Abstract
There is a growing interest in youth work to identify the confidence levels of workers in the various facets associated with the field in order to promote best practice with youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between not-for-profit youth development workers’ efficacy as measured by theory efficacy, professional values efficacy and applied skills efficacy and four independent variables which included gender, age, youth work experience, and previous training in the field of youth work. Youth workers in a not-for-profit youth development setting were invited to complete a survey that focused on theories, professional values, and applied skills. Significant results included older participants having more experience in youth work as well as more training than younger participants, participants with more experience having higher professional values efficacy levels, and participants with more experience in youth work having received training than those participants with less experience. Initiating research on youth worker efficacy will allow youth development professionals to have a greater positive impact on the children and youth that they serve.
