Youth Worker Review

I work as a Youth Worker for Safe Haven Accommodation, and have been in this role since October 2022. I started my Health and Social Care NVQ level 3 in January 2023, and I'm just over halfway through the apprenticeship. I'm enjoying this and feel that I'm progressing well and it is helping me to feel more competent and confident at my job. I do this alongside my work, and I have 1-2-1 sessions with my TDO every 3-4 weeks. There is also support there anytime that I need it. The only negative I have is finding the time to complete research and ensure I do enough off the job training. This can be a little challenging with work and home life with a young child, but I feel that there is support and understanding there.

I have learnt more in depth knowledge around areas such as safeguarding and person centered care. I have also learnt more with legislations and guidance in the health and social care field. Any questions that I have, I have had further support with understanding in future. My TDO has been supportive too.

I quite enjoy learning more on health and social care. As mentioned, I do struggle a little with ensuring that I remain on target for my off the job training and managing this alongside work and home life. Some units are more in depth than others, which are of course more demanding.

The programme is well organised and structured, and I understand what unit I have next. I have been kept informed by my TDO about what is expected in the next session and any further support that I may need. Seeing all the units can be a little overwhelming, but I have more understanding now.

My employer has been very supportive and my team leader also asks me how my NVQ is going at every supervision. My employer also gives me enough opportunities to do my NVQ and any research I may need to do. I feel that they support my development very well which is helpful.

My training and development officer is very supportive and helpful. Whenever I have had a question, I recieve a response quickly and the 1-2-1 sessions have been consistent and helpful. I am also becoming more confident using Onefile and it is now as overwhelming as it was at the beginning.

Achieving my level 3 in Health and Social Care will help to become more competent within my role and have a further understanding on topics such as safeguarding. It helps having the qualification and training to back up the experience within my role, and helps me to become more confident.

I do not know of any extra-curricular activiies to get involved in at work, though I would expect my employer to support with these. There is usually training on various areas that relate to our work such as county lines and there are also key working sessions every week on various issues.

Yes

I have enjoyed my time so far with Safe Haven Accommodation. It is also helpful since moving to a permanent contract and having that stability. There are challenging times of course, but also rewarding times when you see a positive change in a young person. My employer has also been supportive.

I would say that your personal skills are more important such as being friendly, supportive, good listener and communicator. Being able to build rapport and trust with a young person is important, and using your own inititative to problem solve. There is also always support day or night with any issue.