Youth workers across the Commonwealth are to get greater
access to certified courses following an agreement between
The Commonwealth Secretariat, the University of the West
Indies and the Commonwealth of Learning.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on
Wednesday at the 19th Conference of Commonwealth
Education Ministers taking place in The Bahamas. It paves
the way for a Diploma and Bachelor of Youth Development
Work, developed by the University of the West Indies and
the Commonwealth Secretariat, to be made available to
tertiary institutions across the Commonwealth.
With the support of the Commonwealth of Learning, the
Diploma and Degree will be turned into an open education
resource that can be used to establish the programmes in
other institutions.
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Deodat Maharaj
said that the Commonwealth had been a pioneer in the
professionalisation of youth work. The new partnership will
enable thousands more people who work with young
people to gain professional qualifications, particularly those
in small and developing countries.
Professor Asha Kanwar, President and CEO of the
Commonwealth of Learning, said the partnership draws on
the complementary strengths of all three organisations.
Prof Clement Sankat, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University
of West Indies, St Augustine, noted the importance of
equipping the vital youth professional workforce with
proper qualifications and skills.
Katherine Ellis, Director of Youth at the Commonwealth
said: “This latest step in the evolution of the
Commonwealth’s promotion of youth work education is
very exciting. It will allow countries with less institutional
capacity to create youth work degree programmes, and it
will build a consortium of universities across the
Commonwealth that will all contribute to keeping the course
materials current and rich. It will become an amazing
collection of expertise and case studies on youth
development from developing countries.
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