Community Service in Youth Development

You will develop a multidisciplinary understanding of youth theory and research. This core knowledge will help you critically examine current issues facing New Zealand youth including social justice, inequality, and institutional bias.

You will also gain important practical skills by working directly with a young person as a youth mentor, while giving back to the community through service learning.

Your knowledge and awareness of the social issues facing New Zealand youth will hone your skills in youth advocacy, policy and programme development, and help you develop important interpersonal skills that can be used in any work-related context.

Employers are looking for staff who have practical real-life experience and value the personal and societal benefits of community service. The combination of in-depth knowledge and practical skills gained through your service learning experience would benefit a variety of child and youth-related careers in health, law, government, education, NGOs, and community-based organisations.

You must complete three of the courses listed below (45 points), including YOUTHWRK 152 and EDUC 200 or SOCYOUTH 300, and meet the requirements associated with the Children's Act 2014. 

Each course is worth 15 points. Before you can enrol in a Stage II or Stage III course you need to have passed the prerequisite courses for enrolment in that course.

Stage I courses

YOUTHWRK 152
Understanding New Zealand Youth

Stage II courses

EDUC 200
Youth Mentoring

PACIFIC 206
Pacific Youth: Contemporary Realities in the Pacific Region

Stage III courses

SOCYOUTH 300
Therapeutic Youth Mentoring

EDUC 352
Adolescence