Youth & Young Adults

Resources and Information for those working with 11-18s

Angela Brymer

Children & Youth Adviser

07763254908

These resources are aimed at supporting parishes and deaneries to engage with young people of secondary school age and above. 

GROW: Youth Discipleship Ambassadors

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

1 Timothy 4:12

What is GROW: Youth Discipleship Ambassadors?

Whether you are part of a large thriving youth group, or the only young person connected with your church, GROW is about investing in young people as disciples of Jesus.

Together we explore themes of community, love, generosity, worship and sharing faith through small group discussion and the completion of a variety of tasks and challenges – all deeply rooted in how we each Live Christ’s Story.

GROW: Discipleship Youth Ambassadors is for young people between the ages of 11-16. Participants will spend a year exploring themes above, and at the end of the year, participants are commissioned as a Youth Discipleship Ambassadors, equipped to be more actively involved in mission and ministry with their church, and in supporting younger people on their faith journeys.

Where and When?

In 2024, GROW will take place in 4 locations across the diocese: Northallerton and Mowbray Deanery, Helmsley, Selby and Beverley. The gathered sessions will be 1h30 in length, in February, March, April and May, with the Commissioning service taking place on 30th June. Details of dates and times will be given once a young person has expressed an interest in participating.

What are the benefits to you?

  • Space to explore and deepen faith.
  • Challenges and support, to help grow as disciples.
  • Commitment from the local church and the diocese to mentor and listen.
  • Opportunity to spend time with like-minded young people.
  • Input from experienced leaders to support growth in faith.
  • Coaching in life skills like presenting in person and media.
  • Commitment to a programme that will look great on a job or university application

What are the benefits to your church?

  • Support and resources to enable young people to flourish in their own discipleship, as well as their ability to disciple others. This is especially useful if you don’t have an employed or volunteer youth worker.
  • Opportunity to intentionally listen to the voices of young people and adjust your provision accordingly so that you are able to reach out effectively and relevantly to your community.
  • New ideas and insights for the whole congregation to deepen their own discipleship, particularly regarding the Rhythm of Life resources.
  • Evidence for younger families considering joining your worshipping community that you will invest in their children as they grow into teenagers.
  • Training and networking opportunities for mentors that could provide the skills and confidence for wider youth ministry provision.

What is the commitment required from the Local Church?

  • Regular prayer for the young person and their colleagues on the programme.
  • Provision of a mentor to help the young person stay on track with the tasks and challenges in between the sessions. This person does not need to have had youth work experience – they just need to be safely recruited and DBS checked, and care about the young person deepening their discipleship.
  • Provision of opportunities for the young person to serve in the life of the church and community and share what they are learning about discipleship with members of the worshipping community.
  • Celebration of the young person’s achievements including attendance of family and supporters at the commissioning service at the end of June.

Take Part!

Registering to be part of GROW is very straightforward. A simple application form can be accessed by clicking here.Once the application has been received and processed, you will be contacted to confirm further details including the dates of gathered sessions.

Any Questions?

If you would like to have a conversation with a member of the team, please get in touch:

Sammi Tooze, Discipleship Adviser

Online Youth Work

Most youth organisations have avoided the use of video conferencing – which means the guidance is lagging behind. We need to engage effectively with our young people, but that we do so in a way that protects them and us. 

Below you will find a parent permission form and guidelines for online engagement. If you require word versions please email childrenandyouth@yorkdiocese.org 

Youth Curriculum Resources

Below are session ideas that can help your youth group engage more deeply with the Bible. Choose a single session, or plan a whole year, it’s as flexible as your needs. Take a look at the Introduction and User Guide to see what Bible passages and themes are covered and how to get the most out of the material.

YFC Interactive Youth Edition of the Good News Bible

Youth for Christ and Bible Society have teamed up to create a truly unique Bible that meets the needs of young people today by connecting directly to their world.

It features:

  • links to a dedicated YouTube playlist with 30 videos unpacking and offering support on key themes and issues found in the Bible.
  • Hundreds of interactive elements throughout the Bible to encourage a deeper engagement with the text
  • space on each page for writing, doodling and drawing
  • full-page introduction to each book of the Bible, showing what it’s all about and how it fits into a bigger story
  • 32 colour pages of key things to know about the Bible, help with tough topics, and journalling space
Available from the YFC website