There are a number of routes to become a youth worker, and a number of qualifications available at different levels. 

The three most common routes to become a youth worker are: 

  • Apprenticeship 
  • Youth Support Worker 
  • Professional Youth Worker 

You can find out more about the three main routes into Youth Work below and more about the various qualifications available  further down the page. 

Read the CYPNow Guide to Youth Work

This short guide we wrote for Children and Young People Now explains the various routes into youth work

Routes into Youth Work 

  • Apprenticeship 
    • Level 3 Youth Work Practice  
    • Level 6 Integrated Degree  

An apprenticeship is a way for an individual to earn while they learn in a real job gaining. There are two apprenticeships which are recognised by the JNC, Youth Support Worker and Youth Worker. You can read about these apprentices on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website. www.instituteforapprenticeships.org 

As an employer hiring an apprentice provides you with the opportunity to develop workers’ talents and gain a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.  

If you are interested in becoming or employing an apprentice, you can find out more here www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/ 

Check out our L3 and L6 FAQs here

  • Youth Support Worker 
    • Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles 
    • Level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice  
    • Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice  
    • Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice   

 A youth support worker is a youth worker who has achieved a Level 2 or 3 qualification listed above. These are qualifications for people who work with young people using youth work principles and practice.  The Level 2 is for 16+ age group and the Level 3 is aimed at the 18+ age group.   

The NYA does not hold details of where you can undertake Level 2 or Level 3 qualifications, this information is held by the approved awarding organisations.   

Approved awarding organisations :

  • Agored Cymru – www.agored.cymru/Home  
  • NOCN – www.nocn.org.uk  
  • Open Awards – openawards.org.uk  
  • Skills and Education Group – skillsandeducationgroupawards.co.uk  
  • The AIM Group – www.aim-group.org.uk  

Keep an eye on the NYA website and social channels for details of bursaries for Level 2 and 3 Youth Work qualifications. These free youth work qualifications are delivered with our Regional Youth Work Unit partners across England.

  • Professional Youth Worker  – Degree and post-graduate level learning 
    • BA (Hons)
    • BSC (Hons)
    • Level 6 Integrated Degree
    • PG Diploma
    • MA
    • MSc

You can gain professional youth worker status by studying an undergraduate or postgraduate programme which is endorsed by the NYA and conferring professional youth worker status as recognised by the JNC. A list of the current courses available is here www.nya.org.uk/professional-youth-work-qualifications/ 

JNC recognition ensures your course reflects the current demands of the role and that the course delivers a suitable level of work experience too. You cannot change the status of your degree later so think carefully before embarking on a course of study which is not JNC recognised.  

Whilst most universities will have entry requirements, all institutions offering youth and community courses will welcome applications from those without academic qualifications providing they have relevant experience and interest in working with young people. 

Available Qualifications

Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice (Apprenticeship) 

JNC: Yes (Youth Support Worker Level)
An apprenticeship is a way for an adult to earn while they learn. While working in a youth work setting you gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the occupational duties of a Youth Support Worker.  

Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles

JNC: non-JNC
No. of Hours: 110

The Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles is an introductory accredited youth work qualification that builds confidence and skills in all those working with young people. It is recommended that after completing this award you gain one of the JNC recognised awards.

Level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice

JNC: Yes (Youth Support Worker Level)
No. of Hours: 260 (inc 40 hours placement in a youth work environment)
This qualification embraces the National Occupational Standards for youth work. It supports the skills and knowledge learners need to become a competent Youth Support Worker.  This qualification is designed for people who are already working or volunteering in a youth work setting. 

Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice

JNC: Yes (Youth Support Worker Level)
No. of Hours: 270 (inc 60 hours placement in a youth work environment)

This qualification embraces the National Occupational Standards for youth work. It supports the skills and knowledge learners need to become a competent Youth Support Worker. This qualification is designed for people who are already working or volunteering in a youth work setting. A commitment is required for this qualification as you will need to provide evidence of a 20-hour youth work project. 

Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice

JNC: Yes (Youth Support Worker Level)
No. of Hours: 370 (inc 80 hours placement in a youth work environment)

This qualification embraces the National Occupational Standards for youth work. It supports the skills and knowledge learners need to become a competent Youth Support Worker. This qualification is for people who have been working with young people, paid or voluntary for more than one year. This is the mandatory qualification for the Youth Support Worker apprenticeship. 

BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) 

JNC: Yes (Professional Youth Worker Level)
No. of Hours: three years full time (and part time equivalent) (inc at least 800 hours of assessed professional practice)

Each programme providing learners with this qualification is purposely designed by the respective institution to meet particular requirements set out by the National Youth Agency in order to provide learners with the skills and knowledge required to become a Professional Youth Worker. These qualifications are aimed at those already working (either paid or unpaid) to support career development in numerous ranges of contexts and professions. 

Level 6 Integrated Degree 

JNC: Yes (Professional Youth Worker Level)
No. of Hours: three years full time (and part time equivalent) (inc at least 800 hours of assessed professional practice)

This apprenticeship is work-based training programme for people employed for at least 30 hours a week in a youth work setting. With a mixture of on-the-job and off-the-job training you will acquire the knowledge, skills and behaviours to meet the occupational duties of a professional youth worker.  

PG Diploma, MA, or MSc 

JNC: Yes (Professional Youth Worker Level)
No. of Hours: one year full time (and part time equivalent) (inc at least 400 hours of assessed professional practice)

Each programme providing learners with this qualification is purposely designed by the respective institution to meet particular requirements set out by the National Youth Agency in order to provide learners with the skills and knowledge required to become a Professional Youth Worker. These qualifications are designed for graduates already working in a relevant employment setting (either paid or unpaid) and allow learners to further progress their professional development. 

Historic Qualifications

The National Youth Agency holds a list of all those courses and programmes that have previously conferred qualified status for youth workers. We recognise that the Historic List stretches back over a long period of time. Whilst we very much hope that all information has been captured and recorded correctly over the many years, we also appreciate that there may be some queries against the held information.  If you cannot locate your qualification within this list, please do contact us so we can work with you to resolve any discrepancies. 

For the purpose of being recognised under the terms of the JNC, the course or programme that you studied on must be included on this list and for the dates when you were engaged in study. 

You can see the list of historic qualifications here

Historical list of all schemes, courses and programmes

If you are checking whether a qualification has professional status and it does not appear on this list, please also check the current
programmes list as programme may still be running.

Other historic qualifications

There are a small number of other qualifications which confer qualified youth worker status. 

  • People who gained the status of qualified teacher by 31 December 1988 are recognised as qualified to hold professional youth work posts. 
  • Those who gained a social science degree between 1974 and 1981 will be recognised as qualified subject to supervision and satisfactory performance in the work place for a period of one year, which has been formally signed off. 

Whilst it is recognised that there are a number of allied professions and qualifications held from other disciplines in the wider arena of working with young people, unless covered by the above these are not recognised as conferring professionally qualified status under the terms of the JNC. 

If you have any queries please contact us

Qualifications in the UK 

We validate professional training programmes in England only. Programmes validated in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have mutual recognition arrangements in place so if your programme is recognised as professional status in one UK nation it will be recognised in all, through processes agreed by the Joint Education Training Standards Committee. 

Youth work register in Wales 

From 1 April 2017, in Wales, JNC Qualified Youth Support Workers and JNC Professionally Qualified Youth Workers who provide services for or on behalf of a local authority, school, FE institution or voluntary organisation will need to be registered with Wales’ Education Workforce Council. Visit their website for more details

Qualifications outside the UK 

The National Youth Agency operates a scheme in conjunction with the Joint Education Training Standards Committee for holders of qualifications obtained outside the UK. These individuals can apply to have their qualification assessed by UK standards. This is called individual recognition

In England contact the National Youth Agency. 
In Scotland contact CLD Standards Council for Scotland. 
In Wales contact ETS Wales
In Northern Ireland contact Youth Council for Northern Ireland

Applications for recognition of qualifications by countries outside the UK should be made directly to the country in which the applicant is seeking recognition. 

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