Program Overview

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Youth Work & Community Practice (with Foundation Year)

BA (Hons)

Attendance

Full-time

Campus

Burnley Campus

Start

September 2025

Duration

4 years

UCAS Code

L501

Delivery

In-person

This Youth Work & Community Practice foundation year course will help you on your path to becoming a qualified, experienced, and employable youth and community worker.

Why study with us

• On completion of your foundation year, you can progress to the full course where you can become a fully qualified youth worker with a nationally recognised professional qualification.
• This course has been carefully developed by youth work employers and professionals to ensure students are fully prepared for youth work employment.
• You'll get an introduction in how to work one-to-one with children, families, and communities to strengthen your communication skills.

What you'll do

• You’ll be taught by an experienced course team that have experience in youth justice, child sexual exploitation, international community work, leadership, action research, mentoring, homelessness, environmentalism, mental health, and sports development.
• Learn in a hands-on teaching environment, with assessments created to be as practical and useful as possible.
• Gain the academic study skills you'll need to confidently progress to degree-level study.

Modules

Foundation year

• Study skills & Digital Literacy
  • Module code: SWC024
• Understanding Individuals, Families and Communities
  • Module code: SWC030
• Working with Individuals, Families and Communities
  • Module code: SWC031
• Asset-based Community Development
  • Module code: SWC035

Year 1

• Placement Year 1 - Youth Work
  • Module code: SW1001
• Policy, Practice and Legislation
  • Module code: VO1018
• Safeguarding & Child Protection
  • Module code: SW1002
• Communication in Practice
  • Module code: SW1803
• Youth Dialogue
  • Module code: SW1003
• Exploring Modern Youth Work
  • Module code: SW1007

Year 2

• Placement Year 2 - Youth Work
  • Module code: SW2002
• Contemporary Issues for Young People
  • Module code: SW2001
• Theory and Practice of Youth Work
  • Module code: SW2004
• Psychology of Youth & Community
  • Module code: SW2003

Year 3

• Placement Year 3 - Youth Work
  • Module code: SW3019
• Dissertation
  • Module code: CI3669
• Management in Youth Work and Community Practice
  • Module code: SW3007
• Equality, Diversity and Anti-Oppressive Practice
  • Module code: SW3009

Optional modules

• Youth Development
  • Module code: VO2005
• School and Community Sports Development
  • Module code: TL2098
• Perspectives on Mental Health
  • Module code: CG2002

Accreditations

• Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC)

Future Careers

After completing this course, students will be able to move directly into a wide range of careers including, but not limited to, youth work, teaching assistant, teaching (with the addition of a PGCE), community activism, local charity work, housing association work, working with young offenders, social care, social work (with additional qualifications), sports coaching, sports development, learning support and community policing.

Entry requirements

• UCAS: 64 points at A2 or flexibility for work experience
• BTEC Extended Diploma: MPP
• BTEC Diploma: MM
• Pass Access Course: 64 UCAS points
• International Baccalaureate Diploma: Pass including 64 points from Higher Level Subjects
• T Level: P (D or E)
• IELTS: 6.0 with no component lower than 5.5
• GCSEs: 5 at grade C/4 including Maths and English or equivalent

Fees and funding

• UK: £5,760 for the first year, £9,535 per year
• International: £17,250 for the first year, £17,325 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

• Care Leaver Bursary
• Estranged student support
• Dependants Bursary
• Foundation Year Bursary

Industry links

The course is linked to over three hundred community partners across the country meaning you will have the opportunity to complete placements in areas that are exciting and interesting.

Learning and assessment

The learning environment will be very practical, with assessments created to be as practical and useful as possible, students will undertake placements in Youth Work or Community Practice throughout their course and will be expected to complete assessments which will affect policy and practice in those organisations. All the course team have come from Youth Work or Community Practice backgrounds and have experience in youth work, youth justice, child sexual exploitation, international community work, leadership, action research, mentoring, homelessness, environmentalism, mental health and sports development.