Registration of youth workers with the Education Workforce Council (EWC)
*UPDATE* Welsh Government carried out consultation in spring 2022 on changes to the registration of Youth Workers and Youth Support Workers with the Education Workforce Council (EWC) coming into force in June 2023.
Key changes are:
- widening the range of organisations that need to register their JNC qualified paid employees;
- the removal of Level 2 qualifications as elibility for registration;
- the requirement to register extended to learners in training for Level 3, 6 and 7 JNC qualifications if they are in paid youth work employment.
Welsh Government first required JNC Qualified Youth Support Workers and JNC Professionally Qualified Youth Workers to register with the Education Workforce Council (EWC) from April 2017. The EWC replaced the General Teaching Council for Wales (GTCW) and currently registers teachers, learning support assistants, FE tutors and lecturers, and FE support workers.
The Education Workforce Council has specific guidance for employers of youth workers along with details of the 2023 Order that lists relevant qualifications for registration here (external link).
FAQs
• I hold a Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE) in youth work rather than a Degree - is this recognised as a professional qualification?
If you enrolled on a professionally endorsed programme before September 2010 you could qualify as a professional youth worker by completing the DipHE as this was the qualifying level at that time. Students enrolling in September 2010 or after would need to complete the full Honours Degree.
• I need to find details of my professional youth work qualification obtained in Wales within the last 5 years
We hold a list of current professionally endorsed youth work programmes here
• I need to find details of my professional youth work qualification obtained in Wales more than 5 years ago but after 1994
We hold a list of historical professionally endorsed youth work programmes here
• I need to find details of my professional youth work qualification obtained in Wales before 1994
The National Youth Agency endorsed youth work programmes in Wales up to 1994
• I need to find details of my professional youth work qualification obtained in another UK country or Ireland
The organisations that professionally endorse youth work qualifications in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales work together as Joint ETS Forum. Joint ETS operates a mutual recognition protocol so if you completed your professionally recognised youth work qualification in one of these countries it will automatically be recognised in the others.
England
The National Youth Agency holds a list of currently endorsed youth work programmes and historical endorsed youth work programmes
Scotland
Details of programmes approved by the CLD Standards Council Scotland
Ireland and Northern Ireland
Details of programmes endorsed by the North South Education and Training Standards Committee
• I've studied (or am currently studying) the professional qualification but left (or will leave) with an Ordinary Degree rather than an Honours Degree - can I register?
No. The Ordinary Degree carries 300 credits while the Honours Degree carries 360 credits. The qualifying level is agreed nationally as an Honours Degree.
• I've got a degree in a related subject - can I register?
No. There are a range of related graduate qualifications, such as sports science, youth studies, arts, sociology etc., which may be used in working with young people. However, these do not confer a professional youth work qualification. Graduates can complete an endorsed Post-Graduate Diploma in order to become professionally qualified. Systems for recognising prior learning (RPL) are in place so in the first instance contact the training organisations that deliver endorsed youth work programmes.
• I'm currently studying but not yet completed the full professional qualification - can I register as a Youth Support Worker instead?
No. You will need to hold a specific youth support worker qualification. Working towards the professional qualification by completing Levels 4 and 5 will not confer Youth Support Worker status automatically. Systems for recognising prior learning (RPL) are in place so in the first instance contact the training organisations that deliver endorsed youth work programmes.
• Which current Youth Support Worker qualifications are JNC recognised?
- level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice 2015-2025 (holders not eligible to register with EWC from 2023)
- level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice 2015-2025
- level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice 2015-2025
• I completed a 'local' youth work qualification* in the past - is this a recognised Youth Support Worker qualification?
As these were the equivalent qualifications of their time, technically they should be recognised by employers but will not permit EWC registration. Before the development of national vocational qualifications in 2005, part-time youth workers could complete a regional or locally developed qualification. Qualifications from the early 2000s onwards are comparable to current qualifications. However, qualifications before then varied in complexity and volume so it is hard to compare them with today's vocational qualifications. Employers may choose not to recognise older qualifications if the holder does not have relevant and recent youth work experience.
Examples of previous qualifications include:
- National Vocational Qualification or Vocationally Recognised Qualification in Youth Work: levels 2 and 3 Certificate and Diploma 2005-15; (these qualifications were offered by a range of accredited awarding organisations and listed on the Register of Qualifications/DAQW (now QiW) when these registers came into being. They would include, for example, Agored, NOCN, regional OCNs, ABC, City & Guilds plus others)
- Open University Level 4 (90 Credit) Certificate Working with Young People 2005-2015
- City & Guilds NVQ Youth Work Level 2 & 3 - Mg Training 2005-2006
- Wales Youth Agency Staff College OCN Level 4 (Foundation) 2003 to 2008
- University of Wales College Newport, Caerleon, Level 4 Foundation Course 2002
- North East Wales Institute (NEWI) Level 4 (20 Credit) Foundation Course1999+: Cardiff & Swansea 2003-2008. Programmes under franchise arrangements with Flintshire, the North West Wales Training Consortium (Conwy, Ynys Mon & Gwynedd), Neath and Port Talbot Training Consortium, Merthyr and Caerphilly Training Consortium, Vale of Glamorgan, Mg Training and, in England, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Training Consortium
- Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services (CWVYS)/YMCA Foundation Course 1998-2001
- WJEC Scheme for the Validation of Initial-Part-time Training 1990-1997: CWVYS (1995-2001); NEWI (1992-95); Clwyd (1990-97); Dyfed (1991-96); Gwent (1994-96); Gwynedd (1991-96); Mid Glamorgan (1992-96); Powys (1991-93 & 1995-96); South Glamorgan (1990-96); West Glamorgan (1990-96)
- Local 'Bessey' Course / Stage 1 Course (1970s/80s/90s)
* Extract from JNC Report 1999:
4.2 Locally Qualified Workers
A youth and community worker, shall be considered locally qualified if they hold a qualification obtained through a course approved by their employing authority or employing organisation. The JNC recommends, where the employing authority takes part in the RAMPS process [Regional Accreditation and Moderation Panel], that a worker who has obtained a RAMPS qualification is considered locally qualified.
