A day in the life of a youth worker
This week is National Youth Work week in the UK and to mark the occasion I thought I’d write our blog post about what a typical day in my work life looks like... If you’re considering a role in youth work, or if you just wonder what we get up to, then this is for you!
Although my job with Active8 is as a Project Coordinator, youth work is a huge part of my day-to-day role. We always post on social media when we’re doing flashing and cool looking events… but there is SO much more that goes into running Active8 behind the scenes.
A day in the life of a youth worker… I INSTANTLY found this blog impossible because no two days are ever exactly the same and that’s one of the things that I love most about youth work! There’s so much variety. What I’m up to depends if it’s an event day or a planning day, if I’m in the office or working from home, what time of year we’re in, and so many other factors.
Some days I’ll do no paperwork at all, and other days that takes up most the time! But here’s my best attempt at a ‘typical’ day (even though I did choose to write about a day that had a bit of variety)…
7:00 AM
Get up and get ready for the day! For me, this includes a cup of coffee and a walk down to the park with our German Shepherd, Nora.
9:00 AM
Hop in the car and head toward the office.
10:00 AM
On the way to the office, I often stop off to check the access at a venue that I’m considering for an upcoming event.
When using somewhere new for events, I like to be able to visit before booking so that I can picture how we can use the space and check that the venue is suitable for the event, especially as our attendees often have access requirements.
10:30 AM
I arrive in the office, get my laptop set up at my desk, grab a coffee, and crack on with some planning or some paperwork.
This could be anything and there’s a lot of admin to get through… checking my emails, contacting new venues to find out if they’re accessible, booking to attend conferences, completing online training, updating the Active8 social media accounts, booking upcoming events, confirming event timings and travel arrangements with attendees, writing activity risk assessments, writing up notes or evaluations from previous events… or maybe writing a new blog post!
MIDDAY
Lunch and a catch up with one of our members at the café.
One of my favourite parts of my job is working with our members 1:1; finding out about what’s been happening in their lives since I last saw them and being there to listen when times are tough… usually over lunch or a coffee and a cake.
Each 1:1 catch up is different depending on what each persons goals are… I might be helping them research accessible accommodation, supporting them if they are experiencing low mental health, supporting them to write personal statements for job or university applications, or just being there as a non-judgemental listener… plus so much more!
2:00 PM
Team meeting.
We have a weekly catch up as a team to make sure we all know what everyone else is working on and so we can bounce ideas off each other. We look use our calendars to look ahead to events, conferences and training that we have coming up and divide work tasks between the team.
This usually includes a chat with Stacey (our Fundraiser) about possible funding options and whether any upcoming events would be suitable for funding bids she’s found.
4:00 PM
Jump back into the car and travel down to Truro for our Trustee meeting in the evening.
6:00 PM
Meeting with our Board of Trustees.
Every other month staff meet with our Board of Trustees who are responsible for keeping us on track!
At these meetings I give an update on our Acceler8 and Illumin8 projects; how many people come along to activities, what we’ve been up to, what I’m planning for upcoming months, and any problems we’ve had.
Trustees also get a general update from John (our Active8 CEO), a funding update from Stacey, and a budget update from Paul (our Active8 Treasurer). We also have biscuits and… a cup of coffee…
7:30 PM
Travel home.
9:00 PM
Arrive home, update my hours and expenses, double check my diary for tomorrow and clock off!
Read next
Read our blog about support for families in Cornwall.
Find out more about becoming a youth worker.
Watch this space for an upcoming blog about the work of our Trustees.
Watch this space for an upcoming blog about how to run a fundraising event.
About the author
I’m Lindsey. After 3 years as a volunteer for Active8, in January 2020 I secured my position working for the charity as a Project Coordinator.
My role involves working with disabled young people across Cornwall to build their confidence, plan and deliver a range of independent living sessions, organise activities to encourage friendships, and provide the group with opportunities to try new things.
I'm new to blogging but Active8 has taught me to be bold, get stuck in, and try new things!
The small print made big
The Active8 blog is designed as a platform for our members and the disabled community to share their personal experiences and discussions which they are passionate about. Any views and opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of our charity.
To the best of our knowledge, the information in blog posts was accurate at the time of publication. Please contact the Active8 manager if you believe any content is incorrect or if you consider any content to be offensive or inappropriate: manager@active8online.org
Where information in blogs has been taken from third party sources, every attempt has been made to give appropriate credit.
From time to time, writers may receive sponsorship, cash payment, free products, services and/or other forms of compensation from companies and organisations that they promote. Active8 will accept no form of payment for blog content or advertising.
Unless otherwise stated, our blogs (and any links they may contain) are not written or reviewed by medical professionals and do not provide health/lifestyle advice. They are not suitable for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any suggestions these blogs contain are based on the writer’s personal experience. Should you have any concerns about your health (including mental health) then we advise you should speak with your GP or consultant, in the first instance, or call 999 in an emergency.
