Employing a Children's or Youth Worker
This is a tremendous opportunity for any parish or group of churches to take on but it can feel quite daunting to begin with. We hope to provide some guidelines and resources on this page for those thinking about this. It is important that you go into this fully prepared.
We expect a high standard of employment practice from parishes in the diocese. This creates a supportive and more effective working environment for those involved in ministry and reduces the potential problems that can arise. This is an expression of the value the church gives to those who minister and also those they minister to.
Please contact Jon or Nigel to discuss your ideas whatever stage you are at. We can help you to think through exactly what it is that you are looking for and what is the best way to achieve this, as well as some of the issues you will have to address.
We generally recommend two good sources of information:
'Employing Youth and Children's Workers' (Church House Publishing) gives good guidance on thinking through the early stages of a project and identifying what you are really looking for. See http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2394307
AMAZE is a christian organisation that provides professional employment support to children's and youth workers and their employers. They produce a comprehensive guide to the employment process that will help you avoid the pitfalls and provide a good working environment. See: http://www.amaze.org.uk/resources
'We love our Youth Worker' is a campaign based on a set of seven promises for a church to make to their employee. As it develops this scheme hopes to act something like a 'charter mark' as evidence to children's and youth workers that a church is a good employer. For more information go to their website.