When it comes to making this happen we land on a terrain of contradiction. Neoliberalism views the professional, paid or unpaid with distaste. It is hostile to the idea of professional autonomy and the need for ‘phronesis’, the ability to make differing, insightful judgements according to specific circumstances. Its response is to regulate practice via imposing employer-led, instrumental and generalised frameworks of standards and competencies. Youth work’s reaction has been contrary and compromised, especially as the youth sector fragments and the unifying JNC structure of pay and conditions collapses. Youth workers find themselves in social care, in youth justice and schools. The emergence of an Institute of Youth Work, an embryo professional association, indicates a desire to rescue a collective identity with some arguing for the introduction of a restrictive licence to practice. Yet, out in the field, open youth work is surviving through the continuing efforts of the traditional voluntary youth organisations and the appearance of small independent projects. Ironically many of the workers involved are unpaid or poorly paid and, whilst professional in their practice, sceptical about the need for a graduate profession.

‘Blurring the Boundaries’ is the title of IDYW’s Autumn national conference. There is no doubt that we will once again be grappling with the difference between arguing for professionalism and arguing for professionalisation. For what it’s worth my view is that open youth work cannot be and indeed never will be the property of a profession.