The Launchpad course operates to encourage and equip clergy to initiate youth work within their congregation through increasing their knowledge and skills and developing a strategy that will work for their local parish. Prior to undertaking the Launchpad course, clergy undertake a ‘Run-Up’ session to help them prepare and following successful completion of Launchpad, they are invited to join the Youth Learning Community which is led by the Blackburn Diocesan Youth Team. The Youth Learning Community builds on the knowledge and skills developed on the Launchpad course and coaches the individual in building their team of lay leaders and volunteers in order to resource the youth ministry in their parish.

Job purpose: To provide support to the Youth Innovation Lead at St Luke’s church. The role will assist with the smooth running of the Launchpad course as well as helping clergy across the Diocese of Blackburn in starting out with youth work in their local parishes.

1) Helping to support the delivery of Launchpad courses

• Visiting the clergy who have been identified as ready for participation on the Launchpad course and helping them with advance preparation.
• Supporting the administration and delivery of the Launchpad sessions (including overseeing event hospitality).
• Gathering feedback following the Launchpad sessions and measuring the outcomes including both short and long term impact of course participation.
• Being open to the way forward for each clergy participant by looking in a bespoke way to their local circumstances and having a creative approach fired by faith, hope and vision.
• Bringing in additional support to clergy and their parishes where necessary, for example from the Diocesan Youth Officer and Diocesan Children’s Officer and other stakeholders/partners working in the Diocese (Ambassadors, Pais, The Message etc)

2) Development and Implementation of ‘The Run-Up’ and ‘Launchpad Sessions’

• Working with the Youth Innovation Lead to develop a session to support clergy to engage with the aims and outcomes of Launchpad before they commit to the course.
• Carrying out administration and hospitality for the follow-on ‘Launchpad Sessions’ for those who have already completed a Launchpad course.
• Working with the Area Deans and Chairs of Networks in the Diocese to find ways to use ‘The Run-Up’ course to engage clergy within their Deanery/wider networks.

3) Support the delivery of ‘Youthscape Essentials’ and other related programmes.

• Working with the Youth Innovation Lead to run an annual volunteer youth worker training programme for lay leaders identified by clergy on the Launchpad courses.

4) Work with the team at St Luke’s Blackburn to grow youth ministry

• Working with the Emerging Generations Lead to pioneer, develop and pilot youth ministry among young people on a housing estate, in two local high schools and Blackburn College of Higher Education.
• Supporting the delivery of the Youth Alpha course and participating in other church events as and when required.

A good level of literacy skills necessary to produce letters, emails, meeting notes etc

Maths and English to GCSE Grade ‘C’ or above / equivalent

Experience of working with young people

Experience of speaking to / training church leaders

Excellent organisation and administration skills able to meet deadlines and manage workload

Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity of personal and financial information

An understanding of Church of England structures

Interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence to deal with people in a variety of situations

Ability to lead and motivate others and comfortable working with a wide-range of people both lay and ordained across different church traditions

An active Christian faith

Blackburn Diocese serves almost the whole of the county of Lancashire and encompasses a population of 1.3 million. It is divided into 14 Deaneries and two Archdeaconries (Blackburn and Lancaster). The Diocese is varied, from the stunning countryside of the Trough of Bowland to the former mill towns of East Lancashire, from the University cities of Preston and Lancaster to the seaside towns of Blackpool and Morecambe.

Vision 2026 is an agenda for growth and change to see ‘Healthy Churches Transforming Communities’ across the Diocese through ‘Making Disciples of Jesus Christ’, ‘Being Witnesses to Jesus Christ’, ‘Growing Leaders for Jesus Christ’ and ‘Inspiring Children and Young People’.

All activities within the Diocese are focussed on the delivery of Vision 2026. A key element of the fourth vision strand is prioritising work with children and young people and making the most of the high number of Church of England primary and high schools in Lancashire. This work is supported by the ‘Youth Hub’ led by Rachel Gardner under the Lighting Up New Generations project (working closely with the Diocesan Youth Team). A significant number of churches within the diocese currently have no youth work provision and many of these could undertake youth work if they had the right encouragement and equipping.

Rachel Gardner is the Youth Innovation Lead and leads the Launchpad course. Alongside this, Rachel is working with the team at St Luke’s Church in Blackburn to develop resources for local clergy and their lay leaders. This draws on the experience gained by the St Luke’s team as they work daily with young people across Blackburn. As part of the further enhancement of youth work, the St Luke’s team will be rolling out ‘Youthwork Essentials’. This is a volunteer training programme for lay leaders and clergy who have been identified from Launchpad or the Learning Community as people who would benefit from further training. This training, as well as worship and resourcing gatherings for young people across the diocese, will be held at St Luke’s Church in Blackburn.

To apply for this role please visit the Blackburn Diocesan website at General vacancies | The Diocese of Blackburn (anglican.org).

Please do not apply via the pathways website

Closing date for applications is 24 March 2023.

Interviews to be held 20 April 2023.

Diversity - The Board of Finance believes that diversity enables us to thrive and develop and is committed to race equality, welcoming applications from UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds

The Board of Finance is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.

For full details of the role including an outline of the terms and conditions please visit the attached recruitment pack below

If you would like an informal conversation about this post, please contact Rachel on 07916 349323 or rachel@welcometostlukes.org.

For further information about the Diocese please visit Diocese of Blackburn (anglican.org)