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About Youth Work
You'll become
Average Salaries
Youth Work workers may earn between $33,000 and $63,000 per year
Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding career? You can help shape the lives of young people – aged 0-25 – through the study of Youth Work. Youth Work courses provide students with an understanding of the social, behavioural, health, welfare and developmental needs of youth. Students of Youth Work courses will be taught how to provide emotional and everyday, hands-on support to young people, and help develop their confidence levels and social skills.
Youth Work courses will explore a range of fascinating subjects, which may include engaging young people, case management, responding to critical situations, promoting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety, providing first aid, working with young people and their families, mental health issues and identifying people at risk.
You’re passionate about young people and committed to supporting their active, fulfilling and meaningful participation in all aspects of society. Build the skills and knowledge required to work professionally in youth work by studying a youth work course now.
As Australia’s population ages, young people are being excluded from critical service delivery. The demand for skilled professionals to provide support is growing. As a youth worker, you’ll work with vulnerable and at-risk young people to provide support, counselling and coaching, and assist them to unlock the potential you know is within them, and help them engage fully in Australian society and life.
A wide range of youth work courses exist, including at the certificate, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree levels, and often qualifications include practical work placements, to ensure you graduate with the practical and adaptable skills necessary to work in the fast-paced and dynamic youth work sector.
Career opportunities after completing a youth work course are varied, and may include working as a youth worker or a more specialised community service worker. Due to the holistic nature of youth service work, you can expect to engage frequently with teachers, social workers, parents and authorities in your work.
What do youth work graduates do?
As a youth worker, you’ll work closely with young people to provide support, coaching, advice and assistance on a range of social, emotional, health, welfare and development matters, and coordinate the services of service delivery agencies. Day-to-day, you can expect to:
- Meet with new clients to assess their needs and design support programs, activities and exercises;
- Monitor and report on the progress of existing clients;
- Communicate with service delivery agencies, including housing, education, employment, counselling and health services, for the benefit of your clients;
- Meet with families, teachers and other people in the client’s environment, and assess community needs and resources;
- Connect clients to services;
- Prepare reports and submissions to government and service bodies.
Youth work is relational, and your tasks will depend uniquely on your clients and their needs. A successful youth worker will focus on building excellent relationships and providing the support, assistance and advice that will help the young person create the change in their life they want to see.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
The skills and attributes developed while studying youth work may be transferred to a variety of other areas, including working as a youth sports coach, tutoring or mentoring a young person, or advocating for the rights of young people in an advocacy or policy role.
Graduates of youth work courses usually work as youth workers or in community and social service delivery. You may choose to seek employment as a:
- Community Worker
- Youth Worker
- Community Development Youth Worker
- Indigenous Youth Worker
- Residential Support Worker
- Youth Support Worker
- Youth and Community Worker
- Program Manager
- Recreation Officer
- Community Sport Manager
- Sports Development Officer
- Facilities Manager
- Centre Manager
- Competition Manager
- Assistant Community Services Worker
- Case Manager
- Case Coordinator
- Care Manager
- Care Coordinator
- Community Development Officer
- Community Services Manager
- Community Services Coordinator
- Drug and Alcohol Counsellor
- Family Support Worker
- Welfare Worker
- Community Support Worker
- Support Worker
- School Counsellor
- Government Services
- Community Liaison
- Aged Care Worker
- Indigenous Community Liaison Officer
- Grief Counsellor
- Family and Marriage Counsellor
- Rehabilitation Counsellor
- Student Counsellor
- Counsellor
- Service Manager
- Team Leader or Manager Community Services
- Registered Psychiatric Nurses
- Policy and Project Officer
- Project Manager
- Health Promotion Officer
- Health Researcher
- Health Policy Advisor
- Public Health Advisor
- Mental Health Worker
- Mental Health Officer
- Youth Mental Health Worker
- Mental health case manager
- Allied Health Assistant
- Physiotherapy Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Medical Imaging Assistant
- Nutrition Assistant
- Nutrition and Dietetics Assistant
- Youth Development Officer
- Allied Health Worker
- Community Health Worker
- Social Worker
- Youth Health Worker
- Child Social Worker
- School Social Worker
- Child Welfare Worker
- Mental Health Outreach Worker
- Education and Care Services
- Community House Worker
- Aboriginal Neighbourhood House Coordinator
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Is youth work right for you?
You’ll enjoy studying youth work if you:
- Love working with young people
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Are empathetic, patient and understanding
- Respect the dignity and worth of all people
- Are proactive
- Have excellent organisational and time management skills
Job opportunities
Employment opportunities in youth work have been growing steadily over the past decade, and Job Outlook predicts jobs will continue to grow strongly for the next five years. Youth work is considered a large profession, with approximately 60,000 people in Australia employed in the sector, suggesting employment opportunities are available in most regions of Australia. Job Outlook notes that approximately 56 per cent of youth workers are employed in full-time positions.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, youth workers may earn between $33,000 and $63,000 per year, with an approximate average salary of $54,000. There isn’t a strong relationship between experience and salary in the youth work sector, and new graduates may find themselves earning competitive rates after finishing their courses. PayScale notes that people remain working in the youth work sector for an average of 10 years.
Learn how to become a
Industry Bodies
- Youth Workers’ Association
Peak bodies for young people also exist in each state and territory of Australia:
- Youth Network of Tasmania
- Youth Action (NSW)
- Northern Territory Youth Affairs Network
- Youth Affairs Council of WA
- Youth Affairs Council of South Australia
- Youth Coalition of the ACT
- Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (national)