Director of Ministry and Discipleship, Jonathan Kimber, gives an update on the Calling Young Disciples Project and the post of Diocesan Children's Officer.
You can find a further update published in October 2022 here.
The Calling Young Disciples Project was funded by the Church Commissioners as a time-limited project. It was originally due to end in April 2022, but due to savings made through the pandemic, this was extended until November this year. It has been agreed with the national funding body that there will now be a further partial extension until around July 2023, with two full-time Mission Enablers continuing until that time.
Following a consultation process, Amy Dowdy and Sian Morgan will continue in these continuing Mission Enabler roles, focusing their work on some of the parishes that have already engaged with CYD. Unfortunately, however, this means that Helen Laird and Jayne Blythe’s roles will become redundant at the end of November.
The post of Children’s Officer has also been linked with the project since being proposed for redundancy in 2019. This means that sadly, Emma Pettifer’s role will also be made redundant at the end of November.
I wish to thank wholeheartedly Emma, Helen, Jayne for all that they have done to support parishes in reaching out to children, young people and their families. The ending of the project has been a challenging time for all involved and I would like to pay tribute for the thoroughly professional way in which they have conducted themselves throughout. I know that many will wish to offer their own thanks in due course for the work of both the Children’s Officer and the whole Calling Young Disciples Team.
It is important to stress that ministry with children, young people and families continues to be a key focus for us as a diocese.
We are currently exploring what will follow the end of the CYD project. It is likely that proposals will be developed to support and partner with a range of parish-based roles and initiatives specifically focussed on children’s and youth work, with funding from the Healthier Churches Fund.
Watch this space for more details to follow soon and in the meantime, do contact me or the diocesan Youth Officer, Simon Hill if you have any questions around working with children, young people and families in your church.
