The Benefits of Becoming a Youth Counsellor

Working as a youth counsellor can be challenging, complicated and unpredictable. But it’s also one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences you can ever be a part of. You’re literally shaping lives, setting kids up for better futures. And it does wonders for your own skill set, teaching you to be patient, confident and totally organised.

So it’s no wonder so many people take on the challenge of working with youths. Let’s take a closer look at how it can benefit you.

You’ll have a strong sense of purpose

Youth workers are helping to build the next generation through their work, caring, nurturing and advising young people on how best to tackle the challenges they face daily. You’re not only there to listen to their problems. You’re also helping inspire kids to be creative, ambitious and forward-thinking.

And that’s not the only rewarding aspect of the job. The relationships you build will last forever, and you’ll gain eternal gratitude from the people you’ve helped throughout your time working with them. The work can be tough at times, but it’ll give you an enormous sense of achievement and purpose.

You’ll improve lives

Youth counsellors are integral in helping young people take their lives to the next stage. Often they support youths who are underprivileged, abused or have learning difficulties. There’s no greater feeling of a job well done than seeing a young person overcome hardship and reach their potential. The role isn’t just about supporting youths today. It’s also vital to embedding values and ethics that will lead them to become successful and happy adults in the future.

A big part of youth programs is teaching kids to be active in their community. This might involve building a local garden, helping clean up neighbourhood parks or keeping kids away from criminal activity. The more they give back, the more likely they are to stay involved and be part of something bigger than themselves.

You’ll develop your communication

Communication is perhaps the most crucial skill that you need and will develop while working as a youth counsellor. When kids come from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds, it’s important to understand how to speak to them with both empathy and sensitivity. They’re at a vulnerable and impressionable age and saying something in the wrong way can really affect their confidence.

Working directly with youths will allow you to finesse your language and learn to communicate clearly and tactfully. And the best part? This is something you can carry over into any future job you have. Most CEO and business leaders have fantastic communication skills, for example―that’s what makes them the leaders they are. But understanding how to listen and advise is highly valued in every job role.

You’ll gain negotiating skills

Negotiating with adults and peers can be tricky. But there’s no more significant test of those skills than working with kids. You’ll learn to develop excellent negotiating techniques through listening and understanding what they’re feeling and give them the best advice to tackle their situation.

It may not always be obvious, but most of us are often negotiating in our everyday lives. So improving your skills in this area will help you in whatever role you choose in the future.

You’ll be starting off on a fantastic career path

If you decide to pursue a career as a youth counsellor, you can benefit from many options depending on what you want to do and how far you want to progress. Becoming knowledgeable about addiction, abuse, education and mental health can lead to excellent job opportunities with good salaries. Developing a robust set of skills as a counsellor can also open many other career paths should you decide to try something else.

Take the first step

Do you feel you have the necessary skills and desire to help young people and children progress? Search out local organisations that run youth programmes. Look at what qualifications you need to progress in the field and volunteer to build your confidence and skill set. Being a youth counsellor isn’t always a 9-to-5 job. But it’ll have tremendous benefits for you and your local community, both now and in the future.

Find out what youth counsellor jobs are available today.

This post was originally published in 2019. We’ve updated it to ensure relevance and to reflect the current job seeker experience.