Tryangle awards

WCVYS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WORCESTERSHIRE YOUTH SERVICE ARE LAUNCHING THE 2012 TRYANGLE AWARDS 

You’ve got until Friday 17th February 2012 to send in your nominations for a Tryangle Award. There are eight award categories. See the Tryangle Awards leaflet and make your nominations.

The Awards Evening is being held at Worcester Warriors Rugby Club on Thursday 29th March 2012. Just take a moment to look around you or pause for that moment’s thought and identify that young person whose efforts, skills or perseverance merits that Award. Nominate now. For further details contact Phil Street on 07540 031 953 or email phil (at)wcvys.co.uk.

News from the Pews

I thought it would be good to have some updates from some of the work in parishes around the diocese to give you ideas and encouragement. This term we’ve got news from Bromsgrove.

Lis Bereen from Bromsgrove tells us about how their youth group looked like it might fold and what they did in response:

“Following a meeting with the minister we took some time out to regroup and get more staff and we now have a team that is twelve strong. We have divided into teams for Creative and Media, Sport, Craft and Cookery nights and that seems to be working well although there is always a bit of crossover. Last summer the "chill-out" room had a complete makeover with input from members (your suggestion partly) and is now tastefully decorated with comfortable furniture, a carpet and a large flat-screen TV with x-box. This room is a useful multi-purpose room for other groups.

There was a lot of talk (and anxiety) about how to attract new members but I was confident that if we put on an attractive programme this would build organically. And build it did. We went from 5 to 20 in a short space of time. We currently have more girls than boys which is an easier dynamic in the group. We have kept going over the summer with regular Sunday games in the park which has been well attended by staff and members. * The training you gave us has been very helpful and I have seen leaders' confidence and competence grow steadily. The leader who heads up the team with me has been on maternity leave but now her son is 3 months old she is returning to youth group. We are delighted as she has been much missed. She has still been involved with the admin side all along.

Our two peer leaders will both be at University from October but will still join us in the holidays. We have two new 16 year olds who we hope will take on this role (one male one female) and a 20 year old female student who has already proved her worth during the summer holidays and who is joining the sports team. She is doing this as a placement as part of her college course in Access to Social Work.”

Positive for Youth

The Government has just launched its Positive for Youth campaign. The national Church of England Youth Council will be bringing something out to link in with this soon.

The Key

A reminder about our course for those about to start, or new to, youth work or children’s work in churches.

Emma and I will be running The Key for 6 weeks on Wednesday evenings from 25th April - 30th May, or alternatively on two full day Saturdays 12th and 26th May.

The Key is an interactive learning experience full of games, quizzes, reflections, ideas, practical advice, helpful tips, and the hope is that The Key will act as a pathway to training and development.

Please complete the booking form on our website if you want a space on this popular course.

Child Protection Training Sessions 2012

Here are the dates and approximate locations of this year’s child protection training events.
WORCESTER The Old Palace, Wednesday 15th February 10.30am - 12.30pm DAYTIME STOURBRIDGE Lye & Stambermill, Christ Church hall, Monday 12th March 7.00 –9.00pm EVESHAM Church House, Tuesday 1st May 7.00-9.00pm
REDDITCH St Peter’s Church Centre, Ipsley, Tuesday 31st May 7.00-9.00pm
WORCESTER The Old Palace, Abbots Kitchen, Monday 4th October 7.00-9.00pm
STOURPORT St Michaels & All Angels, Tuesday 20th November 10.30am - 12.30pm DAYTIME

If you would like to book places please contact Judy Baker 01905 732811 jbaker(at)cofe-worcester.org.uk 

Resources

For groups in the Worcester area, you might consider asking Worcester Action for Youth to help you with a session. They can offer all kinds of experts in crafts, creative arts workshops and sports. Check out their booklet for this term which is enclosed.

To make a booking you can contact the office on 01905 350550 Tuesdays 10am - 2pm Thursdays 10am - 2pm. Worcester Action for Youth, The Old Scout Hut, Medway Road, Worcester, WR5 1LN Email info(at)wayworcester.org or visit their Website .

  The National Church is offering some really good resources at the moment, One of these is the Going 4 Growth website which is regularly updated with useful things and includes things linked into the Olympics if you want to do some forward planning. They recommend Scripture Union’s Decathlon which will be in our resources library soon. They have also launched another great new resource called Worship Workshop which is now online. See the flier for this fabulous new resource for helping groups of children, young people and adults plan worship for schools and churches.

Chaplaincy

On Thursday 26th January chaplains from secondary schools, FE colleges and local universities will again be gathering together as a network for support and resources.

Eighteen chaplains were able to attend the day in July and appreciated the chance to get new ideas and hear about the work of other chaplains.

If you are a chaplain to young people in a school, college or elsewhere let me know and we can welcome you to the group.