Foundation Certificate in Youth & Community Work

The programme is delivered as a full-time mode of study over one academic year. Delivery runs across a 24 week academic year comprising of two full days a week engaged in university-based studies and an additional 100 hours of professional practice placements in negotiated placement settings. 

The course is structured to ensure on successful completion of the course you will have gained the key skills and competencies required to gain the Level 3 Youth Support Worker qualifications required by the Education Workforce Council so that they are well placed to access paid employment as a qualified Youth Support Worker.

The programme is modular in structure with four modules making up the programme ensuring you get a good range of study skills and professional practice skills that prepare you for effective transition onto the BA (Hons) Youth & Community Work degree.

All four core modules are undertaken by all students: 

• Preparation for Learning & Practice in Youth & Community Work (40 credits) 
• Introduction to Youth Work Practice (20 credits)
• The Social Context of Youth & Community Work (20 credits)
• Developing Youth Work Practice (40 credits)

The key features of this programme are that it offers you both academic and professional qualifications in youth work simultaneously, underlining the fundamental link between theory and practice.

The programme teaching team encourage your learning by using teaching methods that reflect effective youth and community work practice. The programme is therefore taught according to the following principles: 

• You bring with you experiences that can be used as resources for learning and to which new learning should be related; 
• You and your fellow students can support each other because of the range of your experience and your capacity for collective learning; 
• The learning environment is structured to provide a safe and accepting environment. 

Participative and interactive lectures, self-directed study, peer-led seminars and small group tutorials will be the most widely used teaching methods in university while individual tutorials will tend to take place in placement settings.

You will be encouraged to develop your reflective practice on this programme and this will be utilised in both the university and placement setting.

There are no exams on this programme, instead you will complete a wide variety of formative and summative assessment methods designed to complement the non-formal learning environment experienced by practitioners. These may include:

• Written assignments
• Reflective journals
• Presentations
• Portfolio
• Workshop delivery
• Resource development
• Practice-based exercises
• Role play / simulation

Assessment includes both individual assessment and group assessment, to reflect the demands of professional practice.

In addition to your minimum 100 hours of professional placement, our focus is on ensuring your assessments provide you with opportunities to show case your strengths and skills and have been designed to enhance your employability and prepare you for the requirements of Youth & Community work in a wide range of settings.

Students who successfully complete the Foundation Certificate have the option of progressing to the BA (Hons) Youth & Community Work course. 

The Foundation Certificate course is distinctive in that students are able to obtain the Certificate in Youth Work (Level 3), the professional qualification for Youth Support Workers that allows you to register with the Education Workforce Council (EWC).

Obtaining this qualification and registration increases your employability options and may open up additional placement opportunities and part-time work during degree level study.

The course is perfect for you if you are interested in pursuing a range of community based professional practice career options. These options include careers in youth work, youth justice, youth mentoring, supported housing, alternative education, outdoor education, social justice, mental health and wellbeing, faith-based work, substance misuse, rights based and participation projects in maintained and voluntary sector organisations across the UK and internationally.

Typical Offers

• Tariff points: 48
• Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
• GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
• English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
• A level subjects: Minimum two A levels. No specific subjects required.
• BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: PPP
• T Level: Pass.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: No specific subjects required.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: No specific subjects required.
• Scottish Advanced Highers: No specific subjects required.
• Level 2 Award in Youth Work or NVQ/VRQ level 2.
• Other requirements: 20 hours recent and relevant professional experience in the field of youth or community development work, successful interview and DBS.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.

How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

For general enqui​ries, please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.​

For course specific enquiries, please contact the programme leader, Jo Aubrey:

• Email: jaubrey@cardiffmet.ac.uk
• Telephone: 029 2020 5947