operational group, which aims to give a strong lead regarding training and workforce development issues and works with voluntary and LA training staff to support their work. A collection of workforce related resources and policy documents are also held at the YWU.

The group maintains an active overview of youth support worker awards at levels 1, 2 and 3.   Both Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs) and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are now being delivered and various awarding bodies are also involved   - City and Guilds (C&G), Awarding Body Consortium (ABC), Open College Network (OCN) and the Open University (OU).

The group is attended by voluntary and Local Authority youth service training personnel and lecturers from youth work training institutions in the region. The current chair is Geraint Owen from Sheffield Hallam University, who is also a YWU Board Director/Trustee; deputy chair is Jo Burgess from North Yorkshire Youth Service.

The WDG aims to stay up to date with national developments considering reports, attending national conferences/ workshops and liaising with NYA with Lifelong Learning UK, the Sector Skills Council for youth work and the Childrens Workforce Development Council (CWDC) responsible for the workforce reform in the children's and young peoples workforce.

The revised Professional and National Occupational Standards for youth work are now approved and replace the standards previously developed by the NYA in 2000 and published by PAULO in 2002. In all there are 55 standards clustered into 19 principle areas of activity, representing five functional areas. The standards have been developed by LLUK, the Sector Skills Council within which youth work sits. The standards are available form the LLUK website.

Each spring an annual conference allows an in-depth look at current issues with invited speakers and presentations. This event also shapes the work programme for the following year.

Current areas of debate are:

• The New Professional Occupational Standards
• Integrated Qualifications Framework
• Workforce development strategy for youth work/youth support sector
• Relationship with CWDC
• Leadership and management training
• Funding of workforce development
• Readiness and access to training - where WDG developed a training matrix

Anyone with queries about youth work training should contact the Youth Work Unit.

Back