Youth AOD clients range from 10 to 25 years of age. The adolescent transition is not linear and consistent, rather, individuals move back and forth between orientations towards childhood and adulthood. As such, working with young people demands a high level of flexibility and adaptability from practitioners. 

At first glance it may seem that what a youth worker does is simple – tuning into a young person, often in an informal context. But underneath that casual veneer is a highly developed set of principles that guide the work, and create a rich environment for positive experiences for young people.

Adolescence is not a uniform process but rather a dynamic period of development characterised by rapid change.

Whether you are working with young people, their families or even communities, creating a connection – engaging – is key.  In its simplest form engagement is about getting the young person to come back.  

Knowing more about drugs and how they impact the young person can help you better understand how to support and empathise with them. This also helps you anticipate the kind of difficulties a young person may face, particularly those who are finding change difficult.

Trauma-informed Care is a strengths-based framework based in an understanding of the impact of trauma, and which emphasises physical, psychological and emotional safety, while creating opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.

To engage in active listening means concentrating on the messages being spoken and conveyed by another, whilst ensuring that the message you convey is one of being receptive and responsive.

Motivation is the “why” – why we do what we do, what meaning we make of our intentions, actions and effort. In terms of supporting behaviour change, we need a good why before the how becomes relevant or likely to be effective.