Youth Evangelism Fund update

Over the summer I read through the many excellent applications for the Youth Evangelism Fund and can announce that we submitted bids for over £40k which far exceeded my hopes. There are some fantastic young people out there with ingenious ideas for sharing their faith with other young people and they will be getting some money to do just that. The national panel judging the bids will be meeting in October and we should hear the news then. In Worcester we’ll be having a grand funding award evening in the Abbot’s Kitchen at the Old Palace on Friday 20th November. We’ll be showcasing the work the young people are planning to do with the money and inspiring others too.

YOUTH EVANGELISM FUND

This year sees Worcester diocese getting the Youth Evangelism Fund. I have just received the briefing documents for this so will be preparing application packs and publicity over the next couple of weeks.

For those of you already thinking that this might be FOR YOU, take a look at the criteria set for those applying:

Aims
The Fund affirms projects and proposals that share the Good News of Jesus Christ in ways that make sense to young people.

Projects and proposals should:
• be creative, prayerful and culturally appropriate for young people.
• be planned and developed by young people themselves.
• demonstrate the love and justice of God practically.
• have a “local” focus - towards young people in a specific community, area, or network.
• start something new (or build on what already exists in a new way).
• build on partnership and co-operation between different churches and organisations.
• form part of a wider strategy for the Church’s mission in an area or community.
• have been well-researched, and draw on examples of good practice.

Projects and proposals should enable young people to :
• encounter the Gospel at their own pace and in their own way.
• come to participate more fully in the life of the Church, either within the existing Christian community or through a fresh expression of church.

Criteria for applications
Applications should :
• be made by young people, and developed with their active contribution and involvement.
• have clear aims and objectives, and be able to explain why this project is being suggested, what it hopes to achieve, and how.
• learn from recognised good practice. (New and radical ideas for youth evangelism will be welcome, but these will need to be carefully thought through.)
• involve careful and appropriate consultation – for example with local church leaders, diocesan specialists (particularly youth and mission/evangelism officers), and relevant authorities (such as schools, colleges, local authorities).
• be aimed at the 11 to 20 age group.
• be clear how the proposal fits into the mission strategy of the Church locally.
• fit into an overall pattern of work with young people, and show how young people who make a Christian commitment will be able to nurture and develop their faith.
• be undergirded by a sound understanding of equal opportunity issues.
• reflect and incorporate good child protection procedures.

Priority will be given to :
• evangelism in areas where the Church is weakest in its outreach to young people (for
example in deeply rural or inner urban areas, or in small and struggling churches,
or among those marginalised within society).
• projects that seek to engage with distinctive youth cultures and groupings.
• specific, time-limited projects, or provision of “seed” money to help a project get started.
• projects which involve a partnership with local churches, communities or Christian organisations.

Successful applicants will:
• normally receive only part of the total cost of the venture, depending on the circumstances of the project and its needs.
• be expected to share their insights and experiences with other groups and churches, so that lessons and good practice can be shared.
• take particular care when relating to people from non-Christian faith traditions.
• ensure that evangelism is not manipulative or aggressive, and at all times respect the freedom and integrity of young people.
• encourage the development of local creative prayer support.

Youth Evangelism Fund

Next Year Worcester Diocese is one of the dioceses to receive the Youth Evangelism Fund. All yougn people throughout the diocese will have the chance to apply for money (up to £2,500 for any single project) for work they are doing with other young people which brings them into contact with the church.

Three members of the youth council and I went up to London for the day on Saturday 6th December to hear all about it.

We saw the work of various groups which have already benefitted from money in other diocese including a skate park project, a youth puppet group, a cafe church for young people and a group who went out and worked in their local community to improve the appearance and facilities for other local residents. It really got us thinking about some things young people around the diocese could do.

Our diocese will be allocated over £20,000. Some dicoese haven't put in enough bids for their full allocation and others have ended up receiving more than they were allocated. I'd like Worcester to be in that latter category.

So in readiness for the fund coming to Worcester... what could your young people do with £2,500?