A key priority in the Diocese of Guildford’s vision is ‘Growing Diversity’, which among other things, means building strong inter-generational congregations and helping young people develop and grow in their faith.
To support this ambition, The Youth Catalyst Project has signed up with Youthscape to offer Launchpad within the Diocese of Guildford and currently runs one cohort a year. Each cohort will include up to 10 clergy who then join six lunchtime sessions, with the training facilitators also arranging a parish visit.
Recently the Diocese of Guildford hosted a celebration event for those churches who took part in the first cohort. It was an opportunity for 35 clergy, members of their congregation and PCC, as well as young people to join together and share inspiration, reflect on their journey and pray for the future of their youth ministry. Bishop Paul also attended to congratulate the first cohort and award the participants with certificates.
Revd Jacqueline Drake-Smith, St Peter’s Wrecclesham, said the course gave her ‘confidence that she had something to offer young people, and their church was a space for them.’
Revd Gillaine Holland, St Michael’s, Sheerwater said that while they currently had no youth work, Launchpad had given them the space to think of ways to expand the pop-up café outreach they offer primary school children, to cater more for secondary school children in the community. She said: “We want to intentionally offer them a place to explore their spirituality and ask some of the bigger questions”.
Similarly, Revd Jonathan Thomas, St Peter’s, Woking also has plans to extend their pop-up café to reach out to young people and offer a space for informal conversations, deeper questions, and to seek opportunities to share faith with the young people living in their parish.
Starting youth work doesn’t need to require a lot of resource. The course is designed to get clergy thinking about ideas and initiatives that will work well in their individual contexts and with their young people. The benefit is also having a Launchpad network to continue to share ideas as their youth work becomes more embedded.
If you are interested in understanding more about Launchpad and how it may help reinvigorate or start youth work in your parish, please speak with Project Coordinator, Sophie Blake