Invest in your future with our industry-recognised training programme, designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in your field. For just £1850, you can complete the course in 9 to 6 18 months, gaining valuable expertise through classroom-based or Online. Our flexible delivery model ensures you receive high-quality instruction while balancing your personal and professional commitments. Take the next step in your career with Need 2 Succeed!
Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice
Take the lead in shaping young lives and establish yourself as a qualified Youth Support Worker with a nationally respected qualification that commands recognition and credibility across England. This is more than just a certificate – it’s a powerful step toward a meaningful, professional career where your skills, voice, and leadership can make a lasting difference in communities and the lives of young people.
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£1850
Course Cost
9-18 months
Course Duration
Classroom / Online
Course Delivery
About the Qualification
Introduction
This qualification is designed to fully equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to become
a competent Youth Support Worker. It’s a bit more comprehensive than the Level 3 Certificate, as you’ll dive deeper into the subject matter by studying four additional units.
These extra units will provide you with an enriched understanding and enhanced practical experience, preparing you to handle a wider range of situations and challenges in youth work. You’ll gain advanced insights and techniques, ensuring you’re thoroughly prepared to make a significant impact in the lives of young people.
Ready to take your youth work skills to the next level? This qualification will set you on the path to success!
Curriculum
By completing this qualification, you’ll gain a solid understanding and practical experience by studying the same units as the Level 3 Certificate, plus four additional units from a list of 28. These extra units allow you to delve into specific youth work-related topics tailored to your interests and employment needs.
These additional units provide a deeper exploration of various aspects of youth work, ensuring you have the knowledge and skills to address a wide range of issues and scenarios. Whether you’re interested in community outreach, youth counseling, or programme development, you can select topics that align with your passions and career goals.
This tailored approach ensures that you not only meet the standard requirements but also enhance your expertise in areas that matter most to you and your future role in youth work.
Ready to deepen your knowledge and broaden your skills? This qualification will set you on a path to becoming an expert in your chosen areas of youth work!
Why this Diploma stands out
Industry-led credibility – Created in partnership with the National Youth Agency, it maps directly to the latest National Occupational Standards for youth work, so employers know you’re job-ready from day one.
A clear career pathway – Acquire the knowledge and practical skills required for both an Assistant Youth Support Worker (Level 2) and a Youth Support Worker (Level 3), paving the way for paid and voluntary positions in schools, community projects, charities, and local authorities.
Tailored learning – customise your journey with 28 optional units that let you specialise in the settings or themes you’re most passionate about, from mental health support to outdoor education.
Future-proof progression – Whether you aim to dive straight into work or advance to higher-level qualifications, this diploma equips you with the flexible, transferable skills employers and universities are looking for.
Qualification Objective
Building on the core areas covered at Level 2, this course dives deeper into the professional practices, leadership skills, and strategic thinking needed to influence positive change at a higher level. If you’re passionate about progressing your career and making a lasting impact, this qualification is your gateway to greater responsibility, recognition, and reward.
These qualifications will help you develop the underpinning knowledge and work skills you require to competently work towards or carry out the role of Youth Support Worker at Level 3.
Enrol today and take control of your future in youth work – the next stage of your professional journey starts here.
5.0 out of 18+ reviews
Who is this Programme for
The SEG Awards Level 3 Diploma is appropriate for individuals who want to enhance their skills in leading youth work, particularly in a specific area of focus. It is suitable for you if you:
• Need minimal support with your learning
• Are not yet ready for study or have insufficient relevant experience and practice for study at university Higher Education level
• Wish to access a Higher Education youth work programme
• Have no formal qualification
• Wish to return to learning
• Would like to lead in the delivery of work with young people and specialise in certain areas
What your qualifications can lead
Youth Support Worker
Targeted Youth Support Worker
Community Development Officer
Outreach and Detached Worker
Youth Support Workers build trusted relationships with young people, offering support and guidance away from life’s pressures. They typically work with ages 11 to 19 but can support up to age 25 as needed. Found in youth clubs, community centres, hospitals, and faith-based venues, they create safe environments where young people feel heard and valued. Through social educational activities and programmes, they promote personal development, social skills, and emotional well-being. They listen, advise, and mentor, helping young people navigate adolescence and early adulthood. By fostering positive relationships, Youth Support Workers provide stability and encouragement, empowering young people to make informed decisions and build brighter futures.
Your Learner Journey – How It Works
Rating 5.0
Our Experience Is Your Advantage
Case Study
Marcus O’Connor – Youth Centre Manager, Stafford (promoted from Senior Youth Worker)
Profile
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Age: 37
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Setting: County council youth & community hub (serving 1,200+ young people annually)
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Learning pathway: Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice (completed February 2025)
- Career milestone: Promoted to Centre Manager in April 2025 following diploma completion
Starting point & challenges
Marcus had been the de-facto deputy for years but lacked a formal qualification and strategic management experience. Key challenges: large-scale budgeting, HR processes and turning the centre’s vision into measurable KPIs.
How Need 2 Succeed helped
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Senior-level confidence: The Diploma’s extended units on organisational culture, management and policy gave Marcus the technical language required at senior meetings.
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Policy impact: A work-based project saw Marcus lead the redesign of the centre’s Trauma Informed Practice Policy; this was later adopted organisation-wide.
- Peer support: Regular action-learning sets with other Level 3 Diploma learners built a support network he still calls on.
Results
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Promotion: Formal appointment as Centre Manager (grade increase worth £6,200 per annum).
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Quality Mark: Centre achieved a local Quality Mark in May 2025, directly citing Marcus’s policy overhaul.
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Financial turnaround: £32k projected deficit turned into a £12k surplus through new partnerships and cost controls.
- Staff culture: Introduction of quarterly reflective-practice days has cut sickness absence by 25%.
Personal quote
“The Diploma gave me both the paper and the practice. It moved me from ‘acting up’ to leading with authority – and the whole centre feels the difference.”
Next steps
Marcus is implementing a three-year strategic plan crafted during his Diploma project and plans to undertake a Level 5 Coaching & Mentoring qualification with Need 2 Succeed in 2026.
Why are case studies important?
These cases showcase Need 2 Succeeds ability to develop talent, improve provision and evidence real-world outcomes – a compelling narrative for funders, commissioners and prospective learners alike. They provide a picture of how Need 2 Succeed develops talent at every level, from first exposure to professional leadership.
They are powerful example of how Need 2 Succeed opens doors at the very start of the youth work journey, empowering volunteers – often from underrepresented communities – to become confident, capable practitioners.
They represent the current and next generation of youth workers, and include young people who’ve experienced youth services themselves and now want to give back.
