Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Whewell on March 13, 2009 at 23:33

We are hosting an "open space" activity on 18 April with young people and youth workers specifically to consider this! Want to come along?

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Permalink Reply by David Whewell on March 16, 2009 at 23:34

Well, actually it is on 15 April in Devizes from 11am 'til 3.00pm but anyone is most welcome. The facilitator is a young person who we've supported in training in open space technology. Whilst we cannot offer payment to the attendees - we can offer, at least, a lunch. If you do wish to participate then please contact phoebebrazier@wiltshire.gov.uk before 13 April. We cannot guarantee loads of learning for you, but we can guarantee a real live experience!!

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Permalink Reply by Tim Davies on March 16, 2009 at 23:46

Hey David. Alas I can't make it - but never cease to be inspired by Wiltshire's work.

Twittering, Ning & now Open Space. T'is great stuff :)

Hope it goes well - and if you can - do share learning back to the network here :)

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Permalink Reply by David Whewell on March 18, 2009 at 9:35

Hi Tim - I intend to upload all the outcomes from the day and when we reach the stage of policies - those also! Twittering is interesting... but am I becoming a stalker of the rich and famous?

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Permalink Reply by Tony Cisse on June 23, 2009 at 11:06

Jon,

I think the issue you raise here about professional boundaries is very important. In my view an online engagement with young people should respect exactly the same boundaries as would apply in face to face practice. It may be useful to look at Outreach guidelines on boundaries when considering this. This would apply both to our own personal boundaries, and the boundaries of the young people we contact online. I think the concept of co-working is one which might be particularly important to explore in ensuring accountability...

Here is a very quick adaptation of some guidelines on detached work I have 'adapted' for 'online detached youth work'...needs much more thought and work, but the issues, in my view are fundementally the same:

Draft ideas on Online Detached Youth Work

Based on Bristol City Council Youth Service Detached Work Policy 2000

The relationship, which exists between youth workers and young people, is both voluntary and informal.

Online Detached youth work remains a specialist area of work and in turn requires that its face to face deliverers and managers both have the necessary skills and understanding to deliver the work to a high quality.

Understanding the Work

As with other forms of youth work there needs to be a clear rationale for undertaking online detached work. As far as possible there should be a shared understanding of this rationale before setting up and embarking on any form of detached youth work.

Shared understanding should ideally exist with the following:

Youth Work Manager Detached Workers
Management Committee City-wide colleagues
Young people
Politicians - local and city-wide


Practice Issues

Lone Working
Just as this is not considered to be good practice in a street-work setting, consideration might be given to the same when working online. Just as in street work you must inform your colleagues as to your whereabouts and whom you are with, similar principles can be applied to online work, this not only protects yourself but also safeguards the work of the team.

Co-Working Relationships
Working within a co-working pair allows workers to support each other both in the delivery of online work and in planning, de-briefing reflective practice and evaluation.

Two workers can be of more benefit to young people as they may have different knowledge and specialisms within the work and can dip into these as and when appropriate. Workers need to consider the male/female balance within co-working pairs, utilising the positive role modelling that a male/female mix can provide to young people.

Identification
Online workers have a clear responsibility to ensure that all staff engaged in Online Detached Youth Work are issued with an online ID which has a photograph of the worker, and work contact details clearly visible.

Detached Workers should ensure that they identify themselves with their online ID. When cold-contacting a young person or group online always encourage the young people to ask for your ID and clearly explain who you are, who you work for and the purpose of your role.

Professional Boundaries
There are some clear boundaries that need to be adhered to which benefit our practice and encourage us to take a purely professional stance.

Workers should be discouraged from giving young people their personal online profiles, websites, blogs and phone number as this crosses over into the workers personal life. Workers who have a personal online profile should try and ensure the two are kept separate and distinct.

If you reveal details of your personal experience to a young person it may be worth stopping to ask yourself “what benefit will it have”? However your experiences of crime, drugs, and relationships etc may positively benefit the young people with which you are working.


Confidentiality
Workers need to be explicit with young people and other professionals in relation to the boundaries within which they work.

Young people need to be aware that if a young person is at risk of or experiencing abuse and/or a young person’s life is in serious danger the detached worker has to comply with Child Protection Procedures. All online Detached workers require training around Child Protection Procedures

Detached workers should respect confidentiality between different groups/individual young people.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR ONLINE DETACHED YOUTH WORKER

As a young person involved in online detached youth work 'you' can expect the following:

a) To be treated fairly, with respect and understanding

b) To have the opportunity to ‘meet online’ with online detached workers at times and on terms that are agreeable to you

c) To be given respect for your privacy, confidentiality; and given an explanation of where we cannot promise you total confidentiality which is in 'exceptional circumstances' ie child protection and when young people's lives may be in serious danger

d) To be supported by the detached workers in understanding and beginning to meet your own needs

e) To be helped by detached workers to obtain and seek information, advice or further support that you may want or need from ourselves or other agencies/workers

f) To be encouraged by detached workers to try out new and challenging experiences

g) In times of crisis detached workers will try to help you find other avenues of support as soon as possible

h) To allow you the space and give you the encouragement to challenge others' views of you ie your community or wider society

i) To be helped to make informed choices form a knowledgeable point of view taking into account your legal rights and responsibilities

j) To be challenged by detached workers and for you to challenge us

k) To be involved in the decision-making processes within the work of the detached team/project

l) To experience positive relationships with all detached workers

m) To be informed by detached workers when we 'cannot' or are 'unable' to work with you due to other commitments, time restrictions and the need to work with other young people equally

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Permalink Reply by Jon Jolly on June 26, 2009 at 19:44

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the feedback and for posting the guidelines here - I'm sure they will come in handy for many people. When I've got some time, I'll go through them properly and see how they might work for our organisation.

Again, thanks for sharing!

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Permalink Reply by Diane Law on September 12, 2009 at 16:34

Hi All

I've just re- read this discussion thread as I prepare to start thinking about typing up my dissertation in which I have been researching in part around this.

Would any one mind, if I quote some of what is said, obviously I would acknowledge the source, unless anyone strongly objects to this.

Regards
Diane

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Permalink Reply by Jon Jolly on September 13, 2009 at 9:53

Hi Diane, that's fine by me!

Will you post a summary of your findings for us?

Jon

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Permalink Reply by Tim Davies on September 13, 2009 at 12:56

Hey Diane

Also fine with me. And would love to see summary of the dissertation findings also. Are you able to join us for the conference in Wales next week? I'm hoping we can get a discussion together there about what research has already taken place on digital youth work & what else could take place...

http://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/AboutGlyndwrUniversity/Whatson/Conferen...

All the best

Tim

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Permalink Reply by Diane Law on September 14, 2009 at 12:15

Hi Jon and Tim
Thanks for replying and yes I will post what I find, although I feel a bit behind the times at the moment, I had a bit of a lull over the past 6 months with trying to study and work full time, so just trying to pick up the pieces again to try and meet my dissertation submission date.

I've booked on to the conference, so hopefully will get there. I'm hoping it will kick start my motivation to actually put things down on paper.

All the best

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Permalink Reply by Vanessa Griffin on July 8, 2010 at 13:51

Check out my bogs there is some stuff attached to one of them that might be helpful but they are still drafts.

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Permalink Reply by Amy Kirby on May 18, 2011 at 14:35

At my charity we are currently doing things differently, and i'd be interested in getting some feedback from others here - realise this conversation is dated from a long time ago, so hoping that it gets picked up!

 

Most of us live in the community as well as work here, and so we see the children and young people in our day-to-day lives.  They know our children and partners, they know where we live.  And at the moment our facebook policy is that we can accept their friend requests (team are not allowed to request a friendship).  This is provided that they are added to a 'young people' group on our friends list which excludes them from at the very least seeing our 'status and links' and our 'wall posts'.  We add in the policy that further restrictions can be added so that they can not see photos/friends/etc but that this is up to the individuals discretion.  Team are instructed to only contact the young people by sending a message to their inbox, cc'ing in the charity's profile page.  

 

This means that no inappropriate/revealing information is revealed to the young people and that any conversation held online is instantly viewable by those responsible for the Facebook policy.  

 

What are your thoughts regarding this?  I am currently looking at rewriting our policy, so am very interested to find out in relation to the current 'we must have a separate work profile' thought pattern expressed here.  

 

Thanks all,

 

Amy 

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