Conclusion

This course has examined the diversity of roles played in working with young people. We have looked at roles on three levels:

• the individual actions that practitioners take

• the characters they play in different situations

• the philosophical position they take, which influences the actions they choose and the characters they play.

We have presented roles as being more than a list of tasks and responsibilities attached to a particular post within an organisational structure.

We argued that roles are:

• fluid: the roles we take, even in the course of a single day or session, will change in response to different situations and challenges

• values driven.

You have seen that the ways in which we carry out our work, whilst often constrained by factors outside our control, are nevertheless an expression of our personal and professional values. In addition, you have gained an idea of a range of projects and services for young people, and the roles that are involved. This has helped you appreciate the not only the diversity but also the complexity of different roles involved in working with young people. Finally, you have considered what is meant by organisational roles and looked at the underlying values of an organisation.