The Level 6 Youth worker, and the 5 providers delivering it.
Enable young people to develop and working with young people to facilitate personal, social and educational development.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to plan, deliver and evaluate youth work programmes using informal education methods, working with young people aged 11 to 19 (or up to 25 for those with additional needs). The role covers a range of youth work models including outreach, detached, open access and social action. Alongside direct work with young people, apprentices develop skills in managing staff and volunteers, budget and project management, partnership working, and advocacy. The programme operates at degree level and prepares individuals to lead youth work practice rather than simply deliver it.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Much of the work involves direct contact with young people, running group sessions, one-to-one conversations, and activity-based programmes in settings such as youth clubs, schools, health services or community spaces. Apprentices also supervise junior staff and volunteers, maintain financial and administrative records, and liaise with external partners including CAMHS, local authority services and community organisations. Preparing session plans, writing evaluations, attending multi-agency meetings, and contributing to funding reports are all typical tasks across the working week.
Career outlook
Completion leads most directly to roles such as youth worker or youth work manager, with many graduates moving into team leader or project manager positions within local authority youth services, charities, housing associations, faith organisations or NHS settings. Those with a appetite for policy or strategic work can progress into service development, commissioning or senior management within children's services. The degree-level qualification is also a recognised route into related postgraduate study in social work, community development or education.
5 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
The University of Cumbria offers a growing portfolio of higher and degree apprenticeships that blend...
The University of Sunderland delivers advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships from levels 3 to 7...
The University of Derby is a UK higher and further education institution that works closely with emp...
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is a large UK university offering a comprehensive portfolio of hig...
Leeds Beckett University is a public university in Leeds that delivers a portfolio of degree apprent...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Graduates typically move into qualified Youth Worker or Youth Work Manager positions. In practice, this often means leading programmes at a youth club or community project, holding a caseload of young people in targeted or detached work settings, or taking up a team leader post within a Local Authority youth service. Some completers move directly into roles coordinating provision across a school, alternative education unit, or youth custody setting.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many practitioners advance to Senior Youth Worker, Project Manager, or Service Coordinator roles, taking on wider responsibility for budgets, staffing and multi-agency partnerships. Those who prefer a leadership track can move towards Head of Youth Services or Operations Manager within a charity or local authority. A specialist track is also open, with experienced practitioners moving into policy development, youth work education and training, or consultancy roles focused on specific cohorts such as young people with additional needs or those involved in the justice system.
Where these roles sit
The primary employers are local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, and charities ranging from small community groups to large national bodies. Faith sector organisations, schools, NHS trusts, and youth custody services also employ qualified practitioners. Work is predominantly public or third sector, though some posts sit within housing associations or commissioned services delivered on behalf of statutory agencies. Demand is spread across urban and rural settings throughout the UK.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place in the workplace throughout the programme, with the apprentice building competence in planning and delivering youth work, managing colleagues, maintaining records, and working with partner organisations. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice and employer confirm readiness at a gateway point, demonstrating that the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the standard have been met. Final assessment then confirms the apprentice can perform at the level expected of a qualified youth worker. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Evidence gathered throughout the programme carries significant weight, so apprentices should document their practice consistently from the start rather than attempting to reconstruct it later. That means keeping records of programme planning, supervision sessions, partnership work, budget management, and any advocacy activity as they happen. Working closely with both the employer and the training provider to track progress against the standard's knowledge, skills and behaviours will make the gateway readiness check more straightforward when the time comes.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with achievement rates above 65% and strong apprentice satisfaction scores, since this standard involves sustained relationship-based work across 36 months and learner drop-out often signals poor pastoral support or weak employer integration. Providers should be able to demonstrate that tutors have direct professional experience in youth work settings, not just adjacent care or education roles. Check whether the curriculum explicitly covers detached and outreach models alongside more structured provision, and whether supervised practice is assessed by someone with a recognised youth work qualification. Reviews mentioning quality of supervision and reflective practice are a good sign.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot clearly explain how off-the-job learning connects to real caseloads and programme planning, since the standard requires applied skills like managing budgets, supervising volunteers and advocating for young people in multi-agency settings. A high volume of enrolments paired with a declining achievement rate warrants scrutiny. Providers who describe the curriculum in generic level 6 education terms, without reference to informal education values, rights-based approaches or specific youth work models, are unlikely to have deep enough sector knowledge for this standard.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What professional background do your tutors and assessors have in youth work specifically, and do any hold a JNC-recognised qualification?
- How does your programme address the full range of youth work models, including detached, outreach and digital approaches?
- Can you show us examples of how apprentices have applied skills like project budgeting, staff supervision or multi-agency partnership work during the programme?
- How is reflective practice built into the curriculum, and how is it assessed?
- What does your off-the-job training look like week to week, and how do you coordinate with employers to ensure it connects to live casework?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two years?
- Do you have experience delivering this standard across different settings, such as statutory youth services, voluntary sector projects and alternative education provision?
Common questions
What qualifications or experience does someone need to start a youth worker apprenticeship?
There are no nationally fixed entry requirements set by the standard itself, so employers set their own criteria. Most expect applicants to have some experience of working or volunteering with young people aged 11 to 19. Because this is a Level 6 apprenticeship, many employers also look for existing qualifications at Level 3 or above, though this is not a rule. Applicants must be employed in a role where they can carry out genuine youth work practice throughout the programme.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how is learning fitted around the job?
The typical duration is 36 months. The apprentice remains employed throughout and applies their learning directly in their youth work role. A portion of contracted hours must be spent on off-the-job learning, such as study, training and relevant project work. The exact minimum percentage is subject to current Skills England reforms, so check the latest specification on gov.uk for the figure that applies when you are enrolling.
How is the apprentice assessed at the end?
Before moving to end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all the knowledge, skills and behaviour requirements. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated under Skills England reforms. For the current end-point assessment method for this standard, check the specification on gov.uk. Broadly, the apprentice will need to demonstrate occupational competence across planning and delivering youth work, managing staff and projects, and advocating for young people.
How does funding work for employers taking on a youth worker apprentice?
The funding band for this standard is £20,000, which is the maximum government contribution toward training and assessment costs. Levy-paying employers draw this from their Digital Apprenticeship Service account. Non-levy employers, typically those with a pay bill under £3 million, pay 5% co-investment and the government covers the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing; the government funds the full amount. These figures apply to the training cost, not the apprentice's salary.
What does a youth worker apprentice actually do from day to day?
Day-to-day work varies by setting but typically includes running sessions at youth clubs, outreach or detached projects, schools, or health environments with young people aged 11 to 19. The apprentice plans and delivers programmes using informal education approaches, maintains case records and financial logs, supervises volunteers or junior staff, and liaises with partners such as CAMHS, social services and education providers. They also advocate for young people in service planning and contribute to reviewing and improving the youth work offer.
What can a youth worker apprentice do once they have completed the programme?
Completion leads to a recognised Level 6 occupational qualification in youth work. Typical job titles after finishing include youth worker and youth work manager. From there, progression routes include senior or strategic management roles within local authority youth services, the voluntary sector, or health and education settings. Some completers go on to postgraduate study in areas such as community development, social work, or education. The qualification is also recognised professionally, which can support registration with relevant sector bodies.
Not sure which provider fits?
Tell us a bit about your team and we'll send a shortlist.
Need help choosing a provider?
Tell us your requirements and we'll match you with the right training providers.
Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 675.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.