Unit rationale, description and aim
As individual youth workers, as well as a collective profession, the nature of youth work is deeply rooted in relationship-based practice. This unit will examine the theory and practice of developing and maintaining supportive relationships with young people in professional youth work settings. Concepts and issues relating to youth worker self-awareness, self-care and building relationships in stressful environments will be addressed. Students will examine contemporary theories on youth work relationships and apply these to various youth work related scenarios. Students will also examine how diversity, life experience, and social contexts influence relational approaches in youth work. The role of supervision and debriefing, along with developing and implementing exit plans, will also be considered in context of the youth work relationship with young people.
The aim of this unit is for students to understand the nature of informal relationships within a youth work context and to be able to identify best practice principles for engaging and supporting young people across various youth work settings.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Describe the practical skills that assist in relat...
Learning Outcome 01
Design practical and ethical activities that foste...
Learning Outcome 02
Explain how relationship models in youth work prac...
Learning Outcome 03
Critically evaluate the role and value of supporti...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Principles and theoretical perspectives that inform the development of genuine supportive relationships in youth work practice, and in particular the therapeutic role of supportive relationships can play
- The value and importance of authenticity in the youth work relationship
- Youth work models which seek to support young people, i.e. group work, outreach, program delivery, informal helping relationships, and information and referral services
- The importance of applying a contextual understanding of boundaries in youth work relationships
- Consideration of how support relationships are informed by young people’s diversity
- Major ethical issues facing workers providing support relationships to young people, including reference to the Victorian Youth Sector’s Professional Code of Ethics e.g. power imbalances, confidentiality, law, trust, gender relations, sexuality, equity and ethnicity, cultural awareness and cultural competency; making referrals
- Consideration of how youth workers build support relationships with young people who present with challenging behaviours
- Working in relationship with vulnerable and at-risk young people
- Navigating the challenges presented in the youth work relationship when the youth worker is confronted with personal and values-based dilemmas.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The engagement tool is designed to assist the development of practical and transferable skills that assist in relationship building with young people. During tutorials, students will deliver a practice-based activity to demonstrate this and, equally, students will participate in these activities to further enhance and diversify their learning experience.
The written task is designed to allow students to demonstrate their grasp of theory that informs the ethical development and implementation of supportive working relationships with young people. Using a case study, students will demonstrate a grasp of relevant theory and its applications to specific youth work related settings.
The third task is a self-reflection. Through the use of set scenarios, it allows the student to identify and articulate areas of practice they might find themselves challenged by. This provides the student with an opportunity to demonstrate a connection between theory and their own self in professional practice. This task allows the student to signpost areas of support and supervision they may need to enact when they are in relationship with young people.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1: Engagement Tool Students wil...
Assessment 1: Engagement Tool
Students will deliver a practice-based activity to demonstrate development of practical and transferable skills that assist in relationship building with young people.During tutorials, students will deliver a practice-based activity to demonstrate this and, equally, students will participate in these activities to further enhance and diversify their learning experience.
20%
Assessment 2: Written Task Students are re...
Assessment 2: Written Task
Students are required to demonstrate written communication skills and theoretical analysis in an essay on building relationships with young people.
The purpose of this task is to allow students to demonstrate their grasp of theory that informs the ethical development and implementation of supportive working relationships with young people. Using a case study, students will demonstrate a grasp of relevant theory and its applications to specific youth work related settings.
50%
Assessment 3: Self-Reflection Students are...
Assessment 3: Self-Reflection
Students are required to submit a self-reflection using case-studies on building relationships with at risk young people.
The purpose of the assessment is to allow the identification and articulation of areas of practice students might find themselves challenged by. This provides the student with an opportunity to demonstrate a connection between theory and their own self in professional practice.
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit has been structured to support the development of key learning outcomes with a strong emphasis on practice-based learning. Students will engage in a range of experiential and applied learning activities that mirror real-world youth work contexts. These include set readings, weekly lectures, guest presentations by industry professionals, and authentic, scenario-based exercises designed to deepen professional skill development.
Lectures will provide a dynamic and interactive space where theoretical frameworks are explored in relation to their practical implications for youth work practice.
Tutorials will function as simulated practice environments, allowing students to apply, trial, and reflect on a variety of relational engagement strategies and communication tools that are directly transferable to their future roles in the youth sector.