Just the job

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!