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Click the title for the link
I just read this and although it's in reference to Connexions PA's (I'm a keyworker partly funded by connexions) I think it fairly represents my job as a keyworker, the bit i've highlighted is right, we don't know if we'll have jobs after next March, so please can we get some long term security in OUR jobs, I know through experience that there are a lot of very very, very good Keyworkers & PAs doing a very very VERY VERY stressful, difficult job. There is a real need for this service and it is a very valuable one, I hope that whoever is responsible for making the decision regarding it's future funding understands this and backs Connexions (and me obviously) long term.
Sometimes we are making new contacts and maintaining relationships. Here we may simply greet people, ask how they are getting on, or talk about some TV programme or what they were doing last night. In terms of evaluating our work and reporting it to managers we can discuss this in terms of the number of contacts we make.
At other times we put on sessions or take part in activities and groups. This involves a more intense working relationship. We are looking to the processes in the group or the exchange; thinking about the subject matter; and trying to foster opportunities that can help people to gain better understandings, develop skills and to explore their values and feelings. We can think about these situations in terms of participants in sessions.
Last, there are times when we are dealing with sensitive questions - perhaps one-to-one or in a small group. We could describe this as counselling - but we prefer 'working with'. This is because we take counselling to be a specialist activity drawing heavily on psycho-dynamic insights. Educational approaches make some use of such insights but draw mainly from other, developmental, traditions. Examples here may be working with individuals around their family relationships or their strategies when dealing with social security officials. Here we may think of people as ‘clients’ and describe it as ‘casework’. This term may indicate a long-term approach that seeks to explore how individuals can handle problem relationships and situations.
From this we can see that the work of the same person may fall into different categories at various moments. To do casework we have to be known and to have contacts. The need for particular projects may emerge out of casework or from casual conversation. Each is dependent on the other. Again we are brought back to the false separation of informal and formal approaches.
Taken from Tony Jeffs and Mark K. Smith (2005) Informal Education. Conversation, democracy and learning, Nottingham: Educational Heretics Press.
Posted by rufusmusic on 6/9/05; 11:29:20 PM
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Thats a nice first word to read when you open a letter, I passed my foundation course.
Posted by rufusmusic on 11/7/05; 9:35:15 PM
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I handed my coursework in today for the youth and community studies foundation course I've been on since last October, and got a new contract as full time play keyworker through the post this morning so thats been signed and returned.
Posted by rufusmusic on 15/6/05; 1:07:39 PM
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To anyone who feels the need to be offended by anything I say or do.
Fuck the lot of you.
Posted by rufusmusic on 17/5/05; 12:45:18 PM
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I've finished all but 2 modules of my coursework, we had the last session last week and I've got the last session of my placement tomorrow before we evaluate the project next week.
Just took a few pics, there's a new shopping centre at bentley bridge that they've decided to light up in blue for the first time tonight.
Posted by rufusmusic on 18/4/05; 10:54:27 PM
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Went in for my foundation course yesterday and my tutor said our club had got another mention in the Express & Star, a big thankyou to Cllr Phil Bateman for his support for the Skate Club and their efforts to get a Skate Park in Ashmore.
From http://www.philbateman.com
Ashmore Park Youth Club continues to impress the Ashmore Park Police Liaison Committee with its attempts to involve the youth on the estate and the Youth Workers enthusiasm for their role.
Councillor Phil Bateman said " there is always a lot of attention on what is not working and very little attention given to what is working. I am so impressed with the way that the Youth Workers are taking up their roles. There is a real effort being made to get young people into sport and other activities that interest them.
I am as pleased as punch that for instance on Monday nights the Wolves football coaching is attracting upwards of 80 -100 young people. I am also pleased that the APYC is supporting the development of skateboarding and the call for a new skate park. I think it is brilliant that the youngsters from APYC made their own presentation to the recent Wednesfield Forum asking for funding to develop the skate park on Ashmore Park.
I know when I am campaigning for this funding that I am backed by a very enthusiastic bunch of young people that want to take on this development, not only that but want to involve them selves in the design and construction. Indeed the Youth Club is heavily involved in designs for the ramps that skate boarders use.
I am very keen to see the City Council do their part and help provide the resources for a skate park here in the Ward. I am meeting with the Leader of the Council soon. I shall certainly be arguing strongly with my colleague Councillor Dave Jones for some heavy weight backing for this leisure facility.
That is not the only things going on in the APYC there is a huge rumour circulating the estate that a 'band' has been formed and the music is good. We are all waiting for its debut! Other projects taking youngsters interest is a 'virtual babies' programme and sex and health education, singing drama and an alternative sports project. The Youth Workers are trying all they can to break up gangs that are not part of the organised events, and are trying to attract them into the structure. There is also a recruitment drive to find two more staff to help with the programme. As I have said I think those that are involved with APYC are doing a brilliant job and I fully support them in their endeavours."
Posted by rufusmusic on 4/2/05; 9:33:38 AM
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for me anyway.
After handing my notice in I got called in to the civic centre to speak to the staff development and principal officers about my situation, and after explaining it they offered me another post, as a part time keyworker, and with hours I'm already doing this pretty much gives me the equivelent of a full time job, until one becomes available.
I went in today to sign the contract so it's all confirmed, and obviously I'm very bloody happy.
Posted by rufusmusic on 12/1/05; 5:37:26 PM
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I haven't heard anything about my interview yet but I have to hand my notice in for my part time job today, I don't have much choice thanks to the wonderful DWP, you're only allowed 12 months permitted work on benefits and that ends on 2nd Jan, I had 3 options, one is increase my hours to 16 and apply for working tax credit, I've asked about this and been told no, I'm already on the most part time hours in the sector, or I can give up my benefits, which I'd love to do, and obviously would if I ever get a full time job again, but for now I can't afford to live on the wages I'm getting, so the last option is to quit, not much of a choice at all really.
Posted by rufusmusic on 2/12/04; 12:28:43 PM
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There were about 40 applicants there today, fortunately I knew a few of them already so that helped settle my nerves.
After introductions and an ice-breaker we broke off into smaller groups and worked on the task of re-selling a peg, for which I made up a catchy little ditty that I'll spare you from. The second part was the hardest, we had to write a response to a mock refferal, the main idea of which was to check our literacy and presentation and finally we had some 'are you in favour of/against the follwing statement' discussions, one of the people in my last group was a bit of a tosser, trying to make an impression, talking over people and acting like he knew it all when he obviously didn't, but apart form that it went well. I'll find out in the next week if I've got a formal interview or not.
Posted by rufusmusic on 24/11/04; 11:42:44 PM
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I've reached the end of my Introductory course, I just have to give my presentation tonight and hand in my - nearly finished - coursework by the 29th.
I also handed in an application for a key worker position of either 17 or 37 hours today.
Posted by rufusmusic on 9/6/04; 2:56:03 PM
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"Jack Petchey was born in July 1925 in the East End of London, England. From a background with very few advantages he became a prominent businessman and property developer.
In 1945 at the end of the Second World War Jack Petchey left the navy and became a clerk. He was told by the personnel officer of his firm: "You'll never make a businessman". However, this discouraging remark did not prevent him from becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Britain!
Although many charitable projects have been supported in recent years by Jack Petchey, a Charitable Foundation was formed in 1999 to support projects in East London and West Essex. "
Thanks to DW for the link.
Posted by rufusmusic on 1/6/04; 10:28:57 PM
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"assorted forms
Application form for part-time taught programme (Funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation) [pdf 26kb]."
Just researching some info for my course work and noticed this, I've no idea if its the same as 'our' Petchey, anyone know?
Posted by rufusmusic on 1/6/04; 8:51:37 PM
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I was suprised some of you asked for me to post more on this, as with the previous posting, part of coursework I'm doing asks us to answer the following question;
Youth and Community work has changed and developed considerably over the years. Choose 3 key historical developments and explain how you feel they changed the direction and practice of the service.
My first chosen key moment was the formation of the YMCA in 1844 the second I have chosen to write about is;
1939 – State recognition for the youth service
As stated in the handout provided in session 6, the Second World War “saw a massive shift in emphasis in regard to youth work” and the reason I have chosen this development as my second key historical event is outlined by the following comment from Chapter one of the ablemarle report (1960), “What the [Education] Board did at the start of the war was to bring these three parties, State, education authority and voluntary organisation, into a working arrangement to which the term “Youth Service” has ever since been given.”
The ablemarle report, also tells us that, “In 1939 the Board of Education called the Youth Service into being with the issue of a single circular.” Something, it states, “could not have happened, but for what had gone before”.
Where previously, as covered in the first key development, youth work had mainly been delivered by (usually middle/upper class) philanthropists with spare time and money, then by Voluntary organisations such as the YMCA and later the YWCA (1851), Boys Brigade (1883), Girls Friendly Society (1875), and, after the turn of the century the Boy Scouts (1907) and Girls Guides (1920), subsequently, LEA’s (Local Education Authorities) had started to recognise the value of youth work and were “trying to help and co-ordinate the voluntary work in their areas through juvenile organisations committees” and the State also tried to “promote social and physical training and recreation” during the ‘30’s, but the outbreak of world war 2 prompted LEA’s and the Board of Education to work with the voluntary bodies, to enable parents to provide valuable support for the war effort, the board stated in circular 1486 that they would undertake “a direct responsibility for youth welfare “. Money was made available, and Youth Clubs, linked to schools, churches and public buildings, saw rapid growth.
In later circulars the Education Board made clear they saw the youth service as a permanent part of education, which it has been to this day. Although, of course, the service has changed in many ways as society has developed and evolved over the years.
Later, the Education Act of 1944 ratified these actions by making it a legal obligation for authorities to do what they had previously done through good-will, sadly though, as is often the case, funding became an obstacle and by the end of the 1940’s the focus, and funding were directed towards more school places and technical education.
Information from Youth & Community Introductory Course and http://www.infed.org
Posted by rufusmusic on 27/5/04; 3:06:30 PM
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I don't work Tuesdays, but I went in at 10.30am yesterday to get some reports done, for the Towers trip and for the IT room sessions I'm running at Ashmore Park.
I also had (and still have plenty more) course work to do, we have 2 sessions left (tonight and a fortnights time), for the final session we will have to do a presentation to an independent assesor, and for this task we were put into pairs, so as I was unable to attend the session on Saturday, due to the Towers residential, my collegue and I agreed to meet up at Ashmore yesterday afternoon to work on it. So after I'd finished my reports and drawing up the programme of activities for next week, Whit week (note to self: I have to add this to the ampyc website later), we sat and discussed the presentation, we also talked about a few other things, as my colleague is a supply teacher and already has a degree, he was telling me about why he was doing this Youth & Community Introduction Course, saying that it would enable him to get a post-grad qualification, and qualify him for mentoring in schools, something he is already doing, and he explained to me how I could get involved which could come in very useful if I don't get increased hours where I am presently.
I left around 5pm to go to another training course in the evening, for child protection, although I nearly didn't make it, after getting off the bus in Wolverhampton I started to cross over a road at a set of traffic lights which changed to amber just as I was going across, a bloke in a car identical to Mac's starting pulling away and just stopped in time, his bumper was touching my leg and I had to put my hand down in the middle of his bonnet to stop from falling over, I just looked at him and said, "you're a bit keen aren't you" and carried on walking.
The Child Protection Training was very interesting, although I had issues with a few of the things being discussed, and bought them up with Roger Beach, the Custodian of Wolverhampton's Child Protection Register, who was delivering the session, he took my comments well, and we had an interesting discussion which resulted in him inviting me to work on and deliver future sessions, and we both agreed to arrange a meeting.
The handouts we were given were very useful and outline how to deal with disclosures of abuse and the correct course of action to take, which will be useful when these issues arise in the future.
I eventually got back hom around 10.30pm, and then back out again this morning for 9.30am. This time to Park Village media and resource centre for an assesment on their audio recording equipment.
I originally became involved in Youth and Community work here, having met Steve Wiffin last year and explaining my interest in music production, he asked me to come in for an open day they were having to explain what the equipment they have is capable of, it was he who, after hearing me talk to visitors about my views on youth work, asked me to apply for a job with the council.
So I spent 2 hours there this morning going through what I know about audio recording, and passed, so I'm now able to deliver specialist programmes teaching midi sequencing and audio recording.
Next I need to draw up a scheme of work and some lesson plans, spend a few days getting comfortable with using their equipment, and contact some people who want to make use of the services I can offer so I can get some more work.
Now I have a few hours to myself until I go to my next Youth and Community session this evening.
Posted by rufusmusic on 26/5/04; 1:10:34 PM
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I spent an hour updating my blog, and like the complete tit I am sometimes I forgot to copy the text before I clicked to create the news item, and the site had gone down, doh.
In my defence it's been a long weekend, and to be fair I have had a great time overall.
The Towers is owned by Wolverhampton City Council and is near Betws-Y-Coed, on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, in north Wales.
Below are the pictures I took, I might re-write and post what I wrote tomrrow.
 
 
 
Posted by rufusmusic on 23/5/04; 9:18:38 PM
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A Big thanks to Steve and Mac, as my youth clubs new blog has just gone 'live', the link in the title goes to Wolves City Council website, and the link there goes to the blog I've been working on for Ashmore Park, there's not a huge amount of content at present, it's up to the young people to make it into what they want.
I believe we're the first YC in Wolverhampton to have our own website.
If anyone reads as far as the feedback sick means good, it was new to me as well. 
Posted by rufusmusic on 19/5/04; 3:22:05 PM
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From today's (17/05/04) Express & Star, page 7
Work by community groups on an estate in Wednesfield has been praised. Councillor Phil Bateman said there had been a lot of publicity focussing on the youths causing problems on the Ashmore Park estate.
But he said plans for a new skate park for youngsters, a Saturday morning football league and the Ashmore Park youth club were making a big difference to the area.
The Wednesfield North councillor said: "A band of energetic youth workers have worked very hard to provide a range of facilities for the youth of the estate."
This is all about the work we've been doing at Ashmore Park, myself and my boss Colin have only been there since January, although he has many years experience, and I've learnt a lot from him, It's just a pity that this type of good news gets buried on page 7, if it were a story about some of these young people getting into trouble it would have been all over the frontpage no doubt, still, I'm pleased that what we're doing is being recognised.
This follows on from the Ofsted inspection we had last Monday, which took place when we had only 4 workers and over 100 young people in the centre, we got the feedback on Thursday, they have given us the highest mark you can get, and we're being held up as an example of good practice across Wolverhampton, an achievement I'm proud to be a part of.
Posted by rufusmusic on 17/5/04; 8:45:34 PM
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"...Our society is changing rapidly and profoundly.
There are a number of assumptions we can no longer make.
1. That it is the duty of the individual to accept and adapt to society: on the contrary education aims to help people to change their society where it needs to be changed.
2. That older people know everything that younger people need to know.
3. That there is a consensus about beliefs and conduct which is transmitted from the past and has to be accepted by the young: theirs not to reason why.
4. That older people know what kind of a society we want to have in Britain and it is the role of the young to learn what this is and work for it.
Positively, if "political education" is to take a worthy place in youth work it must be an invitation to join in a discussion about the kind of country they want to live in: a sharing of agreed moral tasks, a common striving for a vision across the generations: they should be given more freedom [page 9] and more responsibility.
They are to be the active, not the sleeping partners, in a social enterprise. Only in this way, can a new patriotism be born.(4) "
bookmarked for my benefit
Posted by rufusmusic on 3/5/04; 4:09:47 PM
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"Parents are responsible for badly behaved pupils, a headteachers' union leader will argue."
Exactly what I've been saying, the trouble is, most of them are more interested in watching emmerdale or eastenders than in spending any amount of time finding out what's going on in their kids lives.
Just like their parents, most kids are all about their rights and not interested in the repsonsibilities that go with them.
Posted by rufusmusic on 3/5/04; 5:04:55 AM
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Thats what I've been spending most of my time on lately, part of the coursework asks us to answer the following question;
Youth and Community work has changed and developed considerably over the years. Choose 3 key historical developments and explain how you feel they changed the direction and practice of the service.
My first answer is;
1844 – YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) formed;
The origins of youth work can be traced back much earlier than the formation of the YMCA, such as, to the Sunday schools which emerged in the seventeenth century, later promoted and taken forward by people such as Robert Raikes (1735-1811), who, for example, has been credited by many with pioneering Sunday schools in the 1780’s, and Hannah More (1745-1833), described as ‘the most influential female philanthropist of her day’, by Patricia Demmers (1996). Hannah More, with her sister Martha, set up their first Sunday school in 1789, followed by more than a dozen others over the next 10 years.
Following on from these, in the early nineteenth century, came ragged schools, “ragged schools provided for children and young people who were excluded by virtue of their poverty from other forms of schooling.” Mark K. Smith (1999, 2002), like Sunday schools, these were a lot more informal than mainstream schools, within both of these it is possible to see the foundations of some of the key principles or modern youth work, informal education, and equality of opportunity (albeit fostered by fears borne of the French revolution some years earlier).
In the summer of 1844, discussions above a drapers shop in St Paul’s Churchyard led to the formation of the YMCA, by George Williams and others, which has gone on in subsequent years to grow, from strength to strength, into a worldwide movement. I have chosen this as my first key historical event as it was the first dedicated youth organisation, and one that I believe has had a very significant impact on youth work to this day.
It is through the formation of the YMCA that we see the birth of the other two principles of modern youth work, firstly, that of participation, with the organisation, of, by and for young men, this being a significant step change in the way youth work was approached. Whilst the Sunday and ragged schools previously, were organisations that had been set-up and/or run by philanthropists, for the benefit of young people, we can say that the YMCA was a truly paticipative movement which also continued the principles of education and equality, and also bringing about empowerment by allowing young people the opportunity to improve their own and their peers social conditions.
I've also been writing a few pages on what I've been learning at each session, but I won't bore you with all that as well
Posted by rufusmusic on 30/4/04; 10:24:18 AM
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"News Bulletins from CYWU Front page news information JNC Dispute and Strike Action update.
There has been a very good response by members and Branches to the strike action tomorrow. There has been a lot of media interest especially in the local press. Lots of pickets and lobbies have been organised. We are also meeting at an extended joint secretarial meeting with the employers at 11.00am in the morning. "
Yep, we're on strike tomorrow, well we're supposed to be, but I don't work Tuesdays 
I'll make an effort to get down to the picket line though.
Posted by rufusmusic on 26/4/04; 10:02:30 PM
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I printed out the guide to becoming a youth worker from the NYA site last week and just read it. It covers the same sort of ground that we're going over on the Introductory Training course I started last Wednesday. I now know that, 'state recognition for the youth service dates from the outbreak of war in 1939' and also that the four conerstones of youth work are Education, Empowerment, Participation and Equality of Opportunity.
At the end of the guide is a list of further reading which I've added to my amazon wish list, all £112 worth.
Youth Work (BASW Practical Social Work Series)
Tony Jeffs, Mark Smith
The Art of Youth Work
by Kerry Young
Foundations
by Alan Rogers
Delivering Good Youth Work: A Working Guide to Surviving and Thriving
by Gina Ingram, Jean Harris
Young People, Inequality and Youth Work
by Tony Jeffs
Informal Education: Conversation, Democracy and Learning
by Tony Jeffs, Mark Smith
Ethical Issues in Youth Work (Professional Ethics S.)
by Sarah Banks
I've been lent the book above from the CP&Y library and have started reading it
The RHP Companion to Working with Young People
by Fiona Factor (Editor), et al
If you fancy sending me any of these it would be most appreciated
Posted by rufusmusic on 25/4/04; 2:04:30 PM
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I spoke to someone at work today about the chance of a full time position working with young travellers and asylum seekers which seems promising, at the minute I work part time at a youth club in a mainly white area and they get money all the time, they have great facilities, the area I live in has mostly ethnic minorites and gets next to eff all, yet still you have white english people believing that someone a different colour/race to them is taking something they could be getting.
Posted by rufusmusic on 23/4/04; 9:31:16 PM
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