BA (Hons) Community and Youth Work (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship)

Study for a degree while developing your practice in the workplace. Gain the wide range of skills and knowledge required in community and youth work. Qualify as a professional (JNC) youth worker and change the lives of young people.

Students sitting together looking at and writing in notebooks

Start date/study mode:

Course codeCID1498

Duration3 years

Course summary

This apprenticeship offers a opportunity to develop your practice in the workplace while gaining a professional qualification. The course will equip you with the knowledge and understanding to make a real impact in the lives of young people. You’ll work towards graduating as a Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC)-recognised youth worker.

We have over 45 years of experience delivering youth work courses. And we're proud to be the only institution in the north-east to offer professionally qualifying (JNC) youth work degrees.

Choosing the apprenticeship route is a fantastic alternative to traditional study. It allows you to earn while you learn and apply your knowledge in real-world settings. You’ll complete tailored practice experiences that meet your individual learning needs. This is while demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard. These align with the National Occupational Standards for Youth Work (Level 6) and reflect the critical thinking and leadership required to champion anti-oppressive youth work practice.

We design the course in a creative way and offer more than traditional lecture and essay learning. Engaging professional development is a central focus for our learning experiences and curriculum.

Why Sunderland for Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

What you'll study

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available, choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

Your learning will take place both in your workplace and on campus in Sunderland.

When on campus, you’ll experience a learning environment that mirrors the collaborative and empowering nature of community and youth work. You can expect plenty of dialogue, group work, and meaningful reflection.

As an apprentice, your employer-based learning could evolve in some surprising places. This could be around a pool table, on a walk, in a community café, or in a multi-agency meeting.

Throughout the course you’ll have dedicated one-to-one support from a tutor who'll be there to guide your progress every step of the way.

Assessment varies and reflects the real skills used in the profession. Methods include:

Written assignments,
Presentations (individual and group)
Professional discussions
A portfolio of learning.

This broad approach helps you develop key competencies while you build confidence in your abilities as a future youth work professional.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is a minimum of 96 UCAS points (or equivalent). If you don't meet this requirement, we may still consider you if you're in a suitable employment setting and your employer supports you. You must also be successful in an interview.

If you're aged 16-18 at the start of the course, you must hold GCSEs in maths and English language at a minimum of grade C or numerical grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent). Or, be willing to work towards achieving this before the course end date. We'll review and discuss this with you as part of the initial assessment process.

If you're 19 or older when you start the course, you're no longer required to achieve English language and maths qualifications to complete the apprenticeship. Employers now have the discretion to determine whether these qualifications are necessary for their apprentices' roles. They may choose to include them as an entry requirement or integrate them into the course if considered relevant.

You must also have employment for a minimum of 30 hours per week in a youth work setting, where you have day-to-day contact with young people. This is as well as a breadth of learning opportunities across the full range of knowledge, skills, and behaviours within the apprenticeship standard.

We recommend that you complete a minimum of 100 hours of practical work with young people and/or communities before starting the course.

Fees and finance support

Larger organisations can use their apprenticeship levy and government top-up to pay tuition and professional fees of higher apprenticeships. For smaller employers, the government pays 95%, with the remainder co-invested by the business.

For a discussion around your specific requirements please call 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Apply now

Start date/study mode:

UK students

Apprenticeship September 2026
Application deadline is 2 July 2026

To apply for a higher or degree apprenticeship, you must have an employer in place to support you on the course. If you're interested in applying and have an employer in place, please email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab) and we'll send you the relevant application link.

To search for apprenticeships offered by employers in your area go to: gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship(opens in new tab).

For a discussion around your specific requirements, or if you're an employer interested in creating a vacancy, please call us on 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and you're offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

For more information, view our programme specifications. These include course content, learning outcomes, and the skills you'll gain.