Learning from history.Learning from history.

Open Youth Work – A social Open Youth Work – A social (and) pedagogical challenge(and) pedagogical challenge

Filip CousséeFilip Coussée

Gent University Gent University

OverviewOverview

1.1. Youth work in crisisYouth work in crisis2.2. Between claustrophobia and Between claustrophobia and

claustrophiliaclaustrophilia3.3. No history, no identityNo history, no identity4.4. An oxymoronic An oxymoronic

practicepractice

Catastrophic cuts will spell end of Catastrophic cuts will spell end of youth service within months youth service within months

Oral evidence taken before the Oral evidence taken before the education committee (House of education committee (House of Commons)Commons)

We are trying to get a sense of the We are trying to get a sense of the evidence base on the effectiveness of evidence base on the effectiveness of youth workyouth work

What difference does youth work What difference does youth work make? We need to know in terms of make? We need to know in terms of value for money. Does it work?value for money. Does it work?

All studies say how ace everything is, All studies say how ace everything is, yet kids are sleeping around and not yet kids are sleeping around and not getting jobs. How ace can it really be?getting jobs. How ace can it really be?

Chair: “I want a fab answer to that!”Chair: “I want a fab answer to that!”

Cuts in youth services 'will cause Cuts in youth services 'will cause problems' problems'

There is the huge question of reach which is There is the huge question of reach which is about a lot of the most vulnerable young people.about a lot of the most vulnerable young people.

I think that one of the huge challenges is having I think that one of the huge challenges is having the right professionals.the right professionals.

As a youth service that shows good outcomes, we As a youth service that shows good outcomes, we are happy with a payment by results approach.are happy with a payment by results approach.

Local authorities are getting sophisticated to identify Local authorities are getting sophisticated to identify risk factors and families. The challenge that we are risk factors and families. The challenge that we are facing is how to make this cultural shift.facing is how to make this cultural shift.

We have just let a contract to move young people who We have just let a contract to move young people who are NEET into apprenticeships. We are paying the are NEET into apprenticeships. We are paying the agency only when it gets the young person into agency only when it gets the young person into apprenticeship.apprenticeship.

Government plans for the English Youth Services Government plans for the English Youth Services redefine what they do to such extent redefine what they do to such extent that it is increasingly difficult to call that it is increasingly difficult to call much of it youth work any longer. much of it youth work any longer.

Retreat or compliance?Retreat or compliance?

Organisation of leisure time: Organisation of leisure time: consumers not creatorsconsumers not creators

Working on young people: Working on young people: cherry pickingcherry picking

The work that works is not The work that works is not accessible, the accessible accessible, the accessible work does not workwork does not work

Imposing simple solutions Imposing simple solutions to a complex reality: Empowering the to a complex reality: Empowering the powerful, cooling out the vulnerablepowerful, cooling out the vulnerable

No retreat, no surrender.No retreat, no surrender.Third Way?Third Way?

Peeing in the corners: no social work, no Peeing in the corners: no social work, no schoolschool

The youth work methodThe youth work methodAssociation, recreation, education, Association, recreation, education,

participation, emancipation, … participation, emancipation, … ''Youth workYouth work is social education and social is social education and social

education is … what youth workers do' education is … what youth workers do' Youth work is an instrument for social Youth work is an instrument for social

education.education.

AgoraphobiaAgoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of wide open spaces, as a morbid fear of wide open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions. crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions.

Reconnecting youth work to societyReconnecting youth work to society

Social pedagogy entails a Social pedagogy entails a critical reflection on the critical reflection on the role of pedagogical role of pedagogical institutions in society institutions in society referring to ‘referring to ‘cultural cultural action’action’ as questioning, as questioning, demythologising, demythologising, ‘historicising’ and ‘historicising’ and changing dehumanising changing dehumanising processes by unveiling processes by unveiling the social, political and the social, political and cultural project cultural project underpinning educational underpinning educational institutions.institutions.

““We've been through a period where too We've been through a period where too many people have been given to many people have been given to

understand that if they have a problem, understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I

have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm homeless, the government must house homeless, the government must house me.' They're casting their problem on me.' They're casting their problem on

society. And, you know, society. And, you know, there is no such there is no such thing as societything as society. There are individual men . There are individual men and women, and there are families. And and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except no government can do anything except

through peoplethrough people, and people must look to , and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our ourselves and then, also to look after our

neighbour.” neighbour.”

Joined up services?Joined up services?

Succesfull transition toSuccesfull transition to

adulthoodadulthood The preventative serviceThe preventative service Going full circleGoing full circle Let’s pretend the “the end Let’s pretend the “the end

of education” did not of education” did not happen!happen!

• Young people are Young people are targetedtargeted as main priority as main priority

• Youth work is recognised Youth work is recognised as important actor to as important actor to contribute to contribute to objectivesobjectives

A double odysseyA double odyssey

Transnational and historical comparisonTransnational and historical comparisonStarting point for reflection beyond self-Starting point for reflection beyond self-

referential processes and myopic viewsreferential processes and myopic views

The saint: social workThe saint: social work

Social problems are problems Social problems are problems with young people and their with young people and their educationeducation

Poverty relief and social workPoverty relief and social work Oratorio, Patronages, ...Oratorio, Patronages, ... ““a genius” who realised that a genius” who realised that the the

social issue was fundamentally a social issue was fundamentally a question of educationquestion of education

Invest in young people and Invest in young people and empower them and you will empower them and you will prevent social problemsprevent social problems

The poet: youth movementThe poet: youth movement

Youth problems are Youth problems are problems with society and its problems with society and its youth friendliness. youth friendliness.

Starts at schoolStarts at school Youth as a cultural vanguardYouth as a cultural vanguard

Self-realisation Self-realisation Self-governmentSelf-government Camping, hiking, nature Camping, hiking, nature Social actionSocial action Cultural renewal, no social Cultural renewal, no social

conflictconflict

The classic youth work The classic youth work tensiontension

Social care work for young people: Social care work for young people: participation in youth workparticipation in youth work concerns on social cohesion –concerns on social cohesion –

social problems are problems with young social problems are problems with young people people

Social political work with young people:Social political work with young people:participation through youth workparticipation through youth work questioning social cohesionquestioning social cohesion

problems of young people are problems with problems of young people are problems with societysociety

Adapting society to the needs of young people or …Adapting society to the needs of young people or …Learning from current citizenship – learning for future citizenshipLearning from current citizenship – learning for future citizenship → →

widening the gapwidening the gap

The lord: A methodical synthesisThe lord: A methodical synthesis

Social Social workwork + + youthyouth movement movement = = youth workyouth work as a method for as a method for social educationsocial education

Woodcraft, Public School, Boer War, Jungle Book, Woodcraft, Public School, Boer War, Jungle Book, Boys BrigadeBoys Brigade

Single concept of boyhood (and youth work)Single concept of boyhood (and youth work) 33rdrd educational environment educational environment disciplinediscipline Learning by playingLearning by playing Ask the boyAsk the boy

Cultural renewal Cultural renewal Better “results”!Better “results”!

The priest: A social pedagogical synthesisThe priest: A social pedagogical synthesis

SocialSocial work + youth work + youth movementmovement = social movement = social movement youth work as social educational practiceyouth work as social educational practice

A dignified approach of the A dignified approach of the working youth working youth

Cardijn’s Young Cahtolic Cardijn’s Young Cahtolic WorkersWorkers

Collective social actionCollective social action

Methodical = Abstraction of contextMethodical = Abstraction of context

--do you know that there are young do you know that there are young working class people with problems of working class people with problems of their own?their own?

- I do not know young workers, I only - I do not know young workers, I only know young citizens and I want to know young citizens and I want to create strong-willed young men.create strong-willed young men.

-do you know how young workers have to -do you know how young workers have to survive in factories, how they are survive in factories, how they are influenced by “workers’ environment”. influenced by “workers’ environment”. How could we help them to stay “good” How could we help them to stay “good” or even to have a good influence in or even to have a good influence in their environment? their environment?

-I don’t know the workers’ environment!-I don’t know the workers’ environment!

The Youth OrganisationThe Youth Organisation The foreign observer is struck by The foreign observer is struck by the great diversitythe great diversity

of youth movements in Belgium and by their of youth movements in Belgium and by their immensely increased importance in national life immensely increased importance in national life since the recent war. (Picalausa & Vanderbruggen since the recent war. (Picalausa & Vanderbruggen 1946)1946)

Through governmental measuresThrough governmental measures and through their and through their own initiativeown initiative, the leaders of the youth movements , the leaders of the youth movements are taking responsibility towards the needs of youth are taking responsibility towards the needs of youth in this changed world: physical health, character in this changed world: physical health, character education, vocational guidance, family education, vocational guidance, family responsibility, an adequate civic education adapted responsibility, an adequate civic education adapted to the technical and moral needs of democracyto the technical and moral needs of democracy..

Mainstreaming of hoe het Mainstreaming of hoe het jeugdwerk ontoegankelijk werdjeugdwerk ontoegankelijk werd

In de padvinderstuin werd veel gegrasduind In de padvinderstuin werd veel gegrasduind in de richting van meer actief jeugdwerk. in de richting van meer actief jeugdwerk. Zie de omvorming der patronaten tot Zie de omvorming der patronaten tot Chiro-jeugd en de strekking tot Chiro-jeugd en de strekking tot jeugdbeweging, die in KSA tot uiting jeugdbeweging, die in KSA tot uiting kwam. Zie anderszins de vernieuwing kwam. Zie anderszins de vernieuwing in het VVKS die de oorspronkelijke padvinderij als in het VVKS die de oorspronkelijke padvinderij als spel en als individuele vorming vervolledigde met spel en als individuele vorming vervolledigde met elementen uit ideologische jeugdbewegingen. elementen uit ideologische jeugdbewegingen. Deze verruiming, die tot gelijkaardigheid geleid heeft, heeft als keerzijde van de medalie, geschaad aan de verscheidenheid en dus aan de greep op de massa. (Vanhaegendoren, 1950) (Vanhaegendoren, 1950)

Open youth workOpen youth work

A new answer? Or re-inventing “social A new answer? Or re-inventing “social (youth) work”?(youth) work”?

Does not matter too much Does not matter too much we’re not in we’re not in need of a new professional niche of need of a new professional niche of knowledge and expertise or do we?knowledge and expertise or do we?

But:vulnerable identity for most But:vulnerable identity for most open youth work practices, open youth work practices, especially those who work with especially those who work with he most vulnerabalehe most vulnerabale

Identity of youth workIdentity of youth work

Tackling the problem of becoming accessible to non-Tackling the problem of becoming accessible to non-organised or marginalised young people is now felt by al organised or marginalised young people is now felt by al key players to be essential to increasing participation by key players to be essential to increasing participation by young people (Commission of the European young people (Commission of the European Communities 2006).Communities 2006).

This kind of “essentialism” threatens our work, but This kind of “essentialism” threatens our work, but another new methodicalised identity is not the answeranother new methodicalised identity is not the answer

We do need a shared professional identity as youth workWe do need a shared professional identity as youth work Open youth work is not unorganised, unstructured, …Open youth work is not unorganised, unstructured, …

Empowering the powerful?Empowering the powerful?

Youth work is being redefined as a ‘method’Youth work is being redefined as a ‘method’Youth workers excluded from the social debate Youth workers excluded from the social debate on the “pedagogical responsibility of society”on the “pedagogical responsibility of society”

Contextualization is re-introduced as a method, Contextualization is re-introduced as a method, not as a principle (=> not emancipatory, but not as a principle (=> not emancipatory, but disempowering):disempowering):

No direct action:No direct action: Employment Employment Employability Employability Failure of school Failure of school Failure at schoolFailure at school

Youth work method works: Youth work method works: incomes and outcomesincomes and outcomes

Conclusion Conclusion

Youth work = Social workYouth work = Social workThe social as a The social as a transit-zonetransit-zone: guiding young : guiding young

people to include in the social order people to include in the social order Youth work as a method for social educationYouth work as a method for social education

The social as a The social as a forumforum: discussing the way we : discussing the way we relate to each other and the conditions that relate to each other and the conditions that structure those relationships and the meaning structure those relationships and the meaning of social inclusionof social inclusion

Youth work as a social educational practiceYouth work as a social educational practice

private publicSOCIALSOCIAL

Transit zone

Forum

SOCIALISATION versus SUBJECTIFICATION

Reconciling the social and the Reconciling the social and the pedagogicalpedagogical

1.1. PedagogicalPedagogical: instrument for social education: instrument for social education2.2. SocialSocial: instrument for redistribution of : instrument for redistribution of

opportunitiesopportunities3.3. RecreationalRecreational: instrument for organisation of : instrument for organisation of

leisure activitiesleisure activities

Internal tensions! Youth work is a political activity, Internal tensions! Youth work is a political activity, not a mere methodical discussion on incomes not a mere methodical discussion on incomes and outcomes (access and efficiency)and outcomes (access and efficiency)

Oxymoronic practiceOxymoronic practice

Transitional forum?Transitional forum? Keeping up the tensionKeeping up the tension Social work between public services and private Social work between public services and private

associationsassociations The (re)invention of the social: post-communist, The (re)invention of the social: post-communist,

post-colonial, post-welfare post-colonial, post-welfare New public management?New public management? back to the future?back to the future?

Youth work and non-formal learningYouth work and non-formal learning

Youth work is third socialisation Youth work is third socialisation environmentenvironment

Youth work starts where young Youth work starts where young people arepeople are

Grass does not grow by pulling itGrass does not grow by pulling itMünchmeierMünchmeier

Biographical capabilitiesBiographical capabilities InstitutionalInstitutionalPolitical Political

We make the road by We make the road by walkingwalking