Youth work practice in England

As early as 1937, the National Council of Girls’ Clubs (the organization which brought together the voluntary girls’ clubs and mixed clubs of the nation) was running 18-month courses, which involved both club-based practical experience and theoretical study of “all aspects of club work.” Many participants were university graduates who could look forward to “a good career” at a time when there was a shortage of people to become full-time paid club leaders (Yorkshire Association of Girls’ Clubs, 1937). Subsequent courses combined club work and the social sciences with practical experience. The vision was that of the professional who brought together underpinning knowledge with relevant skills and attitudes; a recognized qualifi cation that supported this vision followed in 1945.