EVENTS AND CONFERENCES – IN DEFENCE BUSINESS – POLITICS
ENGAGING CRITICALLY : A SERIES OF SEMINARS
POLITICS AND YOUTH WORK : THE POLITICS OF THE CAMPAIGN
ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 AT GFTU, HEADLAND HOUSE, LONDON WC1X 8DP
AND FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7 AT THE SPACE, 42nd STREET, MANCHESTER M4 5AG
FROM 1. 00 to 4.30 P.M.
These seminars will explore in part the same terrain as our Politics and Ethics seminar in Birmingham. To what extent can it be argued that the recent focus on ethics within our work marks a retreat from politics? Doesn’t politics over-arch ethics? If a political regime is unjust and unequal, what price our efforts to live good lives under its banner? If youth work itself becomes authoritarian and prescriptive in its intent, what price our efforts to be ethical within its embrace? These questions have been given organisational resonance with the emergence of the Institute of Youth Work and the requirement to sign up to a code of ethics.
If you’ve a moment a number of relevant pieces by Sara Banks, Howard Sercombe and Tony Taylor can be found on our Background Reading page.
However we will be broadening the argument to engage with the long-running issue of politics and youth work practice. Particularly as there seems to be a revival of the view that politics has no place in the work. Indeed in a refreshing debate on the IDYW site before Christmas, questions were posed as to whether the politicised tone and language of the Campaign is alienating would-be supporters. Almost five years on from the Campaign’s emergence this discussion is timely and ought to contribute to the possible need for a fresh statement of intent and purpose at our April conference.
We hope very much you that you will be able to attend and look forward to you chucking in your pennyworth. At both venues tea and coffee will be available from 1.00 p.m with the seminar starting prompt at 1.30 p.m before finishing formally at 4.00 p.m with time left for networking, unless you have to rush off.
As ever with IDYW the cost will be kept low – Unwaged/Students £2, Waged £5. In doing so we are grateful to the General Federation of Trade Unions [GFTU] and the 42nd Street Project for their support in providing the venues. Travel directions will be sent to all participants as well as being available on our Facebook Events page.
To book a place at either of these challenging events, contact Tony at tonymtaylor@gmail.com
Politics and YW February flyer – circulate as you think fit.
IN DEFENCE OF YOUTH WORK 
Apologies for crushed nature of the above post. The flyer itself shouldn’t be so. Cheers .
And apologies that the additions to the Background Reading page on Politics and Ethics went up later than intended – but they are there now!
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