Meet Connor, a creative youth work advocate and senior lecturer at BCU, as he highlights the many creative outlets young people can connect to both digitally and in the classroom.
How did you first get involved in youth work and creativity?
I actually started my youth work journey as a young person attending a local government-funded youth centre. They had a strong music programme—DJ decks, instruments, production equipment—all the good stuff. I was drawn to the older lads who were into it, and they passed on their knowledge to me. That centre eventually shut down due to government cuts, but I took what I learned and kept going, DJ'ing and making music. I was lucky to play in some great places around the world.
A few years later, a local social enterprise got in touch and asked me to come in and run music projects with young people. I was only 17 or 18 at the time. We did a project focused on anti-knife crime where young people released an album and put on an event. I loved it and stuck around after the project ended.
From there, things just kept building. I worked for BBC Introducing and Radio 1 and noticed a lack of broadcasting projects in youth settings. We created a programme through a local youth centre, supported by the National Youth Music Foundation, where young people could gain qualifications in music, radio, DJ'ing, podcasts—whatever they were passionate about. Eventually, we had a full youth radio station running, which still exists today.
That hands-on experience led me to pursue a Master’s in Youth Work. I was doing so much of it, I figured I should get qualified to keep going.
What creative mediums have you used in your youth work?
It started with music, but over the years I’ve done loads: radio, podcasting, graffiti art, visual arts, digital media, video creation, and even live events. We’ve run sports sessions too—football, basketball, boxing, rugby, go-karting, and more. I try to incorporate whatever tools help build relationships with young people. If it’s something you're genuinely passionate about, they pick up on that.
Youth work gives you the freedom to use what you enjoy—be it football, music, or art—as a bridge to connect with young people and get them engaged.
What were some of the challenges you faced in delivering creative youth work?
The biggest challenges have always been space and funding. Even if you get funding to run a project in a certain area, some young people won’t attend because of postcode rivalries or local tensions. Ideally, you’d need a centre in every postcode, but that’s not realistic.
Another challenge is finding the right team. You might have great musicians who aren’t trained youth workers, or youth workers who don’t have the creative skills or equipment to run music sessions. It’s about finding that sweet spot—a team with the right mix of skills, gear, and understanding of youth culture.
Youth Work and Communities
Find out more about our course
How do you see creativity being integrated into youth work education at BCU?
At BCU, we’ve got a team of four lecturers, all with diverse and practical backgrounds. What we teach has a strong real-world element. We apply theory to actual youth work situations we've experienced. I always relate what I teach to the projects and scenarios I’ve been part of.
Each student gets a supervisor from the team, and we try to match them based on their interests. So, if someone wants to follow a creative path similar to mine, they’ll work closely with me. It helps pass that lived experience directly to them.
What stands out about the BCU Youth Work course?
The placement hours are a major strength. Students do 800 hours across six different placements over three years. That’s where they really learn. We help set them up so they can go into all kinds of settings and gain a range of experiences. The practical, hands-on element is what makes the course really unique.
Can you tell us a bit about your own journey as a creative—DJ'ing and travelling?
It was a great experience, but definitely hard work. I got to travel, play at festivals, and meet new people. It was never a full-time career for me—I did it as a hobby, but one I was passionate about.
These days I don’t produce music as much because I just don’t have the time. I prefer DJ'ing and doing radio. I always tell people: if you enjoy it, go for it. But as soon as it starts to feel like a chore, it’s okay to take a break.
What’s your advice for future youth workers wanting to use creativity in their practice?
Use what you love to engage young people. If you're passionate about it, they’ll respond to that. Creativity is a great tool, but it’s not one-size-fits-all. Youth work is voluntary, unlike school, so young people choose to be there. That makes it even more important to make sessions engaging, relevant, and youth-led. Your role is to facilitate, not dictate.
Let them take ownership. That’s where the real magic happens.