The Christian Apprentice

Monday 27 – Wednesday 29 October 2008

Venue: The Shepherd’s Buildings, Pattingham, near Wolverhampton.

For girls aged 14 and over who want to develop their leadership skills.

You’ll take part in creative activities that increase your experience of leadership and teamwork. You’ll get individual feedback for effective leadership development.

The course will cover:
• the Bible on leadership
• the importance of character in effective leadership
• how you can be a good leader
• what your strengths and weaknesses are
• how to handle conflict situations
• how you relate to others on your team

Cost: £60 per person to include accommodation in dormitories, food and all training.

Leaders: come with your girls to get the most out of the event, but girls can also attend on their own.

For more details and a booking form, contact Sharon Prior 01425 674112; sharonprior1@btinternet.com

An initiative of The Sophia Network
run under the banner of Urban Saints

What do Muslims think?

Interesting video here from Muslims in America when asked "What would you want to say to America?"

This could be a useful discussion starter for groups looking at difference, prejudice or people of faith.

• What is there about the video that is what you'd expect?
• What surprises you most about the video?
• How did the video make you feel about the people in it?
• How did the video make you feel about people in your own community
• Has the video changed the way you think? If so, how?

Musical evening

If you're free on the evening of Saturday 27th September why not pop along to St Wulstan's in Warndon:

PRAISE AND WORSHIP EVENT
At St Wulstans Church, Warndon 7.30pm Saturday 27th September

Music & worship led by Singer
Songwriter
John Wilson
of aLive Ministry

Come and enjoy an evening of music praise and worship

Conferences coming up

If you're working with young people in a rural parish there are a couple of things on the horizon that might be of interest. Firstly there's a conference run by the Rural Youth Network on 'Young people making a difference - the social inclusion of rural youth' on the 25th September 2008 at the Novotel Hotel East Midlands. This has been sponsored by the Commission for Rural Communities, is due to take place.

There is also a day in January with Canon Martyn percy from Ripon College Cuddesdon which Gloucester diocese are hosting called the Multiparish Benefice Conference The Art of the Possible which includes sessions on children's and youth work.

If you're working more in a detached setting why not check out the Annual Conference for The Federation for Detached Youth Work at the Britannia Hotel in Standish, Wigan from Thursday 13th - Saturday 15th November. They will be looking at 'Detached Youth Work in a Multi-Agency integrated setting - a brave new World?' It's a little pricey at £300 members and £350 non-members. If you want to know more you can e-mail the FDYW .

Nooma

What is Nooma?
Nooma is a revolutionary product that is changing the way people experience spirituality – a series of short films on DVD with a 32 page discussion guide.

It's not a book or a cassette tape. And it's not a CD or a two-hour movie. It's a new format called NOOMA® — short films, between 10 and 14 minutes long, about God and our lives. Since its limited online release in November 2002, NOOMA has impacted millions of people. Because of this initial success and great potential, Zondervan has partnered with NOOMA to bring these films to the world.

How can I use Nooma?
Noomas are appropriate for personal and small group settings, congregational meetings, and much more. Like parables, they use the experiences of our lives to teach about the fullness of life through Jesus, tackling issues like forgiveness, discipleship, and unconditional love. The study materials accompanying each NOOMA encourage meaningful discussion with relevant questions and biblical references.

Who’s behind Nooma?
Rob Bell, a leading pastor and breakthrough communicator in the Christian community, is featured in the first series of Noomas. He is the author of Velvet Elvis and Sex God.

How do I access Nooma?
You can contact the Department of Children Youth and Education on 01905 732825 or by email and request a particular dvd from the following selection. We will then send the DVD out to you or hold it for you to collect. There is no charge for hire. We only request that you return the DVD by post or hand in good condition. We will charge for replacement or damage to ensure the resource remains available to other parishes.

More Funding Oppotunities

Refugee and Asylum Seekers Initiative
This a programme run by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
The programme would like to receive applications from community organisations delivering services or advocacy directly for children and young people under 21 who are refugees and/or seeking asylum. The minimum grant is £3,000 and
though there is no upper limit, the Fund expect most grants to be around £50,000.
For more information, see their website or contact:
Email:
memorial.fund (at) memfund.org.uk


V Match Fund For Youth Volunteering Projects
V, the organisation that champions volunteering, has announced that voluntary organisations and charities using or planning to use young volunteers have the opportunity to double the amount of funding generated from the private sector (a profit-making business; and/or a grant making trust or foundation; and/or an individual) through the v Match Fund. Successful applicants will need to develop innovative and inspiring volunteering opportunities that engage young people (16 - 25 year old), in volunteering. V has developed a set of core themes for the Match Fund: health and well being; environment; supporting children and young people; community cohesion; poverty; and human rights. There are two application deadlines: 29th August and the 31st October 2008. See website.

Various funding opportunities

Funding is now available to local and national charities or not-for-profit organisations that address rural and urban deprivation. Under the Urban Deprivation grants are available for projects that could include for example;• youth clubs; • training schemes to help people out of unemployment; • drop in centres for the homeless. For further information see Trusthouse Charitable Foundation.

The Small Grants Scheme is open to community and voluntary groups and has been designed for projects with a total cost of under £50,000, grants can be awarded of between £2,000 and £15,000. Typical projects suitable under the WREN small grant scheme might include;• village halls or community centres • skates parks and play areasThe closing date for applications is 5 pm on the 26th September 2008. For further information.

Young Roots offers grants of between £3,000 and £25,000. The scheme aims to involve 13-20 year-olds (up to 25 for those with special needs) in finding out about their heritage, developing skills, building confidence and promoting community involvement. To receive a Young Roots grant, your project must relate to the varied heritage of the UK and: • provide new opportunities for a wider range of young people aged 13 to 25 to learn about their own and others' heritage; • allow young people to lead and take part in creative and engaging activities; • develop partnerships between youth organisations and heritage organisations; and • create opportunities to celebrate young people's achievements in the project and share their learning with the wider community.In April 2008 the Heritage Lottery Fund introduced new application materials and guidance for this programme. During this transitional year the Fund will start assessing applications under this new programme on the 1st September 2008 decisions will be announced within 10 weeks of an application. For Further information see their website.

Bored this summer? Think about volunteering

For young people looking to volunteer on a gap style project but without ebough money to fund themselves should take a look at Platform 2

Platform 2 is a fantastic opportunity for 18-25 year olds from low income families to go on a free 10 week trip to a developing country to work on community led projects. It is Government funded and run by Christian Aid in collaboration with BUNAC and Islamic Relief.

Here is a video involving young people who've already responded to the scheme.



If you would like more information please check out their website on http://www.myplatform2.com/ which includes the application form, stories from volunteers on the trips at the moment and more.

Film Funding

First Light Movies provides grants to projects that enable young people to participate in all aspects of film productions e.g. writing, shooting, lighting, directing or producing. The funding is available to voluntary and community organisations that work with young people aged between 5 and 18 years.
Grants are available through three funding streams. The Pilot Awards which provides grants of up to £5,000, the Studio Awards, which provides grants of up to £25,000 and What's the Big Idea Awards which provides grants of £3,000. Applications open shortly, for more information:

Child Protection training sessions

Here are the dates and approximate locations of this year’s child protection training events.
Thursday 11th September UPTON
Thursday 25th September STOURBRIDGE
Thursday 6th November MALVERN
Wednesday 28th January DAYTIME WORCESTER
Wednesday 18th March KIDDERMINSTER
Tuesday 28th April REDDITCH
Wednesday 3rd June WORCESTER
Monday 6th July EVESHAM
For more details

Inspire

On Saturday 27th September, Robin Sharples and I will be running a day at St John’s Bromsgrove for anyone in your parish who works with children and young people. This is a chance to give your work a boost with ideas, inspiration, resources and advice. We’ll be looking at the Worcester Spirit Mark as well as giving churches an opportunity to see BREATHE in action. See attached flier for details.

New Generation

This movement that works with young people in their schools is coming to the Redditch area in September. They will be in Christchurch, Matchborough on Friday 26th September from 7.30. Watch the blog for more details.

Taizé Community

As I told you in the last mailing I will be taking a group to the Taizé Community in France in July/August 2009. I now have two fellow leaders who have offered to join the group and Brother Paolo has agreed to come and visit the on 12th November. He will hopefully be visiting a school in the afternoon to meet with young people. There will also be a short Taizé service in the evening at St Helen’s in Worcester and a chance to learn more about the community.

Breathe

In July we took delivery of the diocese’s own copy of Breathe. This is a resource developed by dare2engage to help 16-19 year olds explore their spirituality. Jenny Baker, one of its creators brought Breathe to the diocese earlier in the year and the diocese has invested in its own set. We launched Breathe at the Diocesan Assembly where it was available as one of the workshops and it will be available to experience at both Rock the Cathedral and Inspire in September.

Diocesan Assembly

With the help of Andrew Wickens and members of the Youth Council, I had a fantastic three days along with the twenty young people on the youth stream at the Diocesan Assembly up in Swanwick in July. We covered the six themes of living the life through drama, film, games, craft, discussion and lots of fun - oh and an electronic Geordie panda! The young people worked out a drama based on the parable of the tenants for the Saturday afternoon worship, made and altar frontal and invited everyone at the closing Eucharist of the assembly to bring together their thoughts on the six themes through the image of this friendship bracelet made in our craft session . Fantastically, two young people from the assembly have also since joined our diocesan youth council along with two other new members from Upton deanery’s youth council.

WaRes

WaRes is the new newsheet about resources available for work with children and young people from the Worcester Diocese.

DVDs/CDs/CDRoms

free to borrow if returned safely
Nooma
We have a complete set of Nooma DVDs for parishes to borrow free of charge. We only ask that you return the DVD to us undamaged either in person or via the post. See the separate Nooma leaflet for details.

Play PAWS
This DVD of Ice-breaking games does rather defy description. If you like pandas, especially pandas from Newcastle-upon-Tyne or if you’re into slightly querky games and humour then this really is for you. There are 2 dvds each with 6 sets of icebreaker games from spot the chocolate bar from its cross section to anagrams in alphabet soup. The graphics are rather clunky but that’s just part of the appeal.

Mission and Young People at Risk
This CDrom tool from the Frontier Youth Trust is a great way to assess the needs of young people in your community as you look to start any new work with young people. It contains 700 screens looking at four subjects: Community, Communication', 'Mission' and 'Group work'.

If you have any suggestions for DVD resources which you think the diocese should invest in for use by parishes, do get in touch.

Sports/Games Equipment
Unihoc set £5 deposit £1/day £2 weekend
Large Connect Four (not giant but big!) £2 deposit free loan
Basketball £1 deposit free loan
Football pump £1 deposit free loan
Pack of 50 sports field markers £2 deposit free loan
Juggling balls £2 deposit free loan
Bopit £1 deposit free loan
Twister Scram £1 deposit free loan

Special equipment
Breathe
See Breathe Booklet for details of this spirituality resource

KUBB
£10 deposit Cost £1/day £2/weekend
Kubb is a Swedish stick-throwing game that involves skill and team work. It can be played with between 2 and 12 players and you will need a large garden or small field where you can set out the playing area with some room to spare around it. The game went down well with the young people at the Diocesan Assembly and is suitable for all ages over 7.

Crossword Connect
£2 deposit free loan
A set of 13x13cm interconnecting squares with letters on which can be used for all sorts of games and group activities.

Parachute
£10 deposit Cost £1/day £2 weekend £5 week
Parachutes can be used with all ages for some great games and story-telling activities.

Tug of War Rope
£10 deposit Cost 50p/day £1/weekend £3/week

Craft Equipment
Badge Machine
Cost £10 plus 15p per badge