Job Description

• A playworker is a position that is predominately found in the UK. As a playworker, you work with children between the ages of 4 and 16 and facilitate play activities that fall outside the purview of their curriculum. At these play settings, you provide an environment that helps children interact with other children their age. Typically, you would have to plan, organize and possibly lead play activities, while also ensuring the health and safety of children, as well as collect payments and maintain records.
  
  

Work Environment

• The work environment for a playworker is very dynamic. It is fun, noisy, messy and supercharged with energy. The setting of your job could change every day, depending on where you are holding your activities (e.g. play centers, adventure playgrounds, school halls, community centers, or village halls). You are required to work full-time, 35 to 40 hours a week. Sometimes, you may also have to work evenings for activities that are conducted after school hours.
  
  

Education Requirements

• Before you can become a playworker, you will enter this field at the position of a playwork assistant. To become a playwork assistant, there are no particular qualifications that you are required to have. However, experience is always a bonus and if you've done volunteer work with kids or you've brought up a family, that would be considered valuable.
  
  If you are coming into a position as a lead playworker, the qualifications such as a CACHE Certificate/Diploma, City and Guilds level 2 Award in Early Years Care and Education, and NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 in Playwork or Early Years Care and Development are all necessary qualification.
  
  If you are aiming to get higher level qualifications in playwork, you could also complete a two years full-time Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE) in Playwork or the BA (Hons) Professional Studies in Playwork offered at the Leeds Metropolitan University.
  
  

Salary and other Benefits

• Salaries for playworkers may vary from region to region, depending on several factors. However, on average, a full-time playworker with no experience can expect to draw a salary of £11,000 and £12,500 per annum, whereas an experienced playworker can earn between £16,800 and £20,700. Additionally, a part-time playworker could take home around £10,278, and senior managers could draw a salary of up to £35,000 or more per year.
  
  

Future Prospects

• Having begun your career as a playworker doesn't mean that you are going to be stuck at this position forever. Even if the career progression is somewhat limited in this field, within a few years you can aim to be the development worker, manager or trainer. You could also use your experience as a playworker to move laterally into similar positions, such as childcare and youth work. Finally, by obtaining your Foundation Degree, it is possible for you to move into a teaching job as well.