PROSPECTUS 2017-18
Welcome! Here at South West Youth Ministries (SWYM) our vision and passion is that every child and young person in the South West would encounter Jesus, know him, and make a choice to live for more. As we work and pray for this vision to become a reality, our main strategy is to place trainee children s, families and youth workers with churches, local ministries and schoolswork projects throughout the South West of England. We also resource churches around the region with training events, residentials and leadership development opportunities for young people. SWYM want to work with local churches across the South West to put positive Christian role models wherever children and young people are. We want to reach out to young people who have no knowledge of Jesus and share the love of God with them. We also want to see young people become Christians and then support them, mentor them and encourage them to be a shining light where they are. The values we hold are to be Christ Centred, always seeking to have Christ not only involved but directing us in our every decision. We are Kingdom Focused, so that we are always looking to see the reign of God grow and be established rather than building our own empire. We also want to be Servant Hearted, committed to preferring each other and each other s ministries and projects. Finally, we are Pursuing Excellence Together, always wanting everything we do to be as good as it can be. We will never hit perfection but we are aiming for excellence. We have a great team based across the region, but we need many more people to join us in our mission to children and young people. Our prayer is that as you read this prospectus, you would become more aware of where God is calling you. If you feel that SWYM could be the place for you, then please get in touch! Paul Friend Director, South West Youth Ministries South West Youth Ministries 140 Pinhoe Road, Exeter EX4 7HJ 01392 273560 www.swym.org.uk
Contents 2 Welcome! 5 Training Overview 6 Life at SWYM 9 Be Transformed 10 The Academy 12 BA (Hons) Applied Theology 15 Resources 19 Fees and Finance SWYM is an amazing organisation who do a brilliant and vital job in training, equipping and resourcing youth leaders all over South West England. I commend them without hesitation. MIKE PILAVACHI Co-founder and leader of Soul Survivor
Training Overview This generation desperately needs leaders who are passionate about Jesus and live out their faith in a genuine, contagious way. Central to our training is the aim to provide a setting where you can grow in your relationship with God and in your character. We will also provide you with excellent training that equips you to lead well in a variety of settings. By using experts in their fields, both regionally and nationally, you will not only get to learn how to skills but actually get the chance to do it at the same time. A varying level of certification and course duration give flexibility to engage at the right level for you and opens doors to new levels beyond each course. All of the courses will give you a formal qualification for your ministry, from more vocational qualifications up to degree level. We are pleased to say that many students step straight into salaried roles as youth or children s leaders having completed their training with SWYM. There is a direct route from the training into employment and trainees are often employed in the setting where they were placed. BE TRANSFORMED Be Transformed Many applicants see Be Transformed as a gap year or a test to see if God might be calling them into longer term ministry. Around 60% then stay on with either The Academy or the BA (Hons) Applied Theology. The Academy Those looking to continue training with SWYM may complete The Academy, a one-year vocational course. Trainees may then go straight into employment or stay with SWYM for the degree. BA (Hons) Applied Theology Trainees completing Be Transformed or The Academy have the opportunity to stay for a further three years for the degree programme, run by Moorlands College in partnership with SWYM and validated by the University of Gloucestershire.
Life at SWYM Our key ethos in training children s and youth workers is that whilst it is really important to know the theory, the majority of learning comes through practically doing it. As a result, all SWYM trainees are placed with a carefully chosen placement, where you will be doing practical youth or children s work for somewhere between 60-80% of your time. We have a wide range of placements available, including: vibrant city-centre churches; projects working across local schools; churches doing a majority of detached work and rural ministries spread across small villages. On acceptance to SWYM, we will work with you to identify a suitable placement, and arrange a visit and interview to help you and the placement work out what is right. By involving personal development, formal lectures, workshops, retreats, worship, and vast practical experience, the entire programme gives you the opportunity to gain not only a qualification but a huge amount of experience at the same time. LINE MANAGER PEER COHORT SWYM AREA CO-ORDINATOR SWYM TRAINEE SMALL GROUP PLACEMENT CHURCH OR PROJECT MENTOR CLUSTER COURSE TUTOR CONFERENCE TEACHING It is a sad reality that many youth and children s workers experience burn-out, and so we have deliberately designed a strong support structure to provide pastoral care and space for you to be stretched and to grow. At each level of the training there are multiple sources of challenge, encouragement and support. The support is built in this way to make sure that as you are giving out and serving you are also being invested in. We trust you can see that this style of setup gives you the best possible opportunity to flourish and, we hope, will prepare you well for whatever comes after your time with South West Youth Ministries.
Conferences Our training courses are delivered through six conferences per year at Brunel Manor in Torquay. The whole SWYM Team (around 90 people) gathers together for four days. There is space for worship, inspiration and teaching. The idea is that as we leave conference we come away equipped to do the job in the mission field but also inspired again to live out our lives for Christ. Your course tutors, who are available to encourage and support you in your course work, will also be there for you personally. At each conference you will be part of a Small Group, with 4-5 others, which provides a space to share honestly about areas in life where you would value prayer and input. Cluster We run cluster every week within a local area where you gather with a smaller group of SWYM trainees. This cluster group is run for and with you by the local SWYM Area Coordinator, who you will see each week, and becomes a great source of support and someone to talk to about any struggles in your placement. Cluster includes food, sharing, worship and teaching. Cluster is a great place to come together with other children s and youth leaders to support and encourage each other which is so important as you serve. Your Area Co-ordinator also provides a link between SWYM and your placement, and will help resolve any issues that may arise. Placement Your placement is where you will spend most of your time with SWYM. These carefully chosen placements will provide you with food, accommodation and pocket money. You will have a line manager within the placement who will meet with you either weekly or fortnightly to work through your timetable and help plan for what is coming up. Each term you will meet with your line manager and Area Co-ordinator for a review and to set goals for the following term. You will also have a mentor who invests in you as a person. Anything that you have been challenged about at conferences can be processed and earthed in the everyday with your mentor on the ground.
My time in SWYM not only prepared me for time as a children s worker and team leader, it s also equipped me to be a better follower of Jesus. ROB FOSTER SWYM & Moorlands South West Graduate
BE TRANSFORMED Be Transformed The heart of Be Transformed is for you to have a year where you can grow into the person and leader that God wants you to be. Trainees will study on one of two pathways: Children and Families or Youth Ministry. In addition to the teaching at Conference, you will receive six core books which we will explore together. You will also be provided with materials to help you develop your practical ministry skills including leading groups, teaching children and young people and developing your time management and productivity. As part of this course you will be working towards the Moorlands College Engaging with Applied Theology course which has been accredited by NCFE as a Customised Award with the learning outcomes benchmarked at Level 3. Discipleship Modules The Gospel will enable you to open your eyes to the reality and implications of the Good News. The Holy Spirit explores who the Holy Spirit is and how God equips us for ministry. Character of God helps us explore who God is and who you are in your relationship with Him. Spiritual Wholeness will help you to develop a greater understanding of your identity in Christ. Core Modules An Introduction to Applied Theology explores how an understanding of theology will help you engage with culture. Biblical Overview explores an overview of the Bible, and helps you to relate scripture to everyday life. Mission and Ministry explores your faith development, and reflects on your own leadership. Personal and Professional Development helps you to examine the importance of effective management and personal growth. Pathway Modules Working with Young People enables your professional development in youth ministry. It explores areas of risk, the importance of reflective practice and what you need to consider when working with young people. Working with Children explores child and faith development and how you can effectively work with children and families. You will also explore how to communicate the Bible to children, and develop your skills. (The Children and Families Pathway is taught in partnership with Scripture Union).
The Academy The Academy The Academy has been designed to develop trainees skills and character, having completed Be Transformed. This course will encourage you to Step Up and Step Out, building on the discipleship journey in Be Transformed and go deeper into specific topics. During the course you will sharpen your skills and experience to develop your youth work practice through group work, leadership and managing youth programmes. Our aim is that, this year, your passion for reaching children and young people with the Gospel will be increased and that your skills as a children s and families or youth minister will continue to grow. The Academy is ideal for those not looking to do a degree, or who may want a stepping stone to the degree after completing Be Transformed. Many trainees completing The Academy have launched straight into full-time ministry positions, such as youth workers or children s workers. There are four core modules on The Academy which are: Learning This is a theological unit which practically explores Biblical material that will give you greater confidence in engaging with others and their questions. Leading This unit is designed to develop you as an effective missional leader. It explores practical areas such as preaching and contemporary issues facing leaders. Serving This unit enables you to consider the importance of developing a servant heart, exploring how you can serve churches, schools and multi-faith communities. Discipling This unit will encourage your continuing development of individual discipleship and how that is shared with others in wider areas of ministry. The course is designed to enable you to grow as a pioneering leader in your ministry context, covering a wide range of issues and practice. As part of The Academy you will be working towards the Moorlands College Engaging with Applied Theology course which has been accredited by NCFE as a Customised Award with the learning outcomes benchmarked at Level 3.
Every topic has been relevant and applicable to my own workplace. The size of the group allows for discussions which enable each of us to think about how to apply what we re learning to our own ministry. The lecturers are all passionate and engaging and the mixture of SWYM staff and outside people delivering the training has offered diverse and helpful insight into a range of subjects. MIKE WAINE SWYM Academy Trainee
BA (Hons) Applied Theology The BA (Hons) is a practical and Bible-based course delivered by Moorlands College in partnership with South West Youth Ministries. This course will develop your thinking, sharpen your skills and deepen your character. Training is delivered in nine one-week blocks per year. Six of these are at Brunel Manor in Torquay and three at Moorlands Christchurch Campus. Lecturers are experts in their field and will inspire you by passing on their experience, skills and knowledge so you can take the message of the Gospel to children or young people in the 21st century in engaging and relevant ways. Carefully chosen placements give hands-on experience of ministry, and provide a context for wider learning and critical reflection on practice. Understanding the links between theory and practice are a key part of this course. The BA (Hons) Applied Theology is delivered by Moorlands College at their South West Regional Centre, and is validated by the University of Gloucestershire.
Course Overview In year 1 (Level 4), all students will gain a broad understanding of youth, children s, school s and community work, with each assignment giving the student the opportunity to focus within their chosen area of ministry. In years 2 and 3 (Levels 5 and 6) there will be pathway-specific modules enabling the student to develop critical thinking and practice in their chosen area of ministry. Students will choose one of the following four pathways: Youth Ministry Exploring essential concepts of informal education, spiritual development, and developmental theories, students are introduced to the professional study of missional youth work. The various roles of the youth minister are analysed, with consideration given to working with groups, in teams, in church and in partnership with other organisations. Children & Schools The opportunities and challenges of working with children and schools are examined against the background of Christian thinking and government policy. The programme helps you to build theologies of childhood, faith development and education that can underpin effective ministry. Community & Families Drawing on Biblical perspectives, the course critically examines all-age communities, how families relate, parenting, issues around divorce and co-habitation, the professional skills required to function effectively as a family worker and, in fact, just about everything to do with working alongside families in the context of their community. Missional Leadership This course prepares the student for professional Christian service, and the interaction between theory and practice is a key feature. Critical reflection on extensive fieldwork elements enables you to develop professionalism in your practice, supported by a well conceived theoretical foundation. YEAR 1 New Testament 1 Old Testament 1 Hermeneutics Christian Doctrine 1 Contexts of Faith Church and Community Practice 1B YEAR 2 New Testament 2 Old Testament 2 Christian Doctrine 2 The Effective Christian Leader Practice 2B Pathway Module Plus one from:* Lifespan and Community Development Pastoral Care YEAR 3 Biblical Theology Frameworks for Applied Theology Practice 3B Pathway Module Plus two from:* Management Family Development and Interventions Apologetics Perspectives in Christian Counselling Biblical Background Reformation Texts & the Church Today *Optional modules are subject to availability.
SWYM does much more than equip young adults for children s and youth ministry, it equips them for a Christian life of sacrificial service. It is a dynamic and vibrant organisation which shapes people for their work in growing the Kingdom of God. ANDREW GARDINER Minister, Hope Baptist Church, Plymouth
Resources Our Activate residentials are all about exploring the Christian faith through activities that young people love. They are for young people aged 11-16 and provide unique opportunities to start conversations about Jesus and life. Exploring faith through activity The Feast Live FOotbaLl The Feast - A cross between Bake Off and Masterchef, this is a great opportunity for anyone who loves cooking, baking or eating! Geek Factory Three days stacked with gaming, app designing, live-streaming and real-life questing! Inside Out Beauty A chance for girls to get creative, upcycle and explore fashion and beauty. (And there s a five course banquet!) Live Football Three days for guys who love football, with FA-Level coaching and the chance to be crowned champions! Spree SW is a hugely popular camping and activity weekend for young people aged from 8 to 17 years. The camp is run by Urban Saints in partnership with SWYM. Spree SW provides a complete programme of activities to suit all tastes throughout the weekend, including four high-quality spiritual programmes for different age-groups.
FAITH CHARACTER LEADERSHIP Rise Up is a year of leadership development for Christian teenagers. We believe that everyone is a person of influence, with unique opportunities to make a credible difference. people to step up into leadership. Each Young Leader on Rise Up will have a mentor from their local church, and they will both attend three training days. Our aim is to work alongside churches of all backgrounds to encourage and equip young Rise Up is hosted and run by SWYM and Urban Saints. Living & Telling is a unique two-day training course for 16-25s. These two days will envision, train and equip young people to share their faith in Jesus as a way of life. well as for those already there. It is the ideal preparation for Christians moving on to college, uni or the workplace, as TAG s vision is to see the transformation of a generation across the South West by mobilising young people to become pioneers of change. TAG seeks to engage with 14-21 year olds, to inspire their generation to live like Jesus, to The course is led by Tim Moyler of SWYM and Agapé (a movement active in evangelism and discipleship with students at universities around the country) together with special guest speakers. be missional expressions in their day-to-day life, and to explore their relationship with their creator. To do this, we work with and support local leaders and young people through relationship and specific training resources.
Humanly speaking SWYM is a large part of why I'm a Christian. When I first got connected with SWYM I was confused about what I believed and even more confused about how to live. The lives of the youth workers, the hospitality and friendship I was offered, the sense of purposeful joy in serving Christ, compelled me to lean closer into who Jesus really is. TIM MAY Attended SWYM Camps as a young person, now training for Anglican Ministry
Moorlands and SWYM share the same vision and passion to equip a new generation to be effective disciples of Jesus who can make effective disciples for Jesus. IAN COFFEY Moorlands College
Fees and Finance We have created a finance structure that enables you to have your needs met while getting experience and training at the same time. Whichever course you are enrolled on, you will have your accommodation and food provided for. This is often with a host family but could be in a shared flat or annex on the side of a house. Your church placement will also provide you with pocket money/ subsistence and contribute to your training and support through SWYM. Trainees will receive a range of study materials and resources, including books and materials to help you plan and learn. Hopefully you can see that it is a very cost effective way of getting both training and experience at the same time. Course: You Pay: Placement Pays: Be Transformed 1800 3100 The Academy 1000 3100 BA (Hons) Applied Theology 6690* 2050 Please note that fees are paid annually, and rise in line with inflation. Cost of Living Trainees normally receive pocket money of between 25-40 each week. This means that in total 1300-2000 is given back to you over the course of the year. Food and accommodation will be provided. This can vary but tends to be either with a host family, or in a shared house or flat. The placement will also reimburse you travel expenses for work, cluster and conferences. Financial Support Many trainees find financial support from their family and/or home church. You could arrange some fundraising to help you meet the course fees. Students from England on the BA with Moorlands South West can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. The maximum Tuition Fee Loan is 6000. See www.gov.uk/student-finance for more information. * There is an additional registration fee of 300 in Year 1 of the BA (Hons) Applied Theology READY TO APPLY? VISIT: WWW.SWYM.ORG.UK/APPLY-NOW
South West Youth Ministries 140 Pinhoe Road, Exeter EX4 7HJ 01392 273560 www.swym.org.uk South West Youth Ministries is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered Office: Saffron Court, Station Hill, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 0EE Registered in England No.: 3963476 Registered Charity No.: 108 68 77