OCR Certificate for Part-time Youth Workers: Northern Ireland
The OCR (formerly RSA) Certificate for Part-time Youth Workers: Northern Ireland replaced the old Foundation and Post-Foundation Training programmes and is open to anyone over the age of 20 working with children and young people either in a part-time or voluntary capacity. Consideration will also be given to suitably experienced candidates who are under 20 and over 18 years.
The Certificate is laid out as a series of Units of Competence (7 in total) which are further sub-divided into elements of competence (20 in total). Each element lists a number of performance requirements which participants must satisfy, so tasks are clear and key elements of competence are explicit.
Participants in the course are provided with a portfolio setting out the contents of the course. The portfolio provides a means of producing evidence of how performance criteria are met by recording and certificating a range of both previous and current experience in basic youth work practice. The scheme aims to assess the competences required by those who work with children and young people in a part-time or voluntary capacity. Assessment will cover areas of personal growth, acquisition of skills and the implementation of these skills in the workplace. Participants will be helped to develop a range of evaluation methods and encouraged to evaluate their own progress through the range of competences.
Units
| Unit 1 | Identify the aims and objectives of youth work |
| Unit 2 | Plan and deliver a youth work programme relevant to the needs of an identified group of young people |
| Unit 3 | Develop awareness of self and sensitivity to others to enhance performance |
| Unit 4 | Promote equality of opportunity |
| Unit 5 | Communicate with individuals and groups |
| Unit 6 | Work with groups and with individuals in a youth work setting |
| Unit 7 | Work effectively with colleagues and young people |
Participants in the course are free to choose the youth work setting in which they wish to work. It can be in a statutory or voluntary youth club, urban or rural, uniformed or non-uniformed, church-based, etc.
Candidates interested in obtaining a place on the Certificate course should contact any of the centres listed below in the first instance. General enquiries about the course can be addressed to:
John McCormick, Professional Adviser (Training), Youth Council for Northern Ireland, Forestview, Purdys Lane, BELFAST, BT8 7AR. Tel: 028.9064.3882, Fax: 028.9064.3874, E-mail: jmccormick@youthcouncil-ni.org.uk
Course Centres
Youth Service Branch, Belfast E&LB, 40 Academy Street, Belfast, BT1 2LS,
Tel: 028.9056.4000, Fax: 028.9033.1714
Youth Service Branch, South Eastern E&LB, Grahamsbridge Road, Dundonald,
Belfast, BT16 0HS, Tel: 028.9056.6938, Fax: 028.9041.0176
Youth Service Branch, North Eastern E&LB, County Hall, 182 Galgorm Road,
Ballymena, Tel: 028.2565.3333, Fax:028.2566.2238
Youth Service Branch, Southern E&LB, 3 Charlemont Place, The Mall, Armagh,
BT61 9AX, Tel: 028.3752.3811, Fax: 028.3751.2491
Youth Service Branch, Western E&LB, 1 Hospital Road, Omagh, BT79 0AW, Tel:
028.8241.1487, Fax:028.8241.1403
YouthAction NI, Hampton, Glenmachan Park, Belfast, BT4 2PJ, Tel: 028.9076.0067,
Fax: 028.9076.8799
YouthLink NI, 143a
University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HP, Tel: 028.9032.3217, Fax: 028.9032.3247
PHAB, Mourne Villa, Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Saintfield Road, Belfast,
BT8 8BH, Tel: 028.9079.6565, Fax: 028.9079.6070
Catholic Girl Guides of Ireland, 328 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 2GZ, Tel: 028.9074.0835,
Fax: 028.9074.1331