Global youth work principles and practice
Global Youth Work is good youth work
Young people are connected to the world through food, clothes and music; via the internet and other media; through their concerns about justice, poverty and the environment; and through the economic and social forces that shape their lives.
The increasingly interconnected world brings exciting new opportunities for learning, communication and action, and for developing a sense of ‘global citizenship’, however, global changes have also lead to inequality and conflict. The scale of issues such as poverty or terrorism can be overwhelming and confronting them can result in a feeling of powerlessness. Starting where young people are, global youth work brings the local and the global into focus, developing a critical understanding of the links between them and equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to take action.
Ten key principles provide the foundation for the development of Global Youth Work.
Global Youth Work …
1. starts from young people’s experiences and encourages their personal, social and political development
2. works to informal education principles and offers opportunities that are educational, participative, empowering and designed to promote equality of opportunity
3. is based on an agenda that has been negotiated with young people
4. engages young people in critical analysis of local and global influences on their own lives and communities
5. encourages an understanding of the world based on the historical process of globalisation
6. recognises that the relationships between, and within, the North and South are characterised by inequalities caused by globalisation
7. promotes the values of justice and equity in personal, local and global relationships
8. encourages an understanding of, and appreciation for, diversity - locally and globally
9. sees the people and organisations of both the North and South as equal partners for change in a shared and interdependent world
10. encourages action that builds alliances to bring about change.
Questions, comments, ideas, etc. on Global Youth Work are always welcome. Contact DEA's Youth Programme Manager, James Edleston on 020 7922 7936 or james.edleston@dea.org.uk.