Development education and the National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF)

What is development education?

Development education in youth work aims to support young people to increase their awareness and understanding of the interdependent and unequal world in which we live, through a process of interactive learning, debate, action and reflection. It challenges perceptions of the world and encourages young people to act for a more just and equal society at a national and an international level.

Is development education good youth work practice?

Development education encourages young people to look at issues in a different way and helps them to understand complex issues. It promotes respect for other young people’s rights, values and cultures. Quality development education shares many of the same principles as good youth work. These include starting with and valuing young people’s own views, learning through participation and promoting equality, responsibility and mutual respect. For more information, see our ‘Going Global’ resource.

How does development education contribute towards the National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF)?

The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) aims to ensure that youth work orgs provide quality services to young people, and articulate that practice according to a common framework. An effective development education programme – exploring social justice issues in the World around us and how young people can take action to address them – addresses the core principles of the NQSF:

Young person-centred
Committed to ensuring and promoting the safety and well-being of young people.
Educational and developmental
Committed to ensuring and promoting equality and inclusiveness
Dedicated to the provision of quality youth work and committed to continuous improvement

Where to learn more about the link between development education and the NQSF..

NYCI provides training which covers the links between development education and the NQSF entitled ‘Development Education in Youth Work and the National Quality Standards Framework’ contact deved@nyci.ie for more information.

For more information on the NQSF, click here.