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This Committee supports, encourages and promotes work among children and young people, including the policy for the YLTO and YCWT Programme, giving oversight to Pilots, the National Youth Resource Centre at Yardley Hastings, and relates to Fury Council. It also ensures that its concerns are fully taken into account in ‘Doctrine Prayer and Worship’, ‘Church & Society’, ‘Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness’ Committees, facilitating the involvement of young people in all the Councils of the Church.
Committee Members
Convener: Revd Derek Lindfield Secretary: Mrs Jean Antcliffe
Mrs Caroline Chettleburgh, Revd Margaret Collins, Mr Gareth Curl, Revd Ron Forster, Mr Alex Hudson, Mr Lewis Mackenzie, Revd Phil Nevard, Mr Neil Platt, Revd Barbara Plenderleith, Miss Kathryn Swift.
1 Sharing a Vision
1.1 The year since the last General Assembly has been one in which difficulties have started to be put behind us, good solid work has been done and a sense of hope for the future has established itself. Out of the difficulty, through the work which has been done has emerged a vision for the future. It is that vision which the committee wishes to share with General Assembly.
2 Children’s Work
2.1 For some time the Children’s Advocate, Rosemary Johnston, has ploughed what has seemed to be a lonely furrow. As the only full-time officer at Church House, in the service of the church, through the committee, she found herself doing things which should have been done by other full-time colleagues and was delighted when they were appointed and started their work.
2.2 The committee is grateful for all the work among and for children which has been done throughout the church. Information, through the medium of URCHIN, (United Reformed CHildren’s Information Network, thrice yearly mailing, subscription £4.50 from the Youth and Children’s Work Office) continues to be a valuable tool of the church. The website serves as a useful means of communication. (http://www.urc.org Then click on ‘our work’ - children) The networking of people involved in working with children continues to be a lifeline to many. Ecumenical links through the National Council for Christian Education and the Consultative Group on Ministry among Children have been useful.
2.3 It is good to be able to report that every synod has a Children’s Work Secretary and that they, together with District Children’s Work Secretaries, had a very successful event in June working on producing a ‘Rainbow List’, which is an in-depth look at policy for children’s work.
2.4 The response to Children in Communion has been both positive and encouraging. A leaflet to encourage local churches in their thinking is available. Wholly Worship - resource material to develop worship in local churches, was conceived and delivered during the year.
2.5 So what is our vision for working with children? It is to work quietly and confidently alongside all those whose ministry it is to work with children and seek to respond to their needs, wishes and aspirations from the very mundane to the highly spiritual. Local events will continue to happen in churches and districts. Support to churches will be given through beginning work on a revised and updated Good Practice - safeguarding children and young people in the life of the church pack, possibly ready for next year’s General Assembly, to help churches ensure the effectiveness of their policy.
3 Pilots
3.1 Pilots is the non-uniformed Christian organisation for children and young people sponsored by the United Reformed Church and Congregational Federation. The new full-time member of staff, Karen Bulley, has brought time and energy to Pilots which has enabled the organisation to have a ‘facelift’, improve support networks for local companies and Provincial Pilots Officers, and consolidate its management structure. The Pilots Desk is now based in Church House and offers help and support to all interested in Pilots.
3.2 So, what is our vision for Pilots? It is to put the excitement back into the organisation and help local leaders feel valued and proud of their work. It is to help Provincial Pilots Officers enjoy their responsibilities and build on their skills to give them greater job satisfaction. It is to enable the organisation to develop on a secure and firm foundation.
4 Youth Work
4.1 The Secretary for Youth Work has been in post since 1 September 1998 and is working together with FURY and the Youth and Children’s Work Committee for the development of the Church’s youth work.
4.2 Since the last General Assembly major FURY events have taken place including TGI FURY, attended by more than 400 young people. FURY Assembly passed resolutions on the minimum wage and tuition fees, Jubilee 2000, Iraq, and referred the issue of genetic manipulation back to FURY Council for more research. Just Do It, looked at ways to proceed with the action. FURY has also been involved in the Joint churches Youth Service Initiative, Young Peoples Forum and participated in an ecumenical youth conference in December.
4.3 Department for Education and Employment funding has been granted for work on a feasibility study to identify current youth work throughout the URC and investigate the possibility of local churches in their communities, setting up projects to work within the Government’s Social Exclusion Unit remit.
4.4 The FURY Review recommendations have been presented and accepted by both FURY Council and the Youth and Children’s Work Committee and formally adopted at FURY Assembly. Their implementation will be an ongoing task for the coming year and into the new millennium.
4.5 So what is our vision for working with young people? It is to be able to identify what work with young people is being done in the United Reformed Church. It is to challenge local churches to look seriously at being of service to young people who are unchurched and disadvantaged. It is to identify and offer specialist training to churches which respond to that challenge. It is to plan ways in which churches can be helped to encourage all their young people to feel that they are part of FURY. It is to encourage clusters of churches to establish FURY Councils.
5 Yardley Hastings
5.1 Since the last General Assembly Liz Byrne has been inducted as Centre Minister. During the year there have also been two other new appointments: in October a new full-time chef brought the catering team up to full strength and in March a new Centre Manager was appointed, following a six month struggle without a Manager. Five new Community Team Members started in September and in October an international member from Hungary joined in the Team. The Community Team continues to change and develop as members come and go. A new, fresh approach at the Centre has been symbolised by a newly painted dining room.
5.2 The Centre has hosted some good and successful events including Junior and Senior Theatre Weeks (from auditions to performance in a week), an event to bring in the New Year and ‘Desert Springs’ working with leaders to look at ways of exploring spirituality with young people). One of the major changes to have taken place at the Centre is the replacement of the Pick ‘n’ Mix programme with an event called Jigsaw. Jigsaw builds on the experience of the past but takes us into new ideas and a new event. Through these events, and many more, many young people have passed through its doors and have benefited from staying at the Centre.
5.3 So what is our vision for the National Youth Resource Centre? It is to put the Centre very much back on the United Reformed Church map. To make it a place where young people want to visit and feel they belong; a place where young people, youth leaders and ministers come to be and not just to do; a place that is theirs, where they can expect the unexpected and experience the movement of the Spirit. It is to establish links and relationships with other centres (not least Windermere), with the other areas of the United Reformed Church’s life and with other denominations. It is to go out with the Jigsaw programme and the spirit, enthusiasm and challenge of the Centre to places around England, Scotland, Wales and beyond!
6 Sharing the Vision
6.1 The denomination is now being served by a team of dedicated professionals who are prepared to work with the Youth & Children’s Work Committee vision for the future. There is also a full complement of provincial Youth and Children’s Work Trainers. The vision has been shared with General Assembly through this report. Our hope is that our sharing will lead to ownership of it in the church at large.
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