Designed By Teign Valley Youth Project
Teign Valley
Project Type: Multiple Church Organisation
Project Area: South
Project Address:
Graham Mayer
Priest in Charge of the Teign Valley
& Haldon Hill Group of Churches
The Rectory Dry Lane
Christow Exeter
Postcode: EX6 7PE
Project History & Affiliations:
The eleven Anglican parish churches in the catchment are of Teign School, Kingsteignton (Kingsteignton, Chudleigh with Chudleigh Knighton and Trusham, the Teign Valley and Haldon Hill Group: Ashton, Bridford, Christow, Doddiscombsleigh, Dunchideock and Dunsford, and Hennock) agreed in 2005 to work together as a Teign Valley Youth Project.
Initial discussions took place among the Parish Clergy, the SWYM representative and Teign School staff. Line Managers were appointed and a Management Group with representatives from all parishes convened. Vicki Bellingham and Louise Clark were appointed in January 06 and the Project launched in April 06. The Project has also received the support of Chudleigh Baptists.
Structure & Vision of the Project:
Structure of the Project;
Relationships with students having been built up over the past two years, the youth workers (in 2008/09 Karly Jackson, Jessica Harrison and Markus Trick) now spend two part days per week in Teign School, taking assemblies, CU and taking part in a prayer meeting with teachers. They also go into Stover School (independent) to take assemblies and CU. They run a variety of youth groups in Kingsteignton (2) Chudleigh Knighton, Christow, and Chudleigh and also do detached work as required. A recent development is B.O.L.D. – a service facilitated by the workers and run by the young people from the various groups which takes place in a different Project church every other month.
Vision of the Project;
To be more concerned for helping young people enter the Kingdom of God than to boost their presence in any one place; to continue established work but to be alert to new opportunities to reflect Jesus to the young people of the area; to reach out to more young people with the Gospel; to serve young people; to challenge young people with the Gospel; to equip, empower and disciple young people; to build relationship between the churches and young people; to identify and train young leaders; to ensure due attention is given to work in the villages and rural areas as well as in the bigger centres of population; to keep churches informed of the work; to work with parishioners/church members/parents/clergy.
About the location of the Project:
Kingsteignton: small town on the outskirts of Newton Abbot. Pop. 10,000.
Chudleigh: small town close to the A38, 6 miles from Newton Abbot, 12 miles from Exeter. Pop. 4.000.
Nine scattered country villages along the Teign Valley.
About the youth work of the Project:
Curently there are youth groups meeting weekly in Chugleigh and Kinsteignton.
There is a youth cafe once a month in Christow. The Project workers take the 'Teenbridge' youth bus to the Valley twice a month.
The wokers spend two days a week in Teign School, supporting students in lessons and running lunchtime groups.
The workers spend afternoon/evening per week on detached work in Kingsteignton.
The workers attend Chudleigh Youth Club one evening per week.