NOTES

Good morning my name is Yvonne and today I’m going to deliver a power point presentation of historical youth work from the 1950s era. 
Adolescent norms in the 1950s were totally different than they are today. In this decade, the UK imports the term ‘teenager’ from the US.

Generation Gap caused by age, if you grew up in WWII would see things differently compared to the 1960s but things will be similar.
they followed the likes of James Dean and got cosy in the Drive-ins. This was the decade that rock and roll was born, and characteristics included quiffs, Elvis, flick knives and alcohol.

Class stereotypes were also clearly seen in films and television, which began to change in the 1950s.In this period, teenagers, supported by the mass media, got a bad reputation, mainly due to juvenile delinquency, which was quite exaggerated.

Teddy boys also known as the Teds had an Edwardian style with tailored trousers, long draped jackets in dark colours, velvet trims and the trousers were worn high on the waist. They were made of high quality fabrics  as they could afford them. 
Haircuts like the tony Curtis and the boston style which needed a lot of hair product. 
rock ‘n’ roll became popular, the film Blackboard Jungle, aired in the UK in 1956, sparked some violence from the Teddy Boys, who reportedly tore up the cinema seats and danced in the aisles. This happened all over the country. The media exaggerated these and similar incidents, which gave the Teddy Boys a bad reputation. The Teds frequently visited cafes, dance halls and cinemas. Stars like Elvis Presley were all the rage. 
jazz music brought black and white youth together. It was a place where different races and ethnicities could cross paths. 
CND the campaign for nuclear disarmament British youth culture movements were about music, fashion, and social/individual statements. CND was also a political movement. This movement emerged when the Cold War loomed, and atomic bombs were feared. The youth spread the CND symbol in jazz clubs and secondary schools. The desire and disapproval of youth was the basis for connecting British youth culture and popular music with a political issue, which led to the student movements of the 1960s.
Here the work of Reverend Arthur Sweatman is recognised. He was involved in setting up and running a youth institute. According to the Social Science Association Mr Sweatman made one of the first cases for specific provision for youth. 

Their peculiar wants are evening recreation, companionship, an entertaining but healthy literature, useful instruction, and a strong guiding influence to lead them onward and up¬ward socially and morally; their dangers are, the long evenings consequent upon early closing, the unrestraint they are allowed at home, the temptations of the streets and of their time of life, and a little money at the bottom of their pockets. (Sweatman 1867)

Like today’s youth work, the principles are the same, the youth clubs are set up and its optional for the young people to attend. All the work that youth workers do now is young people focused like it was in the early years, Youth work is about activities rather than informal education. In the 1950s the Teddy boys posed a threat as troublemakers whereas in the 2000s young people who wore hoodies were associated with anti-social behaviour. Every decade will have the “trouble” but youth workers offer the same support and activities to all. No one is judged or left out regardless of image, race or sex etc. 
To have been a young person in the 1950s meant you spent a lot of time outside however being a young person nowadays means spend time outside with friends in a controlled environment. Of course  some things were undoubtedly different but a lot of the principles are the same. 

So to conclude I feel very lucky to be on this career path, to give all the young people the same chance, to be the youth worker that helps to shape lives and to hopefully be a role model for the young people so that when they grow up they will want to do the same and offer their young people the chances and opportunities I have. 

Thank you for listening. Any questions. 


Refrences
 
 Bradley, Dick. Understanding Rock 'n' Roll. Buckingham: Open UP, 1992. Print.
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/schule/history/modern-britain/british-youth-culture/
www.infed.org
www.history.com