Name: Luke Richards

Job title: Youth worker

Why this job?

It started with a strong passion for the success and development of young people. A will and drive to help young people to identify their talents, realise their potential and support them to achieve success. I think this is a quality in a good youth worker that can't be taught.

Skills required:

I started working part time as a youth worker in Cardiff Youth Centres and attained a certificate in An Introduction to Youth Work. This qualification can be offered through most County Council Youth Services. I then enrolled at the University of Wales, Newport, on a BA Honours degree in Youth Work and Community Studies. You can then choose to specialise in a certain field.

Hightlights:

Many young people that you work with can come from disadvantaged backgrounds and unfortunately lack role models in their lives. The reward is being able to play a specific and influential role in young people's lives and helping them to achieve success. I don't think you can put a salary on that.

Lowlights:

Unfortunately you are not going to have a 100% success rate. Being a passionate Youth Worker, and working pretty much from the heart, you can take it personally when you don't achieve that success. Sometimes the environmental factors in a young person's life can be far more influential than you are capable of balancing out.

Advice to work in this career?

Get out there and contact your local Youth Service. You can do this through a Youth Centre near to where you live. They'll put you in touch with regional community education officers and senior youth workers who will then tell you exactly how to go into accessing various youth provisions within your area. A lot of it starts off voluntary based, but if it's something that you really want to do its worth it. It's about getting as much varied experience of working with young people as you can.