| CODE | YTH5005 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Young People and Human Services: An Interagency Approach | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Youth, Community and Migration Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study unit aims to explore ways in which youth and community workers may undertake cooperative work with other agencies and/or services. Participants will be expected to study the nature of interagency, quality and partnership work and to give due consideration to collaborative models of practice and to the resourcing of potential cooperative ventures. To be effective, future administrators must become familiar with such concepts as governance; management processes; the critical role of communication in sustaining or derailing collaborations; facilitation and negotiation of change through political and organizational processes; and accountability in a complex, often highly charged 'political' scenario. This study unit will analyse multi-agency approach work as a relationship model rather than a service model. This study unit will also attempt to engage with the notion of quality in the provision of human services. Students will be engaged in discussing the development of national and international standards when regulating service provision. Establishing criteria for monitoring quality is another major debate to be taken up in this study unit. Finally, emphasis will be made in unravelling and gaining close familiarisation with the salient aspects of systematic approaches to the training of professionals and volunteers in the youth and community sectors. To this effect this course will provide matter-of-fact guidelines on how to conduct training needs analyses. Study-unit Aims This unit aims at assisting course participants to; (a) develop a clear understanding of why certain issues are best addressed by multiple groups; (b) develop an understanding on how to ensure support at all levels of the organization; (c) define organizational goals while making sure to put the client’s needs above all; (d) develop the notion of quality and establish what quality standards stand for; (e) articulate research practice within programmes that will contribute to the formulation of policies and design of programmes with an impact on the standards of living and life chances of young people; and, (f) to learn how to develop a training needs analysis. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) conceptualise multi-agency and interagency models of collaborative practices; (b) audit an organisation's non/collaborative practices; (c) understand the benefits of collaboration and synergy; (d) design alliance and cooperative protocols; (e) have an understanding of TQM practices; (f) develop and implement performance indicator tools; (g) empower youth and community workers on how to view service users as front liners in identifying the changes, improvements, amendments that need to take place in their organisations; and, (h) design a training programme for youth leaders. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) work in teams; (b) organise and manage a protocol meeting; (c) develop and maintain professional relationships; (d) audit an organisation's quality standards; (e) reflect critically on quality issues; (f) analyse the dynamics of team, inter-agency and inter-professional work; and, (g) identify alternative solutions and strategies to problems. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings Main Texts: - Azzopardi, A. & Grech, S. (Eds) (2011). Inclusive communities: A reader. London: Sense Publishers [forthcoming]. - Jeffs T., & Smith, M. (1987). (eds.). Youth work. London: Macmillan Press Ltd.[available]. - Villarruel, F.A. (ed.) (2004).Community Youth Development : Programs, Policies, and Practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [available]. Supplementary Readings: - Allen, C. (2003) Desperately seeking fusion: on 'joined up thinking', 'holistic practice' and the new economy of welfare professional power, British Journal of Sociology 54(2), pp. 287-306. [available]. - Conrad, D. & Hedin D. (1987). Youth service – a guidebook for developing and operating effective programs. New York: The Independent Sector. [unavailable]. - Doherty, G. (1994). Developing quality systems in education. London: Routledge. [unavailable]. - Henderson, P. & Thomas, D. N. (2003). Skills in neighbourhood work. London: Routledge. (Third edition). [available]. - Jones, R. (1982). From Resident to Community Worker : A Longitudinal Case Study of an Indigenous Neighbourhood Worker. Norwich, UK: Univ. of East Anglia Press. [available]. - Krueger, M. (2004). Themes and Stories in Youthwork Practice. NY: Haworth Press. [available]. - Mizen, P. (2004). The changing state of youth. London: Palgrave Macmillan. [available]. - Romer, D. (2003). (ed.). Reducing adolescent risk – toward an integrated approach. London: Sage Publications. [unavailable]. - Thomas, D. N. (1983). The making of community work. London: George Alen and Unwin. [unavailable]. - Young, K. (1999). The Art of Youth Work. Sheffield: The Hallamshire Press Limited. [available]. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Andrew Azzopardi |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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