Collaborative youth work

Due to the nature of youth work, we often work in isolation and find ourselves working in a siloed system. This means that you or your team may be working separately, isolated from other colleagues even though you’re all heading in the same general direction.

This may occur for several reasons:

You may be the only youth worker in your team or organisation. This is very common in regional and rural areas.
Your team are the only team that works with young people face-to-face.
Limited opportunities to connect with other workers in your area or organisation.

Given the workloads and high demand workers are under and the delicate nature of youth work, it can be hard to move outside your silo and this can lead to professional isolation and burnout.¹

While working in a tight knit team can have its benefits (i.e. effective communication, mutual understanding of best practice and problem solving, support), there are many more benefits to moving away from a siloed system and focusing on cross team and cross organisational collaboration.¹

Benefits of collaboration for workers

Benefits of collaboration for organisations

Benefits of collaboration for young people

How to find and build networks in your area

How to find and build networks across the sector

Networks and Communities of Practice (CoP) that are focused on specific practice areas (e.g. co-design, lived experience and consumer participation) are often community-led and while these are not usually focused exclusively on young people, there can be a lot to gain from joining these groups if they align with your work. It’s worth asking your colleagues and networks for advice and introductions.

Some broader networks to consider are:

YACVic coordinates the Youth Participation Practice Network (YPPN), a thriving network of Victorian professionals who are committed to empowering young people through youth participation, youth engagement and supporting the voice of young people. Members have access to shared resources and regular meetings are held online via Zoom. It’s free to join, please complete this registration form or email YPPN@YACVic.org.au if you have questions.

YACVic also coordinates a Youth Participation Practice Network for Local Government workers, to support youth participation in local government youth services. Meetings are held every second month via Zoom. Please complete this registration form to sign up or email YPPN@YACVic.org.au for more information.

Rainbow Network facilitates free, frequent online CoPs which offer support and networking for those working with LGBTIQA+ young people in Victoria. Contact RainbowNetwork@LaTrobe.edu.au for more information and to sign up.

Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) run a Child Safe Standards CoP with regular events online and in-person. You can sign up here .

The Department of Health is building practice supports for the lived and living experience workforce, including creating a CoP for mental health and lived and living experience workers.

The Lived Experience Engagement Network (LEEN) brings together organisations that work with lived and living experience across the NFP sector. The aim of the network is to share knowledge and insights through presentations from members and casual networking catch-ups. Please contact rob@batyr.com.au for more information.

The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare's Outcomes, Practice and Evidence Network has a range of great resources, modules and templates to use in your work. They also offer regular events and training (free for DFFH funded programs).

What could you collaborate on?

References

Related Topics