YWTB 007: Youth Worker As Manager – Part 1: What is Management?

In this episode, Tony responds to the requests of his listeners and introduces the first instalment in a series of podcasts focusing on management within the youth sector.

He answers the question; What is management, and explores the main function areas in the role of a manger.

In the Take Away Tool segment; Tony offers a Time Management Tip.

What listeners said;

Aaron said; A management series would be brilliant….. as [Management] can be bewildering to new youth workers…..

Anne Said; I would be very interested to [hear] your podcasts and, if possible, add them to our on line library for our students….

Paul Said; I think that ‘Management’ would be an excellent topic….. Looking forward to it.

Liz Said; Yes, I think [a management series] would be very useful…..

Click the link below to listen to the episode:

YWTB_podcast_episode_7

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:25 — 20.6MB)

YWTB 006: Youth Empowerment – Interview With Peggy Taylor

In this episode, Tony speaks to Peggy Taylor, Co-founder and director of training of PYE, Partnership for Youth Empowerment, an International training organisation dedicated to building the capacity within communities to provide arts-based, intergenerational, empowerment programs for their young people.

Click the link below to listen to the episode:

YWTB_podcast_episode_6

For more info about Partnership for Youth Empowerment the visit the PYE Website

Join the many others who have signed up for updates, by subscribing to the YouthWork Toolbox Newsletter.

Just enter your name and email below and click submit!
You will also receive a FREE Audio Gift!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:07 — 46.9MB)

7 Reasons Why You Need a Coach

Coaching is not an uncommon concept.

In sports, the role of the coach is key to the development of the individual athlete or team.

An athlete only has a coach if they have made a personal commitment to improve!

They recognize that they have an ability or a raw talent and they want to sharpen it to be better in their field.

What the coach will do is go through a process of helping the athlete connect with these abilities and draw them out, and this will lead to a passion filed and often times, independent training process.

In the corporate sector, Coaching is still growing.

Many professionals still don’t have an identified person (who isn’t their line manager or even better, doesn’t work within the same service) to coach them.

Similar to the supervision process, Coaching is developmental as well as motivational, but to have no line manager would be unheard of in my sector, and the supervision process (or appraisal) is standard practice, However, coaching is still not common practice.

I want to encourage you, Don’t wait for coaching to become popular or for your employer to provide one.

GET YOURSELF A COACH TODAY!

Why?

Continue reading →

YWTB 005: Every Child Needs A Mentor – Interview with Herman Stewart.

YWTB 005: Every Child Needs A Mentor – Interview With Herman Stewart

In this episode, Tony interviews Lead Mentor and author of the book ‘Every Child Needs A Mentor’ Herman Stewart.

Tony also announces that his plans for writing a book, and invites listeners to submit their contributions.

Every Child Needs A Mentor is available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle.

Click the link below to listen to the episode:

YWTB_podcast_episode_5

Join the many others who have signed up for updates, by subscribing to the YouthWork Toolbox Newsletter.
Just enter your name and email below and click submit!
You will also receive a FREE Audio Gift!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:49 — 49.3MB)

YWTB Podcast: 004 – Job Interview Preparation

YWTB Podcast: 004 – Job Interview Preparation

In this episode, Tony discusses Job interview preparation, and shares some valuable insights from the 100+ interviews he has conducted in the last 12-18 months.

Tony also announces the first official YouthWork Toolbox event.

In the Take Away Tool section, Tony shares a simple system to help you to easily digest and memorise documents quickly.

Also, look out for the very special studio guests!

Items mentioned in this podcast include:

GotoWebinar – (Click here to try it for free – it’s fantastic!)

UPDATE: Following this recording, I’ve created a Job Interview Training Bundle.

Click here for more info: NAILING…THE JOB INTERVIEW

Click the link below to listen to the episode:

YWTB_podcast_episode_4

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:57 — 16.4MB)

YWTB Podcast: 003 – Raising the Bar, Interaction and Social Networking.

Episode 3: Raising the Bar, Interaction and Social Networking:

In this episode Tony talks about raising standards.

This includes not only in youth work practice, but also in the quality of the podcast, sound, structure and content, as well as the Youthwork Toolbox Brand.

The value of Interaction is the running theme throughout this episode, as Tony encourages listener and blog readers to communicate their wants and needs for the site.

In the Take Away Tools segment, Tony looks at The Munch Poke and Ping report, which the Training and Development Agency (TDA) commissioned Stephen Carrick-Davies to undertake in 2011.

It looks at the risks the Social Networking can pose to vulnerable young people.

You can link to the report by clicking here.

Click the link below to listen to the episode:

YWTB_podcast_episode_3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:00 — 18.3MB)

YWTB Podcast: 002 – How to Deal with Professional Snobbery

Episode 2: How to deal with Professional Snobbery:

In this episode Tony gives us an audio version of the popular blog post of the same name.

The written blog attracted a lot of attention and got people talking about this issue, so it was only right that it got a podcast of it’s own.

Enjoy.

Click the link below to listen to the episode:

YWTB_podcast_ep2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:04 — 22.9MB)

7 Powerful actions you can take now to stand out from your colleagues.

One in four of the UK’s youth services face massive cuts of between 20-40 per cent, while some authorities intend on getting rid of their youth services completely.

Many voluntary organisations that provide services for young people have said programmes will be cut, and local authority chiefs predict that youth service budgets will be slashed by £100 million, leading to the loss of 3,000 full-time youth worker jobs!

Given the current landscape, the stakes are high as many workers are having to consider preparing to re-apply for their jobs.

To stand out in such a competitive field you are really going to have to “up your game”

Here are 7 powerful actions you can take to help you to stand out from your colleagues without having to back stab or pull anybody else down.

Continue reading →

Striking a balance between the Wants and Needs of young people.

Note from the author. This article is a shortened extract from an upcoming ebook which I am currently working on. It is not a comprehensive look into working with vulnerable young people. Rather, it explores how youth workers can find a balance between the wants and needs of young people when planning projects and programmes. (Tony Brown)

NOTE: This article has changed the way that youth workers are planning their projects.

What makes a young person vulnerable?

As a youth worker, some of the young people you will come into contact with may be more vulnerable than others and have a wide range of needs, some more serious than others.

These needs could stem from a number of risk factors or negative influences in that young persons life.

This could include one or more of the following;

The development of that young person, including their emotional and social development, behavioural development
Identity, including self-esteem and self image
Health, Including their general health, physical development, or speech and language
Family and home life, such as family breakdown, negative reputation, unemployment and financial issues
Housing
Educational issues
Negative peer group

The impact of these factors could increase the possibility of that young person engaging in negative behaviour, such as offending / anti-social behaviour, substance misuse, poor self care, inappropriate sexual behaviour, having mental health issues, poor attendance at school, college or training or being NEET.

Continue reading →

How to deal with professional snobbery.

Why is Youth Work regarded as a second class profession?

Before I get into the content of this post I must state that I have the utmost respect for teachers and social workers and those in a similar role and this is not an attack on those professionals.

However, I do need to deal with this issue on behalf of all my fellow youth workers who have endured this mistreatment long enough.

What is the problem?

I have never been one for conflict and confrontation, however, on a few occasions I have had to put my foot down and defend my practice in a room full of other professionals.

On many occasions I have been asked, by other professionals, that condescending question, “but what exactly do you do?” this is in the context of me working with young people.

Now, I think I am a practically patient man, and I have learnt over time to just let people play their games and not get drawn into it.

I often respond in a very controlled and professional manner with my standard stock answer; explaining that I aim to engage with young people and encourage their participation in positive activities that will support their development into adulthood. I then may go on to give a few examples of past projects that I feel demonstrate clearly the impact of my work.

Continue reading →