UWTSD Lecturers travel to Helsinki to share their Youth Work knowledge.
21.10.2022
Lecturers from The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Childhood, Youth and Education discipline travelled to Helsinki to take part in a Conference on Higher Education in Youth Work recently.
Academic Director Dr Nichola Welton, and Programme Director and Senior Lecturer Youth Work and Social Education Angharad Lewis were invited to this event as part of an international initiative, in order to share their significant experience and knowledge within the field of youth work.
The EU CoE Youth Partnership, the SALTO Training and Cooperation, together with Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture, the National Agencies of Erasmus+ Youth, Germany and Finland, Ireland, Serbia, Georgia and Portugal, initiated a Peer Learning Activity on the Education and Training of Youth Workers.
As part of the implementation of the Peer Learning Activity, Humak University of Applied Sciences, Finland, organised an Expert Meeting on Higher Education in Youth Work on 20-23 September 2022 in Helsinki, Finland. The participants of the expert seminar represented higher education institutions providing or planning higher education in youth work, and the government ministries responsible for the development of youth work in the participating country.
The aim of the Peer Learning Activity was to develop a shared understanding of quality youth worker education and training between the participating countries, and to make a step further into cross-sectoral cooperation, to study country approaches with regard to the formal education and training of youth workers, to examine the competence development of youth workers, and to explore how European and international standards, tools and approaches can be applied in such a context, and to create a network of educators in higher education of youth work.
As expert panel participants, both Dr Nichola Welton and Angharad Lewis contributed their own experience and reflections on developing UWTSDs Youth Work portfolio including the BA (Hons) Youth Work and Social Education (ETS Endorsed), and the MA Youth Work and Social Education (ETS Endorsed). Such opportunities to share experiences will allow UWTSD to inform international planning and practice as well as gain significant collaboration opportunities. The invitation to contribute to the Peer Learning Activity also underpins the value given to UWTSD's Youth Work team in terms of expertise in Youth Work education and research.
Dr Nichola Welton said:
"It was a very valuable experience to have the opportunity to engage with 15 European Universities that deliver Youth Work training at an Expert Seminar hosted by Humak University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki. This will lead to building connections and foundations for further collaborative opportunities. The seminar clearly highlighted how non-formal education through Youth work is highly valued in Finland alongside formal education, and how Youth work can contribute to providing the basis for promoting positive mental health and well-being as well as wider opportunities for Young People in society".
Angharad Lewis said:
"It was a privilege to represent UWTSD and Wales at the Expert Seminar in Helsinki, and to exchange good practice with others across Europe. We have built many links which we hope to explore further. This was an empowering experience, and showcased Youth Work's value across Europe".
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