jobfacts

Youth and community workers

SOC 2020 3221

Youth and community workers provide support to individuals or groups of individuals through a range of activities or services that aim to encourage participation in social and community life and promote personal and social development. Workers in this group also provide family support activities in the home and community, to both parents and children. They may also encourage behaviour change and participation in sport and physical activity within local communities.

Also calledCommunity arts workerCommunity development workerYouth workerFamily support workerFamily link workerCommunity officerand 62 more titles
Typical full-time pay£32,7002025 Provisional
People in the job82,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month2,100↓ 7.3%on last year · 85th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time youth and community workers earn between £27,200 and £37,900 a year.

What full-time youth and community workers earn, 2025
£32,700 typical£24,100lowest 10%£27,20025%£38,900top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£27,200–£37,900)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£24,100
Lowest 20% earn less than£26,400
25%£27,200
Median£32,700
75%£37,900
Top 20% earn more than£38,900
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £32,700
London!£37,300
South East!£34,100
Scotland£33,700
East Midlands!£33,500
North West£33,200
South West!£32,700
Yorkshire and The Humber£32,700
North East£31,300
Wales£31,100
West Midlands!£29,700
East of England!£28,800
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £32,700
London£37,300 (small sample)
South East£34,100 (small sample)
Scotland£33,700
East Midlands£33,500 (small sample)
North West£33,200
South West£32,700 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£32,700
North East£31,300
Wales£31,100
West Midlands£29,700 (small sample)
East of England£28,800 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £29,400
  • 2024 £31,600
  • 2025 Provisional£32,700
↑ 11% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 2,100 jobs for youth and community workers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20262,326
Jul 20262,333
Jun 2026Not published
May 20262,204
Apr 20262,170
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20261,929
Jan 20262,103
Dec 20251,131
Nov 20252,258
Oct 20252,246
Sept 20252,426
Aug 20252,101
Jul 20252,494
Jun 20252,476
May 20252,714
Apr 20252,225
Mar 20252,499
Feb 20252,485
Jan 20252,303
Dec 20241,578
Nov 20242,154
Oct 20242,287
Sept 20242,448
Aug 20242,433
Jul 20242,849
Jun 20242,687
May 20242,852
Apr 20242,593
Mar 20242,325
Feb 20242,267
Jan 20242,761
Dec 20232,019
Nov 20232,257
Oct 20232,136
Sept 20232,141
Aug 20232,487
Jul 20232,501
Jun 20233,503
May 20233,351
Apr 20232,712
Mar 20233,318
Feb 20232,908
Jan 20233,419
Dec 20222,943
Nov 20223,500
Oct 20223,648
Sept 20223,412
Aug 20223,377
Jul 20223,598
Jun 20223,498
May 20224,001
Apr 20223,113
Mar 20223,510
Feb 20223,214
Jan 20223,457
Dec 20212,842
Nov 20213,544
Oct 20213,457
Sept 20213,289
Aug 20212,703
Jul 20213,232
Jun 20212,762
May 20212,640
Apr 20212,102
Mar 20212,794
Feb 20211,941
Jan 20211,912
Dec 20201,731
Nov 20201,815
Oct 20202,116
Sept 20202,034
Aug 20201,786
Jul 20201,895
Jun 20201,500
May 20201,184
Apr 20201,225
Mar 20201,983
Feb 20202,379
Jan 20202,264
Dec 20191,441
Nov 20191,988
Oct 20192,153
Sept 20192,022
Aug 20191,794
Jul 20192,514
Jun 20192,225
May 20192,203
Apr 20191,590
Mar 20191,769
Feb 20191,537
Jan 20191,755
Dec 20181,222
Nov 20181,632
Oct 20181,741
Sept 20181,717
Aug 20181,556
Jul 20181,592
Jun 20181,691
May 20181,502
Apr 20181,447
Mar 20181,570
Feb 20181,428
Jan 20181,999
Dec 20171,864
Nov 20171,717
Oct 20171,438
Sept 20171,461
Aug 20171,470
Jul 20171,471
Jun 20171,815
May 20171,606
Apr 20171,976
Mar 20171,584
Feb 20171,444
Jan 20171,511
Is there a shortage of youth and community workers?
Elevated

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was not high.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertainty in change in hourly wage.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
33%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London962
Birmingham162
Manchester130
Liverpool92
Bristol, City of82
Leeds74
Cornwall61
Somerset61
Glasgow City59
Nottingham58
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where youth and community workers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 759 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Germany, United States, Brazil, ranking it 20th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of youth and community workers
11%!
21%!
26%!
21%!
18%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–2411% (small sample)
25–3421% (small sample)
35–4426% (small sample)
45–5421% (small sample)
55–6418% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent56%
Higher education below degree!8.7%
A levels or equivalent21%
GCSEs or equivalent!12%
Other qualifications!3.1%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent56%
Higher education below degree8.7% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent21%
GCSEs or equivalent12% (small sample)
Other qualifications3.1% (small sample)

Main employers: other social work activities without accommodation nec (40%), general public administration activities (11%), activities of other membership organisations nec (4.8%), residential care activities for learning disabilities, mental health and substance abuse (4.7%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
56%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
7
from level 3, including degree apprenticeships
Apprenticeships take
1 to 3 years
typically

Routes in

Community arts worker

You can get into this job through:

University

To become a community arts worker, you could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • community arts
  • creative expressive therapies
  • art and design
  • community education

You'll usually need to be qualified and experienced in a certain art form, such as visual arts, dance, drama, music or creative writing.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You may find a community arts qualification useful for getting a job as an assistant.

You could take a:

  • Level 2 Certificate in Community Arts Administration
  • Level 2 or 3 Certificate in Community Development
Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You may be able to do a cultural learning and participation officer advanced apprenticeship.

This usually takes a year and 6 months to 2 years to complete. It includes a mix of learning in the workplace and studying in a classroom.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Other ways in

Volunteering

It's important you get experience before you apply for jobs. You can do this by volunteering which can often lead to paid work.

You can find out about local community arts projects from the arts officer at your local council or by checking:

  • Creative Lives
  • Arts Council England
  • Do IT
  • NCVO
Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs if you have experience working in the community.

Good examples include working in adult education, art teaching or youth work. Experience of working with disadvantaged or vulnerable groups will also be helpful.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Experience is just as important for getting onto a community arts course as it is for finding paid work.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for community arts worker. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Community development worker

You can get into this job through:

University

You can become a community development worker if you have a foundation degree or degree in any subject.

You might find it useful to have a foundation degree or a degree in:

  • community development
  • community studies
  • youth work
  • social sciences

Most community development courses include work placements to help you build up your experience.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

A college course may help you apply for a trainee development worker job.

You could take a level 2 or 3 certificate in community development or a level 4 higher national certificate in social and community work.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

If you want to help the community with health issues, you may be able to do a public health practitioner degree apprenticeship.

If you do this apprenticeship, you could work for organisations like charities, the NHS or local authorities. You'll help people in communities live long, healthy and happy lives.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Volunteering

Another way to become a community development worker is to volunteer for local projects. You'll usually receive some training. You may also get to take an introductory part time college course.

You can find opportunities working or volunteering:

  • with a local community group, tenant association or charity
  • in a related job in housing, regeneration, social work or youth work

Your experience and training as a volunteer could help you to find paid work. You can find volunteer opportunities on Do It and My Community.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

It's important to have experience that shows you're interested in community work.

Many people have experience in other jobs before they become a community development worker. This means you may have an advantage if you've previously worked in areas like teaching, youth work or healthcare.

Further information

You can get more details about working in community development from locality.

You can look for job opportunities on sites like:

  • Local Government Jobs
  • Jobs Go Public
  • Third Sector Jobs

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for community development worker. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Youth worker

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a professional youth work qualification, which is a degree recognised by the National Youth Agency.

Degree courses include:

  • youth work
  • youth work and communities
  • youth work and theology
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
More about this route
Postgraduate courses

You can do a postgraduate qualification to give you professional youth worker status if you have a degree in another subject and relevant experience.

College

You’ll need a minimum of a level 2 youth work practice qualification to work with young people aged 11 and over.

This may help you to find a job as a youth support worker. It can also act as a stepping stone to higher-level courses to train to become a professional youth worker.

Entry requirements

There are no set entry requirements for this route.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

  • Youth Support Worker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Youth Worker Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship

These can take between 2 and 3 years to complete.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as a part-time youth support worker and complete training on the job. You could then use this to join a youth work degree course.

Volunteering

Employers value work experience with young people so it's important to get as much as you can. You'll often need at least one year of experience to apply for a job or youth work course.

You can find voluntary or part-time youth work opportunities through the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. You can also contact your local council for details of youth services in your area.

Apply directly

You could apply to become a youth worker if you've got experience and qualifications in teaching, careers guidance, probation or community development.

You'll be expected to complete a postgraduate qualification while you're working to give you professional youth worker status.

You can find out more about careers in youth work from the National Youth Agency.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for youth worker. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Family support worker

You can get into this job through:

College

You could do a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job.

Courses include:

  • health and social care
  • children and young people's workforce
  • children's learning and development
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with an organisation that works with families, such as:

  • Health and Social Care Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Peer Worker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Children, Young People and Families Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Early Intervention Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More about this route
Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

  • have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • are in care or have been in care
  • are in prison or have been in prison

Other ways in

Volunteering

You'll normally need some experience to apply for training or jobs as a family support worker.

You can get this by volunteering or finding paid work with:

  • children's homes or youth projects
  • nurseries
  • family refuge centres
  • probation services
  • family community centres
  • mental health services

You can find volunteering opportunities listed on Do It and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

Apply directly

You can apply directly for family support worker jobs if you have experience of working with children, young people or families.

You'll also usually need a minimum of a level 3 qualification in:

  • childcare or child development
  • social work or social care
  • counselling
  • youth work
  • education

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

For many roles you'll need a driving licence.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

The ability to speak a second language used by groups in the community may be useful for some jobs.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in support work from Think Care Careers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for family support worker. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

7 for this job
Level 3About 18 months

Youth support worker

You gain
Diploma Youth Work Practice or Technical Occupational Entry in Youth Support Work…
Leads to
Youth Support Worker status recognition by: National Youth Agency Education, Training and Standards Committee…
Employers may ask for
The completion of a DBS check in line with local and organisational safer recruitment guidelines.
Details on Skills England
Level 6About 3 yearsDegree

Youth worker

You gain
JNC endorsed professional Level degree in Youth Work
Employers may ask for
A satisfactory enhanced DBS check will be an entry requirement for the programme.
Details on Skills England
Level 3About 15 months

Peer worker

Employers may ask for
There are no formal entry requirements but apprentices must have lived experience relevant to the role.
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • organises social, recreational and educational activities in local community and youth groups
  • undertakes the day-to-day running of community centres and supervises the activities of part-time and voluntary workers
  • liaises and supports voluntary workers running groups in village halls, churches, mosques and other places of worship
  • advises individuals with particular needs or problems through informal discussion, individual counselling or formal group discussion
  • plans and delivers community sport, physical activity and health programmes, working with partner organisations to engage local residents
  • helps set up credit unions, encourages parents to establish playgroups, works with other groups to find solutions to shared concerns or problems

Skills

  • listen actively
  • contribute to protecting individuals from harm
  • advocate for social service users
  • apply person-centred care
  • apply quality standards in social services
  • assess social service users' situation
  • maintain records of work with service users
  • manage social crisis
  • protect vulnerable social service users
  • relate empathetically
  • accept own accountability
  • adhere to organisational guidelines
  • apply holistic approach within social services
  • apply organisational techniques

Knowledge

  • legal requirements in the social sector
  • company policies
  • crisis intervention
  • family law

Suits people who like

  • Helping and caring for people
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for health and social care associate professionals, a group of 13 jobs that includes youth and community workers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 12%about 82,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 2035492,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

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