Mission Possible: Supporting Children’s & Youth Work in Southern Synod – 2014 plan

1. Mission Possible: Supporting Children’s & Youth Work in Southern Synod – 2014 plan • Priority: To help churches to increase the participation of children & young people in the life of the church Child Friendly Church Award – guide at least 3 more churches through the CFCA process for 1st or 2nd awards. Train a small team of CFCA advisors. All Age Worship – support Synod Youth Exec to complete and launch ‘Through our eyes’, a resource to help church leaders connect better with young people. This will be completed & launched on Tue 11 March (at a minister’s ONET day). Synod Youth Exec – enable young people by ensuring youth worker support for the group, mentoring for key roles, training for the group & linking them to opportunities in wider URC, including reps to Youth Assembly , and 3 reps to What Do You Think? and General Assembly 2014. Synod Youth Camp + Family Fun Day: Support & enable a team of volunteers to run this event. 2nd- 9th Aug at Carroty Wood campsite, near Tonbridge in Kent. • Priority: To help churches to work with children & young people in a safe & responsible manner Safeguarding Training – deliver new URC basic safeguarding session for youth & children’s leaders in each Synod Area. Advertise additional safeguarding training opportunities through CCPAS. Keeping Watch Over the Flock- Sat 8th Feb – A repeat of the day for church leaders & safeguarding coordinators, delivered by Churches Child Protection Advisory Service and exploring how churches should manage safeguarding issues. Priority: To communicate well with people in local churches Website & newsletter – Sharing stories & ideas, advertising events & resources, offering encouragement & support. Update Facebook page weekly, website monthly & send e-newsletter bimonthly. Advice & guidance – at least half a day each week to respond to enquiries and update FAQs on Synod website and 1 day each month to keep up to date with youth & children’s work resources & developments. Synod Together – highlight C&YW through: youth event, Child Friendly Church Award presentations, sharing good news stories,, advertising of events. • Priority: To develop a Children & Youth Work Support Group There is plenty of scope for people with relevant experience & expertise to do a little bit to increase the help available to churches. Contact Nick White (CYDO) on 01634 817556 or cydo@urcsouthern.org.uk to discuss. The purpose of the Synod Children & Youth Development Officer is to provide a focus for the development of work among children & young people and for the support and training of the many people in local churches who carry out such work. • Assembly work (25%): to include: CYDO team meetings; research for Assembly Y&CW committee; writing content for URC website; URC Youth Assembly, etc • Synod work (75%) Listed under each of the Synod C&YW priorities below: • Priority: To help churches recruit & develop youth & children’s leaders Toolbox–day conference for youth & children’s leaders organised by Kent Ecumenical Youth & Children’s Officers group offering keynote speaker, choice of 22 workshops, and resources area. Sat 22 March 2014 in Chatham, Kent. Making Waves–for all concerned about youth & children’s ministry in their church. Share stories & ideas. Find encouragement & inspiration from one another through sharing of stories and ideas. Dates & venues tbc. Core Skills for Children’s Work –revised & updated training material will be offered in Kent, London & Sussex by an ecumenical team. Each day offers a choice of 3 out of 9 sessions. Sat 22 Feb in Canterbury, Sat 10 May in Croydon, and Sat 14 June in the Brighton & Hove area. Introduction to Youth Work – offer this to be delivered by employed youth workers in the Synod as part of their wider work under the Turn the Tide scheme. Respond to specific training requests from specific churches, delegating to a pool of volunteer trainers where possible. Turn the Tide scheme – assist churches with guidance and grants to employ youth / children/family workers, sessional workers, youth work students etc. Coordinate time given by workers to support other local churches through the Turn the Tide wider work commitment. Employed youth/children’s worker network – termly gathering of workers for discussion, mutual encouragement, sharing of information. Training the trainers – opportunity for people to develop their skills to offer training in youth and children’s work to people in local churches. Dates & venues tbc. • Priority: To help churches to get more involved with children & young people in their local communities Starting from scratch – a package ofsupport for churches who need to start work with children afresh. Sat 11 Jan in Dover, other dates/venues tbc. Mission Means … a day to help local churches consider what mission could mean for them. 2 seminars will relate to youth/children’s work. Mission Possible– an initiative of URC Urban Churches Network in Southern Synod & Thames North Synod, empowering urban URCs for mission among children. Sat 1 March to inspire & develop ideas; ongoing support from CYDOs and other mentors; small start-up grants; Sat 25 Oct to celebrate & share experiences. I look forward to working with you next year to help ‘turn the tide’ of children & young people leaving the church. Nick White (Children’s & Youth Development Officer) Mission Possible: Enabling the church to help children & young people find faith & follow Jesus.