Code Project

What is the CODE project?

Youth Workers’ Australia is part of an international project titled “Strengthening the Professionalisation of Youth Work through Codes of Ethical Practice” – this is a strategic partnership between the peak body for leisure and youth workers Félag fagfólks í frítímaþjónustu (Iceland), Estonian Association of Youth Workers (Estonia), Victoria University (Australia) and the YWA (Australia). The Chief Investigator and Code Project Australia lead is Associate Professor Tim Corney, assisted by Martti Martinson.

The project is implemented between 2019 and 2022 and is supported by the European Union Erasmus+: Youth in Action programme with funding granted by the Archimedes Foundation Youth Agency in Estonia.

What is the aim of the CODE project?

The aim of this project is to establish a strategic partnership between Estonia, Iceland and Australia to strengthen youth workers professional associations and provide an impetus for the greater application of national Youth Work Codes of Ethics.

It will build on the strengths and experiences of each participating country: the strong legislative framework and a well-developed network of youth clubs in Iceland; the strong occupational standard, policy and legislative framework for youth work in Estonia and the unique experience of Australia in having a voluntary human rights-based Youth Work Code of Ethics which is endorsed and widely implemented by the youth sector.

This project will produce the following outputs:

• Research paper on the professionalisation of youth work in Estonia, Iceland and Australia

• Research paper on the use and application of Youth Work Codes of Ethics in Estonia, Iceland and Australia

• A Comprehensive Manual capturing theory, case studies and guidelines on how to embed Youth Work Codes of Ethics into the youth work practice;

• Three international teaching and learning events focusing on the exchange of practicesto contribute to the development of research papers and the Comprehensive Manual;

• Local seminars for youth workers in June-August 2022 in Australia, Estonia and Iceland to introduce the research papers and the manual to the youth sector.

Research Papers