Our Junior Youth Support Workers

At the start of the year, five of our fantastic volunteers her at Goal Line completed their level 1 OCN Youthwork in Practice award. The course helped to prepare the group for taking on leadership roles, as well as developing key skills such as safeguarding and evaluation. Once the group had passed the course, they were able to take on a paid role here at the club as Junior Youth Support Workers.

Since the return of the club after lockdown, the group of newly qualified youth workers were able to put their skills into practice as they joined the staff team in delivering high quality sessions for our members.

Mike and Max, who both attended the club as kids followed the pathway to move from a junior buddy, to a volunteer, and have now both taken up roles here at the club as part-time jobs alongside their studies at Portadown College.

The boys say that ‘it feels good to be able to contribute and give back to Goal Line, just like the group of volunteers did before us!’

‘We used to volunteer just because we enjoyed it so much, and now its lead to a great part-time job, as well as a potential career in youthwork.’

Leader in charge Maxine described how wonderful it has been to watch these two grow and develop from kids in the club, to junior buddies, to the hard working, capable youth support workers that she relies on every week.

Another of our new leaders, Emma said she really enjoyed the OCN course, and that she has been encouraged to explore more opportunities within youth work as a career.

All five of the young people that completed the course have gone on to take youth support roles here at the club, and have been absolutely exceptional in making our return to ‘normal club’ such a huge success.