Session 1 part 1

1. Innovate 2013
Youth Ministry Essentials
Session 1 - Part 1

2. Innovate 2013
Aims
•To explore what we mean by the term ‘youth work’
•To understand the history and origins of youth work
•Gather an understanding of the current landscape of
youth work

3. Innovate 2013
What is Youth Work?
In small groups come up with a one sentence
definition of youth work

4. Innovate 2013
Dimensions of Youth Work - K.M.Smith
•Focusing on young people, their needs, experiences and contribution.
•Voluntary participation, young people choose to become involved in
the work.
•Fostering association, relationship and community, encouraging all to
join in friendship, to organize and take part in groups and activities and
deepen and develop relationships and that allow them to grow and
flourish.
•Being friendly, accessible and responsive while acting with
integrity. Youth work has come to be characterized by a belief that
workers should not only be approachable and friendly; but also that
they should have faith in people; and be trying, themselves, to live
good lives.
•Looking to the education and, more broadly, the welfare of young
people. (See Jeffs and Smith 2010)

5. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work
As Jeffs and Smith (2010) have argued ‘Youth work was born, and
remains fundamentally a part, of civil society. It is wrapped up with
associational life, community groups and voluntary organizations’. This is
recognized in Ireland where youth work is defined in law. It is to be
provided ‘primarily by voluntary youth work organizations’ (Government
of Ireland 2001).
http://infed.org/mobi/what-is-youth-work-exploring-the-history-theory-and-practice-of-
work-with-young-people/

6. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work
• Sunday Schools
• Pioneered by Robert Raikes & Hannah More

7. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work - Robert Raikes
• 1736-1811
• Sunday schools pre-dated state schools
• Started Sunday schools with slum boys
“The children were to come after ten in
the morning, and stay till twelve; they were
then to go home and return at one; and
after reading a lesson, they were to be
conduced to Church. After Church, they
were to be employed in repeating the
catechism till after five, and then dismissed,
with an injunction to go home without
making a noice” - Robert Raikes

8. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work - Hannah More
• 1745-1883
• Member of the Clapham Sect
• Started a Sunday School in Cheddar
• Went on to set up more then a dozen
• Aims of teaching scripture, principals
and morals

9. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work
• 1844 - YMCA Founded
• Reverened Arthur Sweatman’s 1863 paper
“Their peculiar wants are evening recreation, companionship, an
entertaining but healthy literature, useful instruction, and a strong
guiding influence to lead them onward and upward socially and morally;
their dangers are, the long evenings consequent upon early closing, the
unrestraint they are allowed at home, the temptations of the streets and
of their time of life, and a little money at the bottom of their
pockets.” (Sweatman 1867)
• Sunday Schools
• Pioneered by Robert Raikes & Hannah More

10. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work
• 1880’s & 1990’s - Growth of club provision by Catholic and Anglican
priests
• 1875 - Anglican, Girls Friendly Society founded
• 1880’s - Boys Brigade
• 1907 - Scouts
• Sunday Schools
• Pioneered by Robert Raikes & Hannah More
• 1844 - YMCA Founded
• Reverened Arthur Sweatman’s 1863 paper
Discuss
What do you notice about youth work up until this point in time?

11. Innovate 2013
History of Youth Work
• World Wars - Innovative models - open youth clubs and detached
• 1960 - The Albermarle Report
A - An opportunity for commitment
B - An opportunity for counsel
C - An opportunity for self-determination
• Golden Age of Youth Work - Increased work
• 1997 Labour Government - Focus on Youth over Youth Service
• Connexions Service founded and Personal Advisors appointed
• 2008 - Austerity and the Banking crises
• Church responds
Discuss
What is the challenge for the church from this?

12. Innovate 2013
Further Reading
Infed: What is youth work? Exploring the history, theory and practice of
work with young people
www.bit.ly/historyofyouthwork