"I’m youth recreation worker," explains Lauren, in her fifth year of youth work. “I run youth programs with school-aged kids – aged 11-25. I do therapeutic intervention with recreational opportunity. I do anything from Snowboarding camps with at risk young people, bush camps, today we had a session of tie dying – so it’s lots of creative intervention.” “I love it, working with disadvantaged young people is my passion.”
“In 2002 I studied my Cert IV in TAFE. There, I was employed by the Salvos for nearly five years, and just in March I swapped over to this new position, and I applied for this job as a high-risk case manager. Then I was given lots of opportunities.” Lauren says. “I retrained from youth work positions to recreations, then I managed recreation programs for at risk kids.”
Lauren’s typical workday is from nine, until five-thirty. “On program days, I start at 8.45, pick up young kids from school, transport them to a local youth refuge and we run youth programs in big rooms with other local community programs, which includes lots of personal development, like free hip hop classes or personal development courses.”
“I either facilitate or initiate the facilitator from an outside agency, either drug and alcohol agency or cooking facilitator. I might do a one to one counselling session back at the school, then I head back to the youth centre and run recreation programs. I might run Break Loose which is a hip hop class, which is 4.30 til 6.30. Lots of recreational programs!” she laughs.
Being nominated for the Australian Vocational Student of the Year isn’t the be-all and end-all for Lauren. She has plenty of plans for the future: “I’d like to do facilitation with disadvantaged young people. There are several programs I’m interested in being involved in. They’re involved for young people who don’t fit in the regular school system,” she says. “And I’m really interested in doing some aid work in South Africa or the Northern Territory.”
However, in the foreseeable future, she’s going to upskill: “And I’m going to study again – I’m going to study part time a Lifestyle and Learning course.”
Lauren loves the positive outcome that young people achieve through creativeness. “Seeing young people’s niche, helping them develop their personal goals. Being the person that says you can achieve that, lets just set our mind to it. Seeing the positive outcome of it.” She loves seeing young people try something for the firs time, even succeeding, or find an underlying talent – like discovering they can surf. “By the end of the session you’ve got a little surfer on your hands!” she laughs.
But it isn’t just all fun and games. “Our young people are obviously from a disadvantaged background, from possible neglect years of upbringing.” She says. “You need to slowly break down the barriers. You need to develop rapport so you can develop trust. You need to get to know the young people before work starts . That’s probably our biggest challenge, besides stuff like funding.”She says that developing rapport is the biggest asset to being a Youth Worker. “Telling the truth, fostering trust and having commitment, are essential. Always tell the truth even how hard it is, because otherwise, kids will never develop trust. Never lie to young people - it always backfires.”
Some people find it hard to emotionally disconnect from the work, she says. “Sometimes it can be a bit confronting. I think it’s having a routine be able to switch off when you finish work is a good way to switch off.”
And now, Lauren is going to show her commitment, at the Australian Training Awards. “Now I’m going to Darwin, which is very exciting.”
What personal qualities are needed for the job?
I think patience, confidence in your own ability, an ability to take in the opportunities around you, learn from those experience, develop your own creative work practices. You don’t need to be loud, but be committed to the young people and committed to what you’re working on.
Advice for people entering the industry?
Speak to as many youth workers as possible before you study. But if you’re got a passion, just follow it. Be ready to do some hard work.
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