Unit rationale, description and aim
To be effective in youth work requires advanced knowledge and understanding of the social contexts that impact on young people's lives. In particular, understanding the ways in which school, ethnicity, family, gender, class, geographic location and culture shape the experience of being a young person is required to inform the development of skills needed to engage with young people. To help students gain an understanding of the histories that influence our thinking about young people and their issues today this unit will investigate the major socio-historical forces and institutions impacting on their lives.
The aim of this unit is to develop insight into the lived experiences of young people, particularly in the Australian context.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain how historically generated perspectives in...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse key issues affecting young people by showi...
Learning Outcome 02
Assess the influence of key social structures such...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Topics will include:
- Social constructions of young people
- Social divisions and the youth experience (class, ethnicity, gender and sexuality)
- Social institutions and young people (family, school and work)
- Social identities and young people (youth cultures, technology)
- Social Issues (crime, violence, public space)
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessments in this unit are designed to develop students’ critical thinking, analytical, reflective, and communication skills through engagement with sociological theories and concepts related to youth. Through film analysis, social context analysis, and reflective writing, students examine how social, cultural, political, and historical contexts shape young people’s lives.
The Film Analysis requires students to apply sociological concepts to media representations of youth, developing critical analysis of social issues and identity construction. The Sociological Autobiography invites students to reflect on their own adolescence, connecting personal experience to concepts such as identity, diversity, inequality, relationships, and social institutions. To ensure authentic critical thinking, reflection, and academic integrity, generative AI tools are not permitted for the Sociological Autobiography task. This assessment is designed to demonstrate students’ individual insight and capacity to connect theory with lived experience—skills that cannot be meaningfully replicated through AI-generated content.
The Social Context Analysis draws on lectures and readings to examine a contemporary issue or group, focusing on structural and systemic influences on young people.
Collectively, these assessments support students to link personal experience, media representations, and wider social contexts while developing skills in analysis, reflection, and evidence-based communication.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Film Analysis Students ...
Assessment Task 1: Film Analysis
Students will critically analyse how social contexts and sociological concepts are portrayed in a selected film. This assessment will develop students' ability to identify how historically generated perspectives shape the representation of youth and their experiences. By applying relevant theories and frameworks, students will demonstrate their understanding of how media representations influence societal perceptions of young people.
30%
Assessment Task 2: Autobiography In this reflect...
Assessment Task 2: Autobiography
In this reflective assessment, students will draw on sociological concepts to analyse their own experiences of adolescence. By examining the influence of social relationships, institutions, diversity, and inequality on their personal development, students will demonstrate an ability to apply sociological theories to real-world contexts. This task promotes critical self-reflection and deepens understanding of how social structures shape youth experiences. To ensure authentic critical thinking, reflection, and academic integrity, generative AI tools are not permitted for this task.
30%
Assessment Task 3: Context Analysis To demonstra...
Assessment Task 3: Context Analysis
To demonstrate understanding of how social, cultural, political, economic and historical contexts shape individual lives, opportunities and experiences. Students will apply concepts from lectures, tutorials and readings to analyse a contemporary social issue, community, population group or social phenomenon.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit employs an experiential, collaborative, and inquiry-based teaching and learning strategy that supports the development of critical thinking, practical skills, and professional competencies essential for youth work. Through hands-on activities such as group discussions, problem-solving tasks, and analysis of real-world case studies, students engage actively with key concepts and theories.
The integration of lectures and tutorials provides both foundational knowledge and opportunities to apply theory to practice. Collaborative learning fosters peer engagement, communication, and teamwork—skills vital to youth work practice. The focus on interpreting youth work literature and examining Australian case studies encourages students to critically explore how social structures, diversity, and inequality shape young people’s lives. This strategy is particularly suited to youth work students as it mirrors the relational, reflective, and socially responsive nature of the profession, preparing them to navigate complex scenarios with empathy, cultural awareness, and informed judgment.