Sophie Martin has her placement with YG and talks about her experience so far.

I am a student youth worker based at Young Gloucestershire. I’m in my second year at the University of Gloucestershire studying the three year BA Hons in Youth Work degree. I am studying youth work and want to become a qualified youth worker because I want to enable and facilitate young people’s personal and social development in a positive and worthwhile way. I think that the informal education that youth work offers young people is invaluable and can provide them with the opportunity to discuss and explore trending and relevant topics in a safe and secure environment.

Young Gloucestershire has provided me with a varied experience of youth work. I have had both the generic setting view of youth work and the development team side of youth work. I have been placed working with young people in youth clubs, school settings and development programmes.

Last year my placement with Young Gloucestershire consisted of Stonehouse Youth Club, Caincross Youth Club, St. Pauls Youth Club, Bishops Cleeve Youth Club, Doorstep Sports Club and Realising Ambition work. This year my placement with Young Gloucestershire has seen me assist on the Autumn NCS programme and deliver weekly sessions on employment at Social Enterprise.

From the experiences Young Gloucestershire has provided me with I have learnt a great deal around professional conduct, young people participation and engagement and the ethics and values of youth work.  I look forward to continuing my professional practice development with whatever this year holds for me at Young Gloucestershire.