Children & Young People Support Officer

Overview

This important and significant post has been created to support the delivery of the Diocesan Children and Young People’s Mission and Ministry (CYPM&M) strategy. At the strategy’s heart is the vision statement of a hospitable church, where children and young people are welcomed and invited to shape and be shaped by the church. As a diocese, we are also committed to tackling Serious Youth Violence and supporting parishes with resources to address this, providing loving service and transforming structures. This includes supporting and working with parishes in knife crime ‘hotspots’, both helping them to deal with challenging situations but also developing early interventions to prevent young people from getting involved with violence in the first place.

Introduction

This post provides an exciting opportunity resourcing the delivery of our strategy for Children and Young Person’s Mission and Ministry (CYPM&M).  The role will increase our capacity to deliver this strategy, as well as leading some dedicated work to address Serious Youth Violence working with local and national organisations.

Main Responsibilities

Line managed by the Canon Missioner you will work closely and collaboratively with the Head of Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and colleagues in the Mission & JPIC teams.  This is a key role will be to support the church’s work amongst young people, providing a point of contact for parishes, deaneries and clusters of churches who request support.

There are 3 main areas of operation:

• Training and Resourcing

To develop affirmed, commissioned and licensed Children, Youth and Family (CYF) ministry with the Lay ministries department, put in place the Aurora children’s ministry training course and further develop youth forums in each Episcopal area.

To enable voices of children and young people to be heard by stakeholders, in different contexts throughout the diocese.

• Advising parishes and deaneries

To act as contact point for parishes, chapters, deaneries, clusters of churches seeking advice or support with CYPM&M, developing a broad understanding of the range of areas covered in order to be creative and effective at linking requests with sources of help.

• Working with partners to combat the effects of serious youth violence

To be a focal point for parishes who need support in working on projects related to preventing and addressing Serious Youth Violence, developing and maintaining a set of useful resources; and speaking at parish and Deanery events. Maintaining a record of Southwark churches’ activity to address Serious Youth Violence and engaging with other organisations working to tackle Serious Youth Violence.

Within these areas there are opportunities for research and developing best practice, to keep our policies relevant and up to date, using a variety of communication tools, including social media platforms and planning, co-ordinating events, conferences and meetings.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential

• A practising Christian committed to worship, prayer, study and service
• Proven track record of effective youth mission and ministry
• To have a theology of the place of children and young people in the church, which respects and values the different traditions within the diocese. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable about working with and for children and young people and helping them to find their full potential, including in challenging situations
• A good understanding of and passion for supporting parishes in their CYPM&M
• Passionate about addressing and preventing Serious Youth Violence and sympathetic to the promotion of these aims within and through the Church of England
• Collaborative network-builder with a record of building constructive relationships with individuals and organisations to achieve results
• Able to make sound judgements and exercise initiative
• Good communication skills both written and oral
• Proven track record to deliver training, with good presentation skills
• Well organised with demonstrable administrative and record-keeping skills
• Competent with IT: database; MS Office, Zoom meetings & webinars, etc
• Be able to work flexibly, to work evenings and weekends by arrangement and with Time Off in Lieu available where appropriate
• To recognise that combating serious youth violence will serve the common good.

Desirable

• Experience of responding to issues of serious youth violence within the community
• Demonstrable facilitation / coaching skills.
• Demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusion.

About us

The Diocese of Southwark, founded in 1905, forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England and is part of the wider Church of England, in turn part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.  The Diocese covers primarily the area of Greater London, which is south of the Thames, together with the eastern part of the county of Surrey.  It is one of the largest dioceses in terms of population and parishes as well as one of the most diverse.

The Diocese seeks to be a Christian presence and to share the Christian faith in each of its parishes through the mission and ministry of its clergy, congregations, schools and chaplaincies and works to promote the common good, with a particular concern for those most in need.