Trainee Youth Worker

Working for St Chad's Church in Bristol

Project Type: Single Church

Project Area: North

Job Title: Trainee Youth Worker

Type of Post: Trainee

Number of Hours: 40 inc training

Allowance/Salary:
£30 per week

Accommodation:
In a persons home from the church.

Training Options Available:
Foundation Year: Yes
Trainee Youth Worker Course: Yes
Advanced Youthwork Course: No
Associate: Yes

Job Description:
Assist the existing SWYM trainee in maintaining and developing links between St Chad's and five local schools (one secondary and four primary). Work with volunteer youth leaders to develop a mid-week and Sunday church programme aimed at nurturing faith in young people and equipping them to stand firm for Christ and to be a witness among their peers.

St Chad's has a joint Church of England and Methodist congregation meeting in an attractive and spacious 1960's church building with extensive meeting room complex attached. The worship style reflects both denominations but aims for informality and accessiblility. A team, which the trainee would join, leads all-age worship one Sunday morning per month. On other Sunday's, 'Kidzone' (ages 4-11+) meets during service time. 'Bible Bunch', open club for ages 7-11 and 'Pathfinders' for 11-16 years meet on Thursday evenings. In addition, 'STOMP' dance group meet weekly, led by the existing SWYM worker, and 'Pathfinders +' a small study group for 11-16 year olds wanting to learn more about the Christian life meets fortnightly on a Tuesday evening.

Main Responsibilities:
To maintain and develop current youth work within the church
To be part of a youth work team
To organise fund-raising activities with the young people, in order to fund outings/camps
To be involved in schools work in both primary and secondary schools
Help to plan and run youth outings including overnight camps
To be part of a team leading all age worship once per month

Essential Criteria:
We are looking for a student with evangelical convictions, passionate about God and about young people, who devotes time to personal prayer and Bible study and is used to waiting on God for guidance by the Holy Spirit.
Some exprience of youth work, be sensitive yet firm enough to work in a UK state school enviroment. A team player with leadership potential, willing to accept leadership in the first year from the existing worker but willing to stay for a second year, able to take initiatives after consultation and confident enough to state his/her own views firmly without aggression. Able to work well alone or as part of a team.

Preferred Criteria:
The student will ideally be female (in order to provide balance in the existing team) and have enthusiasm to bring new ideas to the group.
A driver would be advantageous (with a view to driving the area minibus on some occasions), although not necessary to have own car.

Draft Weekly Timetable

Project History & Affiliations:
We have had SWYM youth workers for a number of years. We are looking to carry on our youth work and grow with a vision to compliment and add to what the youth team do.

St Chads is an ecumenical church, which means it is methodist and C of E.

Structure & Vision of the Project:
Our youth are aged from 0-20 years, with various groups such as creche, junior church, youth clubs, and a Bible study group.

Our vision is to see young people know Jesus and to have a relationship with him.

About the location of the Project:
Patchway parish, situated on the northern fringe of the Bristol conurbation but politically in
South Gloucestershire, currently has about 4600 dwellings (rising to 6800) and a population
of around of 11000. The larger area, to the west of the dual-carriageway A38 and including
the church building, has at it's core housing built for aircraft workers in the 1930s, but was
added to by large "outer estate" developments in the 1960s and 70s. A smaller 1960s private
estate of mainly dormer bungalows lies to the east of the A38. The close proximity of the
Cribbs Causeway regional shopping centre, and neighbouring trading estates, while making
for high levels of employment, has had a damaging effect on small local businesses.

About the youth work of the Project:
As mentioned above, the youth work already set up includes a creche for 0-3 year olds, junior church (kid zone) for 4+ years, Youth clubs - one for junior age and another for senior school age, a Bible study group for 11+ year olds plus the schools work.

A new housing developement is in the process of being built, so outreach into a new area has potential.

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