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2008 Conference

Where is Youth Work in Positive Activities?

By Tim Davies
October 13, 2008
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This morning’s plenary session spend some time talking about Positive Activites, and Fiona Blacke in her Keynote has just spoken about the tensions that still exist in the definition of Positive Activities.

Earlier on I spoke to Nicole Joseph about her perception that we’re not talking enough about the specific contribution of Youth Work to positive activities provision.

What we need to establish and detail is what is unique about the youth service offer. Without that clarity and definition we’re asked to deliver unskilled work in under-resourced centers and bases.

This afternoon some groups will be taking part in a Socratic Dialogue exploring ‘What is distinctive about Youth Work?’.

How would you answer the question?

Discussion

3 comments for “Where is Youth Work in Positive Activities?”

  1. This is something thats frustrated me for nearly 10 years and the debate is still the same!

    I don’t think the question (or answer) is in how Youth Work can do Positive Activities.

    Instead it should lie in how Youth Services can use Positive Activities to do Youth Work.

    There is an issue with being specific about what that means and the need to track the benefits of these activities is important too and this also is something I’m very interested in:

    http://tinyurl.com/3n7wz2

    What I’m sure of though is that done correctly the use of Positive Activities can be very powerful - this does mean more consideration than just putting on football tournaments or going fishing or dance classes though.

    Always happy to chat about this subject so please do get in touch if anyone wants to discuss further

    [Reply]

    Posted by Mike Amos-Simpson | October 15, 2008, 5:49 pm

  2. Hi Mike

    Having read your comment i am agreeable with your comment on being specific about what that means and tracking of these activities.

    We look at positive activiities within a participation framework and i was really, really inspired by Nicole’s interview and comments.

    Also positive activities can be very powerful when used by Youth Service.

    [Reply]

    Posted by Karen Little | November 19, 2008, 11:43 am

  3. Hi Karen is good to hear other people using it in a participation framework too. I’m planning to develop an online version of our own method for doing youth participation work using a practical activities/positive development approach - theres a bit of early ideas here:

    http://www.breakfastsociety.com/2008/11/digital-youth-work-appreciating-the-environment/

    [Reply]

    Posted by Mike Amos-Simpson | November 20, 2008, 7:08 pm

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