Spotlight on:

Prevention Worker

Alternative title

Prevention Practitioner

Average salary

Starter

Experienced

Usual hours

37–39 hours a week, sometimes evenings and weekends

Lauren is a prevention worker based in Scotland. In this Q&A, she tells us what a prevention worker does, what it takes to become one and how rewarding it feels to make a difference.

The headlines

Alternative title

Prevention Practitioner

Average Salary

Starter

Experienced

Working hours

Usual hours

37–39 hours a week, sometimes evenings and weekends

Topics

Crime

Health

Similar Roles

National Careers Service

Youth worker

Youth workers support young people aged 11 to 25 and organise activities to help them develop.

Find Out more

National Careers Service

Social worker

Social workers help to protect vulnerable children and adults from harm or abuse, and support people to live independently.

Find Out more

National Careers Service

Victim care officer

Victim care officers support people who've been affected by crime.

Find Out more

Companies

Human After All

London

Creative and media

Computing, tech and digital

Find Out more

Opportunities

No items found.

What does a Prevention Worker do?

As a prevention worker, I raise awareness around sexual violence, harassment and abuse to help people recognise it when they see it and intervene.

Day to day, that means I run a lot of workshops on a range of topics, such as consent, online sexual violence and sexualisation in pornography.

Prevention workers tailor these workshops to young people aged 13–25, and run them anywhere from high schools and colleges to community youth groups. We don’t want people who don’t go to mainstream education to miss out.

Alongside workshops, prevention workers get the word out about what we do at fresher fairs and other events.

How did you get into this career?

I got interested in prevention work while studying a gender-based violence course during my postgraduate degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Durham University.

My studies made me more aware of the huge need to tackle rape culture at its core. I was inspired to raise awareness about how everyday behaviours can lead to and normalise sexual violence, harassment and abuse.

Then, when I was looking for jobs after uni, I came across Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis (the organisation I work for now). They were hiring a prevention worker to do exactly what I wanted to do. The job was everything I was looking for and I jumped at the opportunity.

What sort of qualifications does someone need to be a Prevention Worker?

There aren’t any specific qualifications you need to be a prevention worker. But, experience working in an organisation that operates within a feminist, equalities and human rights framework will help you land the job.

(A feminist, equalities and human rights framework is like a set of guidelines that makes sure an organisation that works with vulnerable people behaves properly.)

Other than qualifications, what do you need to do this job?

To work in this job, you must be strongly committed to anti-discriminatory and equality work. You must also be able to develop and deliver innovative events attended by a diverse range of people.

What’s the most rewarding thing about your job?

The feedback I get from young people after we’ve explored topics that challenge their attitudes and beliefs.

At the end of most workshops, I ask students to complete an anonymous feedback form on how they felt the workshop went. I get so much positive feedback — it shows the work I’m doing is helping make a difference.

What’s the most challenging thing about your job?

Going into a school for the first time and asking young people to talk about sensitive subjects with me when they’ve never met me before. It can be difficult to engage them while making sure they feel comfortable to openly talk about these issues.

However, our centre has begun to push a new format. We now have an introductory session with each class to introduce ourselves and the centre, and get to know the people in the class. This has been working very well so far, as when I come back I am a familiar face and can tailor the workshop to each specific class.

What do you wish you’d known when you were starting out?

One thing I wish I’d known before starting out as a prevention worker is how fun and fulfilling this job would be.

Ask us anything

Prevention Worker

Got any questions?
Head to our Discord and join the conversation.

Follow us

Don't know what you want to do? We'll help you find a career you can care about.

Prevention Worker

Got any questions?Head to our Discord and join the conversation.

Follow us

Don't know what you want to do? We'll help you find a career you can care about.

Got any questions?
Head to our Discord and join the conversation.