Youth Pioneer

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in this role.

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Youth Pioneer to lead our Bishops Castle Youth Hub, longing to make a difference to the lives of young people and their families in Bishops Castle and the surrounding areas. This is an opportunity to journey with young people in a creative Market Town and rural environment, supporting emotional and spiritual well-being and developing Church with and for young people in collaboration with supportive local churches as part of a growing diocese team. You will also line manage and work alongside our Youth & Community Worker and other local youth volunteer leaders.

This is an exciting time for our diocese as you will be enabling young people, often without any other connection to church, to connect with God and explore faith as part of a growing network of Youth Hubs across South Shropshire and Herefordshire. If you are passionate about rural youth work, introducing young people to Jesus and joining in with what God is doing through our local churches and communities, we would love to hear from you

St. John’s Bishop’s Castle is an Inclusive Church committed to welcoming all and we are committed to supporting this new and developing ministry in our community. The role will be a combination of equipping and growing our team of local volunteers, and enabling young people to explore faith and grow as leaders. You will be someone who is sensitive to local context, able to discern approaches to mission in new and varied settings and able to recognise and equip others in their giftings. We are excited about how God has been at work in our communities and are ready for a new adventure with young people at the heart

**Job Purpose**: To initiate and lead a youth-focussed new Worshipping Community in collaboration with local parishes and Missional Youth Church Network, within a vision of wider families engagement, schools ministry and community work, creating safe, fun and supportive spaces for young people to meet socially, explore faith and develop mental wellbeing and confidence. To oversee the Bishops Castle Youth Hub and enable youth ministry to grow in the surrounding areas, working in partnership with local churches.

Youth Hubs will have a focus on:

- Reaching young people with the Gospel
- Developing new young active disciples
- Forming of New Worshipping Communities
- Growing Young Leaders
- Developing new volunteer leaders and teams

Dimensions: Overseeing the development of Bishops Castle Youth Hub, supporting youth ministry in the surrounding areas within Clun Forest and Pontesbury Deaneries (collaborating with local churches) and the development of local leadership teams to support this work.

Accountabilities:

- Working alongside the Priest In Charge and Deanery Chapters, develop a programme of work that builds faith pathways based on local opportunities and in collaboration with existing ministry and youth and children’s leaders in the Bishops Castle area.
- Develop a new youth-focussed Worshipping Community, enabling discipleship and development of young and adult leaders with the support of Missional Youth Church Network.
- Communicate and collaborate with key local stake holders. These will include young people aged 11-18 and their families, schools in the area, Messy Church and Youth Club leaders, clergy/leadership teams/PCCs and local community leaders
- Oversee and manage the Youth Hub Youth & Community Worker.
- Enable young people to actively lead and direct the development of the Youth Hub.
- Work alongside Missional Youth Church Network to begin to prayerfully build understanding, team and vision for the Learning Journey and Missional Youth Church within the Bishops Castle Hub area.
- Build and develop a local youth ministry leadership team and support the growth of volunteer teams and commissioned leaders within the Hub area. Initiate and facilitate training opportunities for the development of local leaders.
- Keep accurate records and work towards the identified outcomes of the local Youth Hub, submitting monthly reports. Work collaboratively with the Cinnamon Trust and the Church Army Research Unit in order to enable evaluation and research for shared learning within the diocese and nationally. Work alongside the Diocesan Communication Team to share learning and good news stories.
- To meet regularly with the Priest In Charge of St John’s as local Oversight Minister.
- To be part of local and diocesan learning community networks in order to collaborate and enable the sharing of good practice and strategic development of Pioneer Youth Ministry within Hereford Diocese.
- With the support of the Line Manager, to set aside time for reflection and personal faith and professional development as appropriate. Undertake outside Pastoral Supervision, coaching and Spiritual Accompaniment as appropriate, modelling ministerial development for local leaders.

Do you feel called to be part