Namibia's new degree for youth workers - a pathway to empowerment

According to Charlotte Barcham, the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, as the omicron variant threatens a wave of global havoc, the 1.8 billion young people worldwide remain vulnerable to the persisting impact of Covid-19, and support from youth workers is needed now more than ever."This is a point made by Oliver Mhuriro, one of 17 students to graduate with a bachelor of arts in youth and community development (BAYCD) from the Namibia College of Open Learning’s (Namcol) Jetu Jama Centre in Windhoek," she said. The programme is Namibia's first-ever higher education course for youth workers, and the graduation for this first cohort is a historic milestone. Originally from Zimbabwe, Mhuriro is passionate about making a difference within the youth development sector and using his new qualification to inspire upcoming generations to participate in youth work. His course was created through a partnership between Namcol and the Commonwealth Higher Education Consortium for Youth Work (CHEC4YW), which the Commonwealth Secretariat leads. It is designed to address the challenges youth workers face today by improving their skills, promoting the professionalisation of their work, and creating new career opportunities.Making historyAfter three years of studying the new course, Mhuriro graduated with cum laude. Speaking about the collaboration between the Commonwealth and Namcol, he said: "The strategic partnership facilitated the reality of starting the BAYCD programme at Namcol.”Youth minister Agnes Tjongarero recognised the monumental achievement, saying that the ministry welcomes and congratulates the first cohort of the programme."Over the years, there has been a lack of relevant qualifications in the field of youth work and this achievement by Namcol in collaboration with the CHEC4YW will enable Namibia to develop a team of professionals in youth work," she said. Namcol director Heroldt Murangi added that they are glad that as an institution, on 16 September 2021, they made history. "We had our first graduates from our degree programme with 17 students that graduated, 10 females and seven males," he said. Namibia Youth Workers' AssociationThere was also recognition of the urgent need for youth workers in Namibia to form an association to further facilitate youth work professionalisation and establish a code of conduct to regulate the profession. Mhuriro and three other BAYCD graduates are part of a steering committee that is currently working towards the establishment of the first-ever Namibia Youth Workers' Association (NYWA). They are getting guidance, financial support and mentorship from the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Workers' Associations (CAYWA). "We look forward to hitting the ground running in 2022 in our efforts to formally establish NYWA. I would like to advise other youth workers from across the Commonwealth who haven't yet formed an association to first organise themselves and then get in touch with CAYWA, which is an arm of the Commonwealth Secretariat that is always ready to give mentorship and a helping hand," Mhuriro explained. Rising cases of mental illness, substance abuse Mhuriro went on to highlight the severe impact of the pandemic on young people and outlined the actions that he feels must follow. "The issues affecting young people, for example, mental illness, substance abuse, and even loneliness are increasing during the Covid-19 pandemic period, and this trend isn't improving.It is during challenging times such as these that young people need more access to youth workers who work in various settings, for example in youth centres, and in street-based youth work and after-school programme," he said. The Commonwealth Secretariat has pledged to put youth work at the forefront of their new four-year strategic plan. Amina Osman, education advisor at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said youth work is a professional practice with strong evidence of its benefits to young people and communities."We call for youth work to be deeply embedded in national youth policy so that youth work graduates can aspire to long-term career prospects. This will encourage many more students to enroll in the degree courses."

Namibia's new degree for youth workers - a pathway to empowerment

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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Namibia's new degree for youth workers - a pathway to empowerment

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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