Strength Based Community Youth Work: Values, Relationship and Practice

Substantive changes have occurred due to improved theoretical and research evidence on strengths-based approaches to practice in community youth and allied disciplines. Increased understanding of the impact of adverse contextual, social and environmental factors on young people, families and communities has challenged traditional, deficit-based methodologies; resulting in trauma informed, resilience and strength focused community youth practitioners and organisations. This presentation will consider strengths focused practice, examining the values, knowledge and interventions that underpin the approaches. It will reconsider outcomes, redefining the articulation of achievements approached from a positive, affirming, process led orientation. Research findings will be presented (Friel &Sweeney:2015) revealing the significance of the “effective use of self” and purposeful relationship in creating positive change and resilient young people. The value of strength-based approaches in facilitating engagement methods, reflexivity and reflective practice will be examined and how the methodology contributes to the development of robust, distinct and well-defined approaches in community youth work