Conversation: The point of encounter

Conversation has long been viewed as a key process within youth work practice, but its potency is underestimated by some and oversimplified by others. Much attention has been placed on conversation skills rather than its philosophical basis. This paper is a challenge to youth work practice that employs conversation merely as an instrumental tool of knowledge exchange or as a directive tool for guidance. We examine how the philosophical nature of conversation and dialogue can lead to more elucidating moments for young people. The philosophical starting point lies in understanding the power imbalance between adults and young people.

In this study, qualitative and phenomenological methodologies were utilised to examine how 32 youth workers from Northern Ireland viewed the wider purpose of their work and a range of processes they utilised in their practice. The study engaged focus groups, involving 8 participants and interviews with 24 professionally qualified youth workers. This study found that conversation emanated as a central process in youth work. The findings of the study demonstrated how youth workers prioritise conversation as a relationship building tool which has the capacity to develop critical thinking for young people and promote democratic practice. Through this study, conversation emerged as the central ‘cog’ for driving the other processes in which youth workers engage and is contingent on the youth worker understanding and embracing the philosophical concepts of dialogue. We question whether conversation in youth work is realising its emancipatory potential or falling short, merely acting as an instrumental learning tool.