New Season, New Skills: Explore a Career in Youth Work

September often feels like a time for fresh starts - a new school year, new opportunities and a chance to think about what comes next. 

If you’ve ever considered developing your skills, exploring a career change or doing more to support young people in your community, this autumn could be the perfect time to start your youth work journey.

The Vale Youth Service, in partnership with Adult Learning Wales, offers Level 2 and Level 3 youth work qualifications designed to give practitioners the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to work effectively with young people.

Start your youth work journey

The Level 2 Award in Youth Work Principles provides an introduction to the essential principles of youth work. It covers areas including:

• Engaging and communicating with young people
• Principles of youth work
• Safeguarding in a youth work setting
• Young people’s development

The qualification is designed to support people entering youth work and provides a strong foundation for progressing to Level 3.

For those ready to take the next step, the Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice develops the skills needed to lead work with young people across a range of youth work settings. 

Both qualifications combine taught sessions with practical, work-based learning, helping learners connect what they learn with their experience of working with young people.

A learning opportunity for colleagues

Youth work is about more than gaining a qualification - it’s an opportunity to develop skills that can make a real difference to young people in our communities.

For colleagues considering a career change, looking for a new challenge or wanting to expand their experience, these courses could be a valuable next step in your career development.

The Level 2 course begins on 24 September 2026, with sessions taking place on Thursday evenings at the Civic Offices in Barry. The Level 3 course follows on 06 October 2026, with sessions on Tuesday evenings at the same venue.

Where could it lead?

Completing the Level 2 Award can provide a pathway into the Level 3 Certificate, while completing the relevant youth work qualifications also supports registration with the Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales as a Support Youth Worker, in line with the legal requirements for qualified youth work practitioners.

So, if September has you thinking about new beginnings, professional development or where your career could take you next, why not explore whether youth work could be your next step?

For more information about the courses and how to apply, please contact Hannah Brown (hbrown@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk) or Peter Williams (pjwilliams@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk).