Tag: volunteers

Context, Detached youthwork, Mission, Theology, Youth ministry, Youthwork

10 threats and opportunities for churches as posed by Detached youth work

Recently I was in a conversation with someone who was asking about my working experiences (no it wasn’t a job interview), and having talked a little about my experiences in working in a call centre, then making the leap to begin youthwork and theology training, I then mentioned that I have been involved in detached youthwork for the best part of the last 12 years, … Continue reading 10 threats and opportunities for churches as posed by Detached youth work

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Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork, Youthwork Methods

How will we find the good in youth ministry, if we don’t even look for it?

Oh well at least no one died tonight.  This can often be the mantra at the end of a crazy out work session. But its not setting the bar very high in regard to evaluating or reviewing a session. Duffy Robbins in a piece on Youthwork Magazine 12 years ago wrote a piece on evaluating youth ministry, describing how for some volunteers, a good youth … Continue reading How will we find the good in youth ministry, if we don’t even look for it?

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Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork

Where is Voluntary Youth Ministry happening in the UK? Volunteers plot yourselves here:

Where is voluntary youth ministry happening in the UK? Is there youth ministry happening in the whole of the UK? Although I started by creating a map for where the employed youth workers are in the UK. I dont say this lightly, but the true heroes of youth ministry in the UK are all of the people who voluntarily give up time of an evening, … Continue reading Where is Voluntary Youth Ministry happening in the UK? Volunteers plot yourselves here:

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Youthwork, Youthwork management

Managing in Youth Work: Reflecting Spiritually, Closure and Endings

As I write this it is Saturday afternoon (in June 2017) (though not finished until Monday), and I have 1 week left being the Manager of a youth work organisation. The organisation itself is also about to close down during the summer. So if there was anything i would be able to reflect on right now it writing from the midst of the process of … Continue reading Managing in Youth Work: Reflecting Spiritually, Closure and Endings

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Discipleship, Mission, Youthwork and Theology, Youthwork Methods

A (critical) response to losing heart – make homebrewed disciples

I cant imagine how difficult it must be to talk to young people about Sex. Especially young people in churches. Back in the early 1990’s Steve Chalke helped a load of youth leaders out with the ‘lessons in love’ videos. I know, i watched them. Fast forward 25 years since then and YouthScape have done some research in churches which revealed that one of the … Continue reading A (critical) response to losing heart – make homebrewed disciples

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Discipleship, Mission, Youth ministry, Youthwork Methods

‘Confirmation’ as an opportunity to launch relational group discipleship.

A few years ago I had a conversation where I caused a Vicar to cry. I’m not proud of it. It wasnt clever of me, neither did i think i was being provocative, neither insensitive, or insightful. The vicar was recalling the progress that they had in their local school and describing the process of advertising, ‘selecting’ and developing the confirmation group in a local cofe … Continue reading ‘Confirmation’ as an opportunity to launch relational group discipleship.

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Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork Methods

Does the church benefit from youth ministry Gap Year students?

Talking about the very popular, and they are in many shapes and sizes, the Church/youth ministry Gap year. Let me put this out there. I was one of a long line of young people from my church in Market Harborough who participated in the Oasis Trust Frontline Team, Gap Year scheme, which ran for most of the 1990’s and into the 2000’s. It’s 20 years … Continue reading Does the church benefit from youth ministry Gap Year students?

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Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork, Youthwork Methods

Investing in volunteers is better that employing a professional youthworker

Yesterday i wrote a piece about what a church needs to do, if they were thinking about employing a youthworker as a member of staff within a church, to help with the designated need and work required. However, during today i have realised that this is a luxury that many churches have absolutely no hope of even thinking of, given tight resources and budgets. Having no … Continue reading Investing in volunteers is better that employing a professional youthworker

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Detached youthwork, Theory, Youthwork

What do you do on a quiet night on detached?

Over the years, there have been countless wonderful, engaging moments with groups of young people on detached, and you’d be forgiven that us detached workers give too good an impression of the amazing time, like some kind of evangelist for the work. Yet as well as the good/busy/interactive nights there can be plenty of nights where this is not the case, and if you’re a … Continue reading What do you do on a quiet night on detached?

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Theory, Youthwork

Engage: Youth Ministry North East

Engage Youth Ministry is a foundation course (Level 3) in Youth work and ministry which can be undertaken over a period of a year – and can be extended to do a further 2 units to complete a diploma. If you are currently volunteering in a local church, or youthwork project – doing at least 15 hours of youthwork a week – and would like … Continue reading Engage: Youth Ministry North East

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