Mitigating Learning Disengagement: The Case for Proactive Youth Worker Integration in Schools

Traditionally, youth work has been primarily linked with informal and non-formal education, while its potential within formal education settings remains largely unexplored. This article advocates for the integration of youth work in schools, arguing that early identification and proactive addressal of educational disengagement are essential for mitigating high school dropouts and tackling the rapidly growing youth “Not in Employment, Education or Training” (NEET) demographic. The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Work Conference recognised this issue, noting that young people worldwide face higher unemployment rates, with approximately 20% of the 1.3 billion youth aged 15 to 24 categorised as NEET. The conference notably recommended integrating youth workers into school settings to proactively address this growing phenomenon. This article draws on two interventions where youth work has been incorporated into schools in various forms. The programmes of the Welsh Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and the South African Presidential Youth Employment Initiative provide examples of how youth work, using “border pedagogical approaches” as an educational methodology integral to schools, has supported young people at risk of disengaging from education.