Archive

Tony Hoque, area youth work manager at Robinhill Youth Centre, Oldham Youth Service

Q: What is the aim of your job?
A: To provide and support a range of social and educational opportunities that will encourage young people to learn throughout their lives. We want to help them to make positive choices and achieve their potential both as individuals and as members of their communities and society at large.

Q: What is an average day like?
A: My typical day would involve meetings, organising different projects for young people, managing the building and managing the staff team.

Q: Who are the main sorts of people you come into contact with?
A: Young people, parents, other professionals such as teachers, councillors and youth workers.

Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: Seeing the results of my hard work coming through in young people. Seeing the smiles on the young people's faces.

Q: What is the worst part?
A: Meeting young people who have been neglected by others.

Q: What is your working background?
A: I did a business economics degree and then went to work for Bass breweries as a manager. I then stared volunteering for a colleague of mine, secured a part-time youth work position with Oldham Youth Service, and progressed by completing my professional qualification in youth and community work. This resulted in my current position - which is absolutely brilliant!

Q: Do you need any specific qualifications?

A: That depends on what level you'd like to be at. There are in-house qualifications which will progress you to a local qualification, or you can go to university to gain a national qualification.

Q: What personal qualities do you need?
A: You've got to have the ability to work with young people. You also need to be self motivated, and you've got to love hard work.

Q: How much do you earn?
A: Not enough! œ19,000 approximately. My colleagues will tell you different - but don't believe them!

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking up a similar role?
A: Try and get lots of experience, watch how other youth workers carry out their work and evaluate this, then mould all the strengths into your practice.  Last but not least, get stuck in!