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Youth Worker Mock Interview

Question 28 of 30 for our Youth Worker Mock Interview

Youth Worker was updated by on December 9th, 2022. Learn more here.

Question 28 of 30

How would you deal with a youth who did not want to be helped or motivated?

As a Youth Worker, you help others to enact essential and positive change. However, the interviewer wants to see that you understand the importance of helping others when they are ready to help themselves. You must not be impatient with people, as everyone follows their path at their own pace. Talk about the ways which you help to motivate the youth in your care while also keeping in mind the critical traits of empathy and patience.

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How to Answer: How would you deal with a youth who did not want to be helped or motivated?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Youth Worker job interview.

  • 28. How would you deal with a youth who did not want to be helped or motivated?

      What You Need to Know

      As a Youth Worker, you help others to enact essential and positive change. However, the interviewer wants to see that you understand the importance of helping others when they are ready to help themselves. You must not be impatient with people, as everyone follows their path at their own pace. Talk about the ways which you help to motivate the youth in your care while also keeping in mind the critical traits of empathy and patience.

      Written by Kevin Downey on December 9th, 2022

      Entry Level Example

      "We all have our success stories, and we all have stories where we hang onto hope. We are sowing seeds in a hope garden, waiting for hope to germinate and sprout. We never know what someone's story is until they share it, and I cannot force someone to do so before they're ready. If one of my colleagues is building a rapport with the youth, and I am not, that's okay. It's not a competition. It's a journey. There's that proverb, that when you set out on your journey, and the destination seems to get farther and farther away, you realize that the actual destination all along was the journey. It's like that."

      Written by Kevin Downey on December 9th, 2022

      Experienced Example

      "I am not one to give up on anyone. I'll encourage that connection and wait for it. With at-risk youth, it can take time and patience for them to come around. Pressuring a person to get help before they're ready can result in them experiencing feelings of shame, and is often counterproductive, and the results are rarely long-lasting. They have to want to do the work. I am non-judgemental and show that I am available when they are ready to enact change. If they don't come around, all that I can do is continue to be supportive and encouraging. Yet, often the youth in our center come and go and come and go again until they hit their own rock bottom and decide that they are ready to ask for help. Being open and ready for that moment is the best thing I can do. In the meantime, I keep showing them I am there and allow them to conclude for themselves it's okay to ask for help when they are ready."

      Written by Kevin Downey on December 9th, 2022

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Every young person has their path and timing so I rather figure out what do like doing at least I can start my motivation from that point to help gain attention from the young person."

      Stephanie's Feedback

      This is a great start, but I suggest developing your response further to show specific ways that you might motivate a young person. In the "Revised Answer" section, I have provided a suggestion for how this response could be re-stated to add impact.
      "Every young person has their own path and their own timing, and it's really important for me to meet each individual exactly where there are. A young person's resistance to me does not mean they're unmotivated; it means that I haven't yet been able to tap into their motivations or passions. In order to connect with young people, I try to learn more about who they are as individuals and what they enjoy, what music they're listening to, who is important to them, etc. Relationships are everything, and I find those building relationships with young people is the key to motivating them to succeed."
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