Aristotle Meets Youth Work: A Case for Virtue Ethics

What ethical framework provides the best guide for contemporary youth work is the central question in this article. An account is provided of why the two dominant ethical frameworks, namely, utilitarianism and deontic ethics, are not appropriate. It is argued that virtue ethics is most relevant because it specifies the nature of social goods, and provides a relevant framework of thinking about good practice. Six key reasons are identified for why virtue ethics provides the most suitable ethical framework. They include its account of virtues expressed in our character, its focus on education to build character as a source of social transformation, its emphasis on our agential capacity to make choices, its interest in our capacity to think critically and act ethically, the connections it makes between the practice of virtues and social goods that define a good life individually or collectively, and its capacity to inform good professional judgement and good practice. What all this means for youth work is considered through a discussion about good judgement and practice - or to use the virtue ethics vocabulary, 'phronesis'. What that means in terms of the requisite skills, knowledge and dispositions is spelt out in relation to youth work practice.