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Working with Communities and Young People FDA Degree

The Work with Communities and Young People Foundation Degree looks at vulnerable groups in the community and provides the opportunity to understand and develop the way we work with those groups. Graduates find rewarding employment in a range of settings including the youth workforce, hostels, education, youth justice and the voluntary sector.

DMU Open Day Saturday 16 February 2019, book your place.

Overview

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The Work with Communities and Young People Foundation Degree looks at vulnerable groups in the community and provides the opportunity to understand and develop the way we work with those groups. Graduates find rewarding employment in a range of settings including the youth workforce, hostels, education, youth justice and the voluntary sector.

During the course you will engage in relevant current debates and discuss, analyse and explore issues relating to vulnerable groups.

Reasons to study Working with Communities and Young People at DMU:

  • The course is taught at  North Warwickshire and Hinckley College and South Leicestershire College
  • We aim to offer all students studying at a partner an equivalent experience as a student studying at DMU on our campus
  • Our strong links with industry ensure your skills and knowledge are transferable to the workplace upon graduation
  • Our experienced, practitioner-based academics are in regular contact with professionals; informing and enhancing our teaching to ensure it is directly applicable to the working environment
  • Access to a range of organisations through voluntary placements will allow you to apply theory to practice, develop your practical and professional experience and enhance your references, CV and employability
  • Upon successful completion you will have the opportunity to further your professional development and top-up to a full degree
  • Extensive investment in our first-class teaching facilities helps you to develop your practical and professional experience, enhancing your employability upon graduation

  • 97.7% of our Health and Life Sciences graduates from summer 2016 are in work or further study after graduating
    According to the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) 2015-16 report [above the sector average of 94.3%]

  • DMU has achieved Gold, the highest ranking possible under the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
    Indicating the outstanding learning and teaching on offer at DMU. [Office for Students, 2017]

  • UK/EU
  • International

Key facts for UK/EU students

Institution code: N79

UCAS course code: L590W

Duration: Two years full-time, three-six years part-time

Location: Only available at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College and South Leicestershire College.

Fees and funding: 
Full-time: £6,000 per year
Part-time:
£5,925 per year for a four year course,£3,950 per year for a six year course and £988 per 15 credits

Additional costs: Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs for this programme, including the cost of travelling to and from project/placement locations.

 

 

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Key facts for international students

Not available to international students.

 

Entry criteria

GCSEs

  • Five GCSEs at grade C or above (or equivalent) including English

 Plus one of the following:

 A levels

  • A minimum of 72 points from at least one A level

BTEC

  • BTEC National Diploma -  Merit/Merit/Pass
  • BTEC Extended Diploma - Merit/Merit/Pass

NVQ

  • NVQs can be considered in conjunction with other qualifications and as part of an applicant's overall profile

International Baccalaureate: 26+

Access Course: Pass. English GCSE equivalency required 12 level two credits.

Work experience

One practical experience in a youth-related environment either statutory or voluntary. Must be working/ volunteering in a youth / community setting for at least six hours per week by the start of the course and for its duration, with a reference provided to confirm this placement.

Work experience is an important criteria for selection.

This course welcomes mature students and values their experience. In some cases an alternative experiential and academic profile may be accepted for entry.

You must complete a declaration form and enhanced DBS disclosure application form before starting the course, which needs to be cleared in accordance with DMU’s admissions policy.

Interview required: Yes

Personal statement selection criteria

  • Clear communication skills, including good grammar and spelling
  • Information relevant to the course applied for
  • Interest in the course demonstrated with explanation and evidence
  • If relevant for the course - work and life experience

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September 2019 will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff. Find out more.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

Academic expertise 

 

Introduction

Work with Communities and Young People offers an opportunity to understand and develop practice underpinned with relevant theory. It will engage you in current debate in relation to community development, work with young people and the widening participation agenda. You will discuss, analyse and explore issues relating to young people within community settings.

First year

  • Policy, Principle and Values - you will be introduced to social policy and will look at principles and values associated with the professional youth and community worker. You will explore discrimination issues and develop anti-oppressive and social justice strategies
  • Perspectives of Practice - you will learn about learning, how to plan and deliver youth and community work and the importance of evaluating outcomes
  • Professional Context - you will study communities, their populations, geography and social needs. You will look at interventions organised to meet these needs and how partnerships
  • Applied Social Sciences - perspectives from the social sciences will be applied to issues faced by members of our society. You will be able to investigate and utilise sociological and psychological approaches to interpret your own and your clients’ life events

Second year

  • Community in Context - you will explore social policy in relation to work with communities, define community cohesion, work with diversity and plan for community engagement
  • Managing - you will explore the theories of planning a community project. You will bid for funding and ‘run’ the project, employing staff and managing their development
  • Identity and Issue Based Work - you will develop a critical understanding of the history and underpinnings of issue based work, by exploring the notion of identity
  • Developing practice - this will help you apply theory to practice and also develop your understanding of professional formation. The module requires a good level of reflective practice in relation to your placement and your professionalism within it
  • Research Methods - you will learn the purpose and structure for undertaking academic research. You will develop a group proposal and undertake a research project

Note: All modules are subject to change in order to keep content current.


You will be allocated a personal tutor and assessment is carried out through coursework, presentations, case studies and practical experience.

Timetabled, taught study involves on average one six hour day each week for part-time students, and two days for full-time students. You are expected to be working or volunteering for at least six hours a week and will carry out your own independent study.

Teaching hours

Contact hours in a typical week will depend to some extent on the optional modules you choose to study. However, typically you will have contact hours of teaching and this will break down as:

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: approx. 2 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week

Medium group teaching: approx.10 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Personal study: approx.6hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.

Our experienced, practitioner-based academics are in regular contact with professional colleagues; informing and enhancing our teaching to ensure it is directly applicable to the working environment.

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

North Warwickshire & South Leicester College

The facilities at North Warwickshire and South Leicester College provide a unique individual approach to students Learning and Teaching experience. A computer room is attached to a classroom allowing for a comfortable learning environment.

The classroom has a desk based computer and facilities for power points and the use of on line programmes such as YouTube, Blackboard and Moodle. The college also provides a counselling service, sexual health and relationship drop in service. Plus further services regarding support with student finance and academic support.

Library DMU

We have 1,500 study places and 650 computer workstations across four sites on campus.

During term time the main Kimberlin Library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving access to more than half a million publications and a wide range of DVDs, as well as e-resources and thousands of electronic journals. Award-winning staff are on hand to help and there is a café for study breaks.

We offer a range of workshops, drop-ins and one-to-one sessions, plus our Just Ask service provides email or telephone support.

Learning zones DMU

Our comfortable and well-equipped study areas provide a range of environments to suit your needs.

Originally set up in our main Kimberlin Library, the learning zones proved so popular that more were created in the Eric Wood building and Greenhouse. These flexible spaces are ideal whether you are working as a group, practising a presentation or working quietly on your own.

They feature workstations with power supplies for laptops, plus bookable syndicate rooms with interactive whiteboards and DVD players. Eduroam wi-fi is available across all campus locations.

Opportunities and careers

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Placements

You are required and supported to engage in a minimum of six hours per week in a paid or voluntary role in a youth or community setting, including;

    •    Youth and community centres
    •    Hostels
    •    Charitable Organisations
    •    Schools
    •    Probation Services
    •    Drug and alcohol services
    •    Sexual health teams

Students will be expected to apply the theory learnt in the classroom with practical skills acquired in voluntary placements.

Students keep a reflective diary about their learning from working in the field and have access to a range of organisations to help with references, CVs and future job opportunities.

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Graduate careers

Successful graduates can top-up into the final year of Work with Communities and Young People BA (Hons), or progress on to the second year of Youth and Community Development BA (Hons).

Recent graduates have found employment in a range of settings, including;

    •    The youth workforce
    •    Hostels
    •    Education
    •    Youth Justice
    •    The voluntary sector

DMU Open Days

Our next Open Day takes place on Saturday 16 February 2019, book your place today.

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Order a prospectus

This will give you a clearer idea of what it's like to live and study at DMU and a snapshot of the courses we offer, correct at the time of going to press.

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How to apply

We welcome applications from UK and international students with a wide range of qualifications and experience. We are happy to help guide you through the process and answer any questions.

Find out more

More about your DMU

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Leicester guide

Studying here gives easy access to the vibrant hub of entertainment, shopping and culture that is Leicester. There are clubs, bars and pubs, as well as festivals, live music, theatres and cinemas. Leicester City Football Club play in the Premier League while Leicester Tigers are one of Europe’s biggest rugby clubs. Find out more.

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Accommodation

We offer a range of high-standard accommodation for our students, with nine halls of residence – and around 2,300 rooms – all of which are within easy walking distance of the campus. There is a choice of mixed or same-gender flats, shared kitchen and laundry facilities, furnished bedrooms (some with en suite facilities) and internet access. Find out more.

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Student support

We have a dedicated team to help deal with any issues you may have before, during and after your studies. From finding accommodation and settling in, to arranging academic support during your studies - our support team can help directly or point you in the right direction of someone who can. Find out more.

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#IchoseDMU

Find out why our students are proud to say #IchoseDMU. Find out more.

 
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