Youth and Community Work (with JNC Recognition) – MSc

Why study this course?

This Youth and Community Work (with JNC recognition) MSc is a National Youth Agency (NYA) and Endorsements Standards Board (ESB) approved qualification. The course leads to Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) recognition, which means you’ll become a JNC-qualified Professional Youth Worker and Community Development Practitioner when you successfully complete the course.

More about this course

If you’re looking to start your career in the sector or want to increase your employment opportunities, this is the perfect course for you.

You may be working as a youth and/or community worker already in the voluntary, public or independent sector. This course will lead to JNC recognition, which can open the door to opportunities in this sector.

Recent graduates are now employed in full-time positions in youth and community work. Because of this, they’re now able to offer placements and JNC supervision in various voluntary and third-sector organisations.

Our Youth and Community Work master’s degree includes 400 hours of practical experience carried out via a placement, equipping you to meet industry requirements. You’ll spend a minimum of 50% of this time working with young people. Typically you’ll work closely with 13 to 19-year-olds, but this could be extended to 11 to 25-year-olds.

Drawing on the values of social justice and anti-oppressive practice, you’ll learn about theory, trauma-informed practice, policy and practice to help you develop a mix of academic and vocational skills. You’ll also learn about challenges facing the sector and develop key skills, such as pitching for funding, that will help you to work through these challenges.

Our course meets JNC requirements, adheres to the NYA code of conduct, the National Occupational Standards for Youth Work (2019) and Community Development National Occupational Standards (2015). This means you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of professional boundaries and knowledge that supports sound and safe practice.

Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll understand professional requirements, and be able to identify oppression in all forms. On top of this, you’ll also be able to recognise true participation and use your voice effectively to represent young people and wider communities.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:

Assessed Practice in Youth and Community Work (core, 60 credits)

Designing Youth and Community Research (core, 20 credits)

Introduction to Youth and Community Work (core, 20 credits)

Public Service Design and Innovation (core, 20 credits)

Trauma, Mental Health and Well-being (core, 20 credits)

Commissioning Youth and Community Services (option, 20 credits)

Community Activism (option, 20 credits)

Community, Continuity and Change (option, 20 credits)

Digital Journalism (option, 20 credits)

Digital Storytelling (option, 20 credits)

Digital Video Production (option, 20 credits)

Games and Gamification (option, 20 credits)

Managing Teams (option, 20 credits)

Public Management and Public Finance (option, 20 credits)

Where this course can take you

Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be able to practise as a JNC-qualified Professional Youth Worker and Community Development Practitioner. Due to the practical nature of this course, you’ll have strong employability connections with former students and placement organisations.

Our graduates have gone on to work in a range of organisations, including local authority social services departments, mental health trusts, drugs and alcohol services, children’s centres, social prescribing, and in A&E with young victims of knife crime, among others.

You could also progress to senior youth and community positions, including management and supervisory roles. If you demonstrate research potential on this course, you may also be encouraged to undertake doctoral studies.