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youth worker

(UK, Australia) A person who works with youngsters, to promote informal education.

ˈjuθ ˈwɝkɚCurrent158 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇦🇺 Australian & NZ slang
1 definition
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Australia
#1·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(UK, Australia) A person who works with youngsters, to promote informal education.

At the moment, she’s a youth worker with the local council, primarily dealing with teens who’ve got into trouble. “I think I can save them,” she says. “Open their eyes to uni or a job.” But she can’t save any money on two contracts, one …
For parents

"youth worker" means: A person who works with youngsters, to promote informal education.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"youth worker" means: A person who works with youngsters, to promote informal education.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (UK) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable

Heard in the wild
  • “Youth Worker – Social Services Canada Summer Jobs / Summer Students - $17.60/hour at Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services Scarborough, ON Apply by: Mon, 18 May more...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

"youth worker" means: A person who works with youngsters, to promote informal education.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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Australia

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🇦🇺About Australian & NZ slang slang

Aussie and Kiwi vocabulary — bogan, daggy, brekkie, sheila, bach, jandals — the whole Antipodean lexicon, including outback dialect, surf and beach culture, and Sydney/Melbourne street slang.

See all Australian & NZ slang slang on Slangora.

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