Sustainability and Social Justice

Urban Youth Workers' Use of "Personal Knowledge" in Resolving Complex Dilemmas of Practice

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Using narrative inquiry to analyze accounts of how two experienced youth workers handled the potential for gun violence in their organizations, this article argues that youth worker expertise in part is based on personal knowledge derived from childhood neighborhood-based peer groups and participation in youth programs. Expert youth workers draw on personal and professional craft knowledge and move between the rules of youth organizations and the rules of the streets to read people and situations and address the potential for serious violence. Implications for youth worker professional development are raised. © 2013 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Publication Title

Child and Youth Services

Publication Date

7-1-2013

Volume

34

Issue

3

First Page

267

Last Page

289

ISSN

0145-935X

DOI

10.1080/0145935X.2013.826039

Keywords

expertise, professional development, urban, youth worker knowledge

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