Youth work is about realising justice for young people. It entails securing young people's wellbeing while recognising their moral status as human beings, their associated rights, entitlements and obligations. Youth work is a practice which takes place in various sites such as local governments, NGOs (health, welfare and correctional agencies), educational institutions and state, federal and international organisations (i.e. UNESCO, UN).

Good youth work is also concerned with working towards securing environments in which all young people can realise individual and collective capabilities and thrive intellectually, physically and creatively as human beings. Youth work also involves identifying the different needs young people have for resources if they are to thrive and prosper—including choice about whether to accept or decline those opportunities.

Work Experience

A field placement is offered in second and third year.

Duration

Three years full-time.

Most classes are held during the day.

Pathways

Graduates of the Certificate IV in Youth Work who have been successful in gaining a place in this program, will be eligible to apply for an exemption of half a year leaving an additional two and a half years to complete the degree program.

Gaining credit for previous study or experience
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer are ways that RMIT recognises applicants' skills and knowledge gained through formal and informal education and training, work experience, and/or life experience (including volunteer work; committee responsibilities; family duties, hobbies).

Further information about gaining credit for previous study or experience

Further information about pathways

Career Prospects

Youth workers are everywhere, both in Australia and overseas. You may work in:

adolescent and youth health services;
youth refuges and housing programs;
local government, e.g. as a youth development officer in youth resource centres, youth health services, community health centres, mental health, drug and alcohol agencies;
juvenile justice and crisis centres;
peak non-government organisations, e.g. Youth Affairs Council of Victoria;
ethnic associations and migrant resource centres;
key welfare services, e.g. Salvation Army, Berry Street, Anglicare;
the Department of Human Services, e.g. as a protection officer;

skillshare, job clubs and employment training programs;
school support programs;
disability services;
research, e.g. with the Brotherhood of St Lawrence;
universities, vocational education and training agencies and other agencies of education and training.

Graduates have also taken their career overseas by working with agencies such as Oxfam.

Entrance Requirements

Current Year 12 prerequisite units 3 & 4—English (any).

Non-Year 12 applicants are encouraged to apply and may be required to have relevant employment or evidence of experience and/or ability to meet the demands of the program.

Equity admissions schemes
RMIT understands that people's backgrounds and circumstances can affect their access to education and training. RMIT's equity admissions schemes allow applicants to explain the circumstances that have adversely affected their education, and demonstrate their capacity for future academic success.

Further information is available at equity admissions schemes

Click here for further information .

Application Procedures

Semester one

Full-time applicants - VTAC application
Note: All applicants must comply with any extra requirements listed.

VTAC application
Applicants must apply through Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) and are advised to check detailed information on entrance requirements, application procedures and closing dates. Applicants must meet all extra requirements and selection procedures listed through VTAC.

Application closing date: Late September
Further information:
Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)
40 Park Street, South Melbourne
Tel. 1300 364 133
www.vtac.edu.au
Note: RMIT program codes listed on this page should not be used when applying through VTAC.

Extra requirements

Selection mode current Year 12: ENTER and two-stage process with a middle-band of approximately 20%.

Middle-band: Re-ranking based on results in English (any). Consideration may be given to the SEAS application.

Selection mode non-Year 12: Form.

Selection procedures (Semester 1 2009 VTAC applicants)

Non-Year 12: Applicants must complete and submit a Youth Work Supplementary Information Form by 31 October. Applicants can also request the form by telephone 03 9925 2018.

Semester two (midyear intake)

RMIT University has places available for the midyear intake in many TAFE and degree (bachelor and postgraduate) programs. From 1 May check to see if this program offers a midyear intake
Note: Applicants must confirm availability of program offered at midyear prior to applying. All applicants must comply with any extra requirements listed.

RMIT direct application
Applicants must apply directly to RMIT University using an RMIT direct application form.

Application closing date: 31 May
Further Information:
Info Corner (formerly Office for Prospective Students)
330 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Tel. 03 9925 2260
Email: study@rmit.edu.au
www.rmit.edu.au/programs/enquiries

Click here for further information .

Fees

Degree

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
A CSP is jointly funded by the Commonwealth Government and the student. In 2009, the fees ranged between $4,162 and $8,677 per year for a standard full-time program. The exact cost varies according to each course.

Changes to fee paying undergraduate places in 2009
The Australian Government has announced that it will phase out fee paying domestic undergraduate places from 1 January 2009 in public universities. However, the Government has announced that it will replace fee paying places with up to 11,000 new Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) by 2011. Therefore, expectations are that there will be more HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme) places on offer at RMIT University in 2009.

There will be no full-fee places at RMIT University offered through VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre) for new domestic students in undergraduate programs in 2009. There are some exceptions to the Government’s prohibition on new full-fee undergraduate places which will affect a very small number of students.

Further information is available at: www.rmit.edu.au/programs/fees/highered

Or you can go to the Federal Government’s Going To Uni web site www.goingtouni.gov.au or phone the hotline: 1800 020 108.

Scholarships

Record spend on RMIT scholarships
RMIT University will spend more than $60 million on student scholarships over the next five years. RMIT has many scholarships and funding opportunities to offer students.

Further information is available at RMIT Scholarships

Click here for further information .

Additional Expenses

Additional incidental expenses may also apply.

Program Structure

The program provides:

knowledge and skills related to the role and status of young people as a basis for youth work practice, advocacy, planning, management and policy decisions;
knowledge and skills in working with young people in face-to-face situations;
knowledge and skills in youth work policy, planning and management.

Current trends in youth work are used as a basis for investigation of the social, psychological, biological and legal status of youth. You will focus upon young people's role in society, in the family, at work and at play.

The program consists of four complementary areas of study: social science core; youth work theory and practice; field education; and electives. The program has a solid grounding in the social sciences. Politics, sociology, economics, social history, policy and research are core courses. These courses are taught in common with students from other programs in the School, in the first year of the program alongside youth work theory and practice. In second and third years, you will develop a solid grounding in the theory and practice of youth work, and undertake electives and field placement.

You may select electives from a wide range of options both within the School and, in some cases, from across the University. Electives may be chosen from a range of fields and are normally designed to complement the vocational sequence.

Many courses within the program have strong and direct industry links. You will undertake field education placements in second and third years. This experience is designed to enable you to apply classroom studies, develop vocational skills and experience, plus establish strategic networks and contacts for future employment prospects.

The following program structure(s) are linked to this program.

Contact Details

Kerry Montero, Program Coordinator
School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning
Tel. 03 9925 8269
Fax: 03 9925 8266
Email: kerry.montero@rmit.edu.au

Download this information as a pdf brochure (Requires Acrobat Reader)

Owning School

Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Disclaimer

Although RMIT endeavours to ensure the accuracy of this information, there is no guarantee it will remain accurate all year. Applicants are advised to confirm program details with the appropriate school before making an application.