IB Woman
Issue No. 43 - October/November 2008
Youth work bears fruit
by Penelope Herbert
When the issue of youth development comes up it is often followed by words such as ‘disadvantaged’ or ‘disenfranchised’. Is this entirely fair? For Jessica Gray and Bec Waters, working with young people when you are a young person takes on different meanings and its own challenges. And both are adamant being a youth worker isn’t about babysitting ‘at risk’
teenagers. It’s about showing youth how to find their voice, develop their skills and understand their personal place in our communities.
“I have always had an interest in community service,” says Jessica, who works as a Youth Development Officer for the City of Burnside.
“I have worked in a volunteer resource centre in Clare and in not-for-profit areas that covered aged care, the disabled, volunteers and young people. From community arts projects, which can encompass all ages, I have developed a strong interest in youth because the arts is a great way to engage them.”
Bec Waters works in a similar role for the City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters but trained as an Occupational Therapist.
“Jess and I have very similar backgrounds, actually,” she says, “but I developed an interest in the link between arts and good health and that relationship to youth.” Jessica and Bec work in eastern Adelaide and their roles overlap because, Jess says, young people don’t recognise council boundaries.
“They also don’t recognise any expectation of service from their Council,” she says, “so Bec and I seek to inform AND engage them.”
Bec adds that often young people will go to school in one council area but have a job and social interests in another.
“That’s where Jess and I can cross-promote activities and talk to young people about their issues,” she says.
“We gather from speaking with the Youth Affairs Council that this inter-council interaction is quite
innovative, and we also involve bordering councils in Campbell...
