Youth and Schools worker – with responsibility for spiritual well being

Role: Youth and Schools worker – with responsibility for spiritual well being
Employed by: The Bridge Project (Tadcaster) Charity Number 1166825
Location: The Barn, St Joseph’s Street, Tadcaster LS24 9HA
Reporting to: The Chair of Trustees
Hours: 37 hours
Salary: NJC Scale 5 £30 – 35K according to experience
Period of employment: Initial three-year period with a possible further two years

The Bridge Project exists to bring love, hope and faith to the young people of Tadcaster and the surrounding villages, and to their families.

What we do

We live to bring hope to the hopeless, love to those who don’t feel loved or love themselves
faith to those who are searching to find a way through life.
We gather youth from a wide area to explore faith together through regular clubs.
We work in local primary and secondary schools through assemblies and lessons.
We run drop-in groups for all ages in the local town.
We are building a worshipping community.
We see our USP as bringing spiritual well being

What we need

A Pioneer to spearhead a programme in the secondary schools that will bring spiritual wellbeing. Out of the experience of working with people in the town for the last 24 years, our founder has devised a method that she has seen bring healing from the impact of trauma through the power of forgiving. This transformative practice has
potential to release children back into learning and to ease the pressure of mental ill health in schools.

We need someone to champion the use of the Big Green Heart in schools in the area.

That person will need the ability to get alongside people of all ages and listen well to them, and be prepared to learn on the job. Believing in the power of prayer is vital as we seek to nurture and grow the practice of prayer in our prayer room.

What you will do

i) Disciple Christian youth through regular clubs working with a team of
volunteers from the local churches
ii) Develop the use of the Big Green Heart in local schools
iii) Work with the existing team in running drop in clubs in Tadcaster
iv) Grow the life of the Prayer Room
v) Work with the youth and community worker in developing Take Away Church

You will work closely with

o The chair who is also the founder of the Big Green Heart
o The board of trustees
o The youth and community worker
o The artist in residence
o An administrator

Your responsibilities will be

• Weekly youth discipleship club in the villages
• Initiating and developing secondary schools’ work
• Developing the life of the prayer room
• Building and leading a team of both paid stab and volunteers
• Overseeing the annual holiday club programme in the villages
• Build bridges between community, schools and churches
• Encouraging involvement in fundraising activities

Who you are

• You are someone who enjoys people and has a compassionate heart.
• You will not be afraid of being challenged by life’s experiences and will need to see beyond the moral chaos of many lives to the abundant grace that Jesus gives.
• You will be a person of hope and patience who is prepared to listen and live alongside those for whom life is hard.
• You will be someone who loves to have fun and enjoys being with young people.
• You will be content to live in a small community and happy to get immersed in it.
• You will be at ease working with people from varied denominations and churchmanship

Essential skills and personality traits

• A pioneer
• An inspirational leader with stories to tell from your own walk of faith in Christ
• Someone who believes in the power of prayer
• A lover of people, who is compassionate and courageous
• Someone who knows what it is to forgive
• Non-judgemental and inclusive
• Interested in others and a listener
• An experienced team player
• Experience with working with young people
• A clear understanding of safeguarding
• Readiness to shape and work within policies and guidelines
• A clean UK driving licence
• A clear DBS certificate
• It is an occupational requirement for this post that you are a Christian

How we will support you

1) One paid-for conference/ per year
2) A quarterly retreat day
3) Daily quiet time as part of the working day
4) Time off in lieu of residential work etc.
5) Any mileage and out-of-pocket expenses will be met in full
6) Pension payments will be made in line with current government regulations
7) A two bedroomed cottage in a nearby village is available if needed

Applications should be made by email to the Secretary to the Trustees on bridgeprojecttadcaster@gmail.com by midnight on December 6th. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on Thursday December 12th. You may email and ask for more information beforehand or to arrange a call should you wish to know more about the post or the Big Green Heart.