Community Education Research Group (CERG)

Author: Callum McGregor

This paper mobilises the psychoanalytic concepts of desire and enjoyment to better understand how processes of education aimed at extending and defending democratic life might respond to and engage with populist politics.

• Read 'Left populism and the education of desire'

Author: Gary Fraser

In this article, sociologist Julia Evetts's models of occupational and organisational professionalism are applied to the professional field of practice which in Scotland is known as Community Learning and Development. The article considers the ways in which CLD was historically influenced by both models and argues that the organisational model has intensified in recent years in a context shaped by austerity and its transformative impact on local government.

• Read 'From occupational to organisational professionalism...'

Authors: Andie Reynolds, Alison Ni Charraighe

This article seeks to contribute to the debate about the current and future support needs of young people (aged 11-25) across Scotland and England who are experiencing mental distress in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. In doing so, it focuses on the profession that works specifically with this age range – youth work - and youth work practice across Scotland and England, and then examines the challenges and opportunities for the profession. It concludes that youth work, and youth workers, are well placed to provide much needed initial mental health support to young people, but that the profession urgently needs the UK and Scottish Governments to financially (re)invest in its infrastructure to deliver this provision.

• Read 'Post-Covid youth work and mental wellbeing of young people across Scotland and England'

Authors: Ian Fyfe, Alan MacKie

Community-based youth workers are increasingly tasked with balancing delivery of key policy priorities whilst supporting young people to manage issues in their day-to-day lives. Contemporary practice is often marked by an increasing emphasis on delivery and measurement of predetermined outcomes and targeted provision. Practitioner boundaries have become unclear, challenging the nature of their relationships with young people. The interaction between youth workers and young people is characterised by levels of trust, respect, sincerity and above all authenticity. The notion of authenticity has been utilised to study teaching practice in schools and universities. We extend this work to examine the identity, role and purpose of youth work. The discussion draws on data from interviews with practitioners focused on the impact of their response to the issues faced by young people. Importantly, the findings point to authenticity as a new and valuable dimension or analysis and development of youth work practice.

• Read 'Are you for real?...'