youth work
About me I have been worshipping at St Mary’s Great Baddow since joining the youth group in my teens; later I went on to assist in leading youth work as a young leader.
If elected, I would bring practical experience of: church leadership and governance; youth work and education (as a retired teacher); safeguarding and pastoral care; financial oversight and organisational management; working collaboratively with people from different backgrounds; and the particular perspective of the Diocese in Europe and its dispersed international communities.
I will also be arguing for more national support for local youth work, including teaching resources.
Over my years, I have been called to be a Priest 4 times, at 18, 28, 38 but I either felt too young, too female, too divorced, too inclusive or too “different” for the church to accept my calling and so my ministry centred around leadership and listening in teaching, the financial industry and more latterly, the caring industry, as well as worship leading, children’s and youth work and preaching in my local church.
grants for local projects including a minibus and improvements to public buildings for youth work.
I know what a difference great youth work can make because I experienced it myself.
As someone involved in full time youth work and someone recently graduated, working on Synod to debate and develop plans for bringing in more young people into our churches is something I would like to do.
● Champion parish resilience - press for practical support for PCCs, sensible governance, and help with church buildings and compliance that does not overwhelm volunteers. ● Support local outreach - advocate for funding and simplified processes for foodbanks, youth work, community partnerships and other parish-led initiatives. ● Care for clergy and lay ministers - press for realistic expectations, better pastoral care, and accessible training and mentoring for both clergy and lay leaders. ● Respect local context - oppose one-size-fits-all mandates and promote policies that allow dioceses and parishes to respond to their unique circumstances.
There is a lot to be thankful for in our churches - God’s presence in our lives, joyful worship, welcoming strangers, great children’s and youth work, warm friendships, encouraging teaching, lives changed, support for those in need (Acts 2:42).
This is especially important for expanding parish youth work.
In the past, I have helped to lead our youth work and our ministry among international families.
Within the wider church context, I have been involved in youth work for many years.
I have been worshipping at St John’s Hensingham for over 25 years serving in youth work, as Warden and in preaching and teaching ministry.
In my formative years, I was a member of several lively non-conformist churches of various sizes where I served in children’s and youth work and Bible teaching.
Children’s & Youth Work – the age of
I would bring 34 years of lived experience within the Church of England, alongside experience of Deanery Synod, PCC life, safeguarding, children and youth work, education, worship, and disability.I would bring a willingness to listen.
As time went on, I moved to Gosport to work for the Sea Cadets, where I fell in love with youth work through offshore sailing.
2023-Present: National Stad Odicer for Youth Work – Marine Society and Sea Cadets
Children and young people: I became a Christian through youth work, and have been a volunteer youth leader.
I know how vital this work is and will push to prioritise children and youth work in the General Synod’s allocation of funding and training courses.
I believe my 39 years as a member of the Church of England, together with my experience of church leadership, preaching, evangelism, prayer, ecumenical relationships, safeguarding, local government, youth work and community service, give me a broad experience from which to serve.
Before ordination, I was deeply involved in children’s and youth work, mission and evangelism, including ecumenical work in Ireland.
Increasing the participation and representation of young people in General Synod so that they may have a meaningful voice (I continue to be involved in my local church as a leader with our youth work)
By voting for me, you will gain a representative who is committed to: Supporting vocations through further reforms to the discernment and ordination process, and advocating for greater opportunities for lay vocations beyond self- supporting ministry and youth work.
Furthermore, I believe more needs to be done to support the vocations of lay-people beyond self-supporting ministry and youth work - all vocations are assets to the Church, not just ordained ones.
youth work.
Most of my spare time is still taken up with running and cycling, along with youth work and discipleship.
I believe my experience in both youth work and finance will enable me to contribute to and offer ideas towards tackling two of the biggest areas that our church faces.
Prior to ordination I was the Director of a youth ministry charity and I bring 7 years of youth work experience with me.
We also see it in our parish projects- food bank and toddlers groups, detached youth work and drop in projects with our senior citizens alongside partnering with our schools, local businesses and council too.
With my youth work background I am an advocate for ministry to children and young people.
Children’s and youth work since I was 14.
I grew up in East Sussex, and came to faith throughout my childhood, moved to this diocese when I was 17 with my family and started to serve the church in various roles, mainly in children and youth work.
Having worked in youth work before training for ordination, I know there is no silver bullet for sudden growth.
We need a range of approaches, from resourcing parishes in their children and youth work, to improving the offering of the wider church’s digital communication.
In 2021, I stared working for a youth work charity where I would go into hospitals and support young people in crisis, offering follow-up support in the community if needed, Throughout this role, I saw the links between spirituality and wellbeing in action.
Over the years I have served doing youth work, pastoral care and was on the PCC as church treasurer from 2015 to 2025.
I now help with Sunday youth work and am part of a team leading meditative evening services.
I was confirmed and became more involved in the life of the church, particularly in the worship group and Childrens and Youth Work.
Through parish ministry, chaplaincy, governance and youth work, I believe schools can become places where children and young people encounter Christ and begin to explore Christian faith.
I’m also tuned in to the next generation of Anglicans - our 3 adult children (23, 25, 26) are all variously serving as church warden, church musicians (choral, organ, bass and brass), small group leading, youth work and evangelism.
At Grace Church Greenwich I lead small groups and help with the Sunday youth work, where |am cheerfully outnumbered.
• BA (Hons) Christian Youth Work, BA (Hons) Theology & Religion, MA Theology & Ministry
During this time, I was an active participant and spoke on issues including healthcare, youth work, finance, and Synod organisation.
¢ Action for Youth Prior to ordination I worked as a lay assistant involved in youth work.
After school, I spent a gap year in youth work in a parish in Weymouth.
My experience with charities, working alongside vulnerable adults and church youth work, has taught me the importance of a clear and transparent recruitment process.
Involved in music, lay ministry, youth work and community outreach
I have been involved in youth work since I first became a Christian at 16, and I am blessed to have been working full time in lay ministry for the last seven years.
Together with our sons we undertook international youth work in several countries with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and helped support the development of a school in Tanzania over almost 20 years.
Through my later teens and twenties, I helped in youth work, supported student mission in the university Christian Union and led and then became overall leader on a CPAS Venture - serving alongside study and work.
We need greater investment in clergy, youth work and community ministry, stronger support for volunteers, and fairer funding for parish mission.
• Before ordination: Graduate 1st class in Business, I worked in fashion, then youth work in estates,
We remained involved with all levels of the youth work until we got married in 1973.
An understanding of financial markets; an in depth background in youth work; experience of performing at a high level in education and sport; an underlying knowledge of the machinations of the Church of England; but, underpinning it all, a realisation that God comes first in everything.
I have been involved in youth work and leading small groups and I currently co-lead a small group with my husband, having completed a certificate in theology, ministry and mission in
Local church involvement I have attended St Mary’s, Eastrop for over 30 years being involved in a variety of areas of ministry included Toddler Groups, Ladies Bible studies and Youth Work.
I come from a global majority heritage and bring to this vocation a background shaped by intercultural theology, ecumenical youth work, peace education, and the pursuit of justice and peace.
I have been involved in children and youth ministry since I was a teenager and now support youth work in our benefice.
I came to faith in my youth through an invitation to a church youth group, and greatly value the role of children and youth work in our churches.
Whether through food banks, youth work, debt advice, schools, community projects and being there when people need someone to listen, our churches can demonstrate the love of Christ in practical ways.
We are blessed by and encouraged by our strong youth work, and this keeps us in tune with the future leaders of the church.
I have sought to be an active and vocal member, particularly in discussions around youth work as I am a leader in the Children’s Church.
Since then, I have co-led a number of home groups, participated in and led short term mission trips, and – as already mentioned – been involved in both children’s and youth work both in church and at summer camps which both our children (daughter – 16 and son – 14) have been part of.
I have served in a voluntary capacity as a trustee of both church and secular charities, including Benchill Ecumenical Service Scheme (a charity that provided youth work and counselling) and Independent Choices (a Domestic Abuse charity).
I am passionate about social care issues, workers’ rights and particularly the way companies treat their employees, poverty and homelessness, youth work Equipping our poorer parishes so that they may help those in their local community to encounter Jesus.
Working towards how the Church can respond to the world with love, reflecting the ultimate and foundational image of God present across humanity – demonstrating how we are called to journey together Supporting how the Church can function faithfully and sustainably in rural communities, especially where several communities are held together within one benefice In my role as a Priest I work to ensuring that the church better understands and supports the concept of cure of souls – from leading Occasional Offices to youth work and beyond To better understand how the church can respond to and influence the huge technological advances we face