Enhanced Development to Shape Direction
Enhanced Development to Shape Direction
Your reflective report is an accumulation of your overall development charting your journey travelled
since your engagement with this module.
You need to reflect on your development and critically analyse how the module has enhanced your
skills, knowledge and awareness. Evaluate the key aspects that have impacted on your development
and what actions you have implemented to improve your employability status. Discuss how your
participation to the module enhanced and improve your skills and sharpened your intellect.
• This is an individual report.
• You can write in first person.
• If you kept a reflective professional development journal during the academic year, refer to it as this
can help you pin point key learning points. You can attach relevant section to your appendix.
• Make sure you include key theoretical, conceptual and applied learning points.
Welcome to the Employability Youth and Community Module. This module has been designed for
students preparing to work in the voluntary and Statutory Sector in areas such as Criminal justice
system, Probation, Youth and Community Work. The handbook will provide guidance on the overall
aims and structure of the module.
This module is designed to aid the student’s professional development with a particular emphasis on
the Youth/Community development sector. Students will explore identified key skills underpinned by
key theories, concepts and ideas, in order to be an effective practitioner thus increasing their
employability in the sector. There will be opportunities for students to improve their current skill set
and critically reflect in order to enhance their development.
Module aims
The module aims to:
• Analyse how key sociological/psychological concepts and theories of youth and community work
interact with employment.
• Provide insight into theoretical learning while linking to previous or potential practical experiences.
• Incorporate experiential learning techniques to critically examine learning theory and promoting
selfreflection to aid students’ understanding of knowledge and skills needed in employability.
• Introduce students to the sector’s professional occupational standards and theoretical frameworks
for critical reflective practice.
• Develop students’ selfconfidence as effective practitioners through the understanding of relevant
theoretical knowledge and how they relate to the development of identified key skills such as project
management, communication and presentation skills.
On successful completion of this module students will:
1. Identify areas of personal strengths and weaknesses for personal development planning.
2. Apply management tools and demonstrate skills and theoretical knowledge to a given situation.
3. Critically reflect on area of professional practice and further development of relevant skills and
knowledge to increase employability.
4. Practice a range of selfmanagement and interpersonal skills in relation to critical thinking &
analytical skills, problem solving, communication, presentations, project management, cultural
awareness, emotional intelligence and reflective practice
Syllabus
A review of youth/community work policy and practice related to ethics and values
Exploring the key skills required to perform effectively as a practitioner in a variety of roles
Discuss theoretical and practical applications of a range of key skills:
• Critical & analytical thinking
• Problem solving
• Communication
• Presentations
• Devising and developing Project Management skills
• Culture Awareness + emotional intelligence
• Reflective practice
As ‘practitioners’, examine case studies and provide effective solutions underpinned by theory,
demonstrating an understanding of ethics and values in relation to the professional sector.
Use key skills explored during the course in order to plan, design and present a programme that can
be integrated into a work based setting.
Lecture
Seminar activities Key Tasks
Module Induction
The Employability Journey: not destination
Module expectations clarification of key elements of the module.
Understanding expectations from module leader
Devise a personal framework demonstrating your key skills, knowledge and experience.
https://www.linkedin.com/nhome/
No lecture off site event
Students to attend
The London Graduate Fair
https://autumn.londongradfair.co.uk
Introduction to Project Management Seminar Task
Project Management – part one Assignment preparation and group task Each group to submit
organization names and proposed questions
Project Management part two
Seminar Task
Submit groups members
Organisational challenges On finance, preparing a bid and making a grant application
The role of evaluation Seminar Task
Critical and analytical thinking skills
Seminar Task
.
Delivering effective presentation Part 1 Seminar Task Submit Project Proposal
Effective presentations 2 Students to participate in Question and Answer session.
Review progress of reflective journal Individual student tutorials
.
Group Tutorial
Seminar Task – linked to presentation Action and notes
Effective Presentation Seminar Task
Careers Service Seminar Task
Presentation skills Seminar Task
Practical exam
Group Presentations
Emotional Intelligence
Seminar task: Six thinking hats application
Understanding Cultural Awareness Seminar Exercise
b Models of Leadership Seminar Task
Effective Evaluation part 1 Module Task
Effective Evaluation part 2 Module Task
Key Reading
Banks, S (2010) Ethical Issues in Youth Work. (2nd edition): Routledge
Bayley,S & Mavity R (2007). Life’s a Pitch. Bantam Press
Buchroth, I and Parkin, C (2010) Using Theory in Youth and Community Work Practice. Exeter:
Learning Matters.
De Bono, Edward (2000). Six Thinking Hats. London: Penguin
Ehrenberg. J & Mattock. J. (2001) Powerful Presentations: Kogan
Freire, P ( 1996). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: penguin p.6165
Handy, C. (1993). Understanding Organisations: Penguin
Goleman, D (1999) Working with Emotional Intelligence: Bloomsbury
Maguire, M. (2009). Law and Youth Work. Learning Matters: Exeter
Northouse, G (2007).Leadership Theory and Practice: Sage
Sapin, K. (2009). Essential Skills for Youth Work Practice: Sage
Thompson, N. (2012). The people solutions source book: Macmillan
