Book Reviews
| Author | Rose Parkes |
| Pages | 85-95 |
85
BOOK REVIEWS
Edited by Rose Parks, De Montfort University
YOUTH WORKERS, STUCKNESS, AND THE MYTH OF
SUPERCOMPETENCE: NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO
Anderson-Nathe, B. (2010). Abingdon: Routledge. pp.146 (pbk) £22.99
ISBN 978 0 415 99773 7
This is one of the most relevant and gripping titles in youth work publication in recent
years. The book is focussed on the American youth work profession; however, parallels
are drawn with the nature of the profession in other countries, for example, the United
Kingdom.
On opening the book for the first time, it could appear to be a complicated and difficult
read as a result of the page layout and formatting, but this impression cannot be further
from the truth! This book is gripping from the start. It is written honestly and is full of
examples of incidents that youth workers are reluctant to share because it makes them
feel incompetent and not 'good enough' to do their jobs. The starting point is the
moment of 'not-knowing' what to do and, therefore, getting stuck in a new or even
routine interaction with a young person. The 'myth of supercompetence' - that all your
colleagues are better at the job than you are and better equipped to deal with unexpected
circumstances - is the second key theme of this innovative, thought-provoking and
reflective phenomenological analysis.
Anderson-Nathe starts his account by looking at the related theory that might be able to
account for the phenomena he is trying to describe. This is a thorough examination that
reveals the relevance of these theories, but also the shortcomings in explaining the full
extent of the phenomena that he is trying to put on the agenda. Chapter Three goes on to
explore the methodological underpinning of the phenomenological nature of the research.
The issues of 'not-knowing' and supercompetence must be explored from an interpretive
research perspective as the value of the subjective account is in the experience and
meaning that workers attach to these moments. A bonus of this chapter is that the author
includes detailed, practical advice and guidance on how to conduct phenomenological
research. This allows the book to develop from a reflective account that validates and
exposes youth workers' meaningful experiences to a text that can be used to develop
future interpretive qualitative research. However, something that seems to be missing
British Journal of Community Justice
©2011 Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield
ISSN 1475-
0279
Vol. 9(3): 85-99
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