Children, Youth and Families Co-ordinator in Waterlooville

The Children, Youth & Families Co-ordinator will think creatively about how we engage with youth and families in our parish, identifying and developing mission opportunities. CoGS has many children that come through the doors and we are looking to appoint someone to take them from being visitors to being part of our multigenerational community. The right candidate will enable our children and their families to explore and develop their faith and integrate into all areas of our church life to create a culture that values and benefits everyone.

In addition, the role will include outreach in the local area to find more effective ways to involve children, families and those with no experience of Christian faith in the life and witness of the Church. The role will also provide leadership, inspiration and support for the volunteers who minister in the toddlers, children's and youth groups at CoGS and take an active role in providing ministry in the groups as and when required. The Children, Youth & Families Co-ordinator is a key member of the staff team; they will liaise with clergy, parish administrator and wardens and attend staff meetings and PCC meetings as required.

RESPONSIBLE TO: Named PCC member as line manager

ACCOUNTABLE TO: The Churchwardens and PCC

WORKS WITH: All volunteers involved in youth and children’s ministry

BASE: A dedicated desk is available in the Parish office and a computer will be provided. Some work can be undertaken from home.

HOURS: 30 hours (part time), shared between day time and evening as necessary, including Sunday mornings.

SALARY: £20,280 (pro rata) £25,350 (equivalent full time) plus agreed expenses of office

PENSION: CoGS has an auto-enrolment pension scheme and contributions to the scheme are made by the employer (CoGS) and the employee.

START DATE: February 2026 (subject to negotiation)

CONTRACT LENGTH: Permanent Contract (following a 9 month probation period with 3 monthly reviews)

ANNUAL LEAVE: Holidays to be comparable with other Church staff and based on a full-time equivalent of 187.5 hours (five weeks at 37.5 hours per week). The pro rata holiday entitlement will therefore be 150 hours (based on five weeks leave at 30 hours per week). In addition, the post-holder is entitled to all normal UK public holidays; if required to work on a public holiday, time off in lieu is given on a one-for-one basis.

SAFEGUARDING: The PCC of The Church of the Good Shepherd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment. All appointments to roles undertaking regulated activity are subject to pre-appointment checks, including references and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check and completion of the Church of England’s Safeguarding training.

CONDITIONS: Staff terms and conditions apply and will be detailed in the Contract of employment.

GENUINE OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Employment Equality Regulations 2003 relating to Religion or Belief and sexual orientation. For the purpose of both of the above Regulations it is considered to be a Genuine Occupational Requirement that the post-holder shares and endorses the understanding that the Church of the Good Shepherd, Crookhorn, as an Evangelical Anglican Church, has of the Christian faith, including conversion and commitment, sexual and moral conduct and lifestyle.

• Work closely with our youth, children and their families to encourage, enthuse them and develop their faith in Jesus Christ, teaching them to become disciples who can teach others to become disciples.
• Work with the named PCC member and other leaders within children and youth ministries, to enable the spiritual development and numerical growth of children, young people and families within the parish of Crookhorn.
• Provide leadership, inspiration and support for the volunteers who minister in the toddlers, children's and youth groups at CoGS and take an active role in providing ministry in the groups as and when required.

Planning and Strategy:

• Work with group leaders to create rotas and plan an integrated syllabus for Sunday groups, weekday groups and special events.
• Work with group leaders to identify key resource needs to deliver the programme.
• Provide regular feedback on all aspects of the role to the PCC, both verbally and written.
• Advise the PCC (through the Treasurer) of budget requirements.
• Liaise with safeguarding officer to ensure all activity leaders adhere to the Diocesan safeguarding Policy.

Team Management:

• Line manage leaders of youth & children teams to maintain positive volunteer morale and pastoral care.
• Nurture and release leadership gifts in others.
• Organise regular meetings with leaders, as appropriate, for prayer, encouragement and training.
• Plan recruitment and training of volunteers, developing teams to oversee social activities, outreach, discipleship, ministry, etc. as necessary.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Regularly self-evaluate your progress in growing and guiding teams.
• Continually monitor the effectiveness of each of the groups and provide feedback.
• Collect feedback from leaders, teams, children and young people.
• Feedback these to the PCC.

Community Outreach and Engagement:

• With the named PCC member, other leaders within children and youth ministries, engage and draw in non-church families, children and young people.
• Model (and encourage other leaders) in engaging with non-church families, children and young people.
• Promote and frequent our community café encouraging more families and making relationships.
• Be actively involved in the pastoral care of children and youth, encouraging liaison with the families of children and young people.
• Liaise with others to develop new family, children and youth outreach initiatives as time and volunteer numbers allow.
• Provide a welcome to children and young people with learning difficulties, broken family life, or with possible disabilities.
• Signpost any issues to the PCC or our Safeguarding Officer.

Personal Discipleship:

• To be actively engaged in the worship life of CoGS.
• To be part of a discipleship group.
• To be engaged in the rhythm of prayer at CoGS.

Volunteer management and training:

• To review helpers / volunteers ‘Terms of Reference’ (TOR) for their involvement with each of the groups.
• To discuss with all helpers / volunteers what training would help them in their role within the team.
• Ensuring Health and Safety is a top priority to keep all of the children’s and young people’s well-being in the forefront of everyone’s thinking.
• To be careful to ensure that there is no burnout of any of our precious volunteers, due to staffing issues, or sufficient training to enable them to fulfil their calling to work in their group.

Professional Development:

• Attend relevant conferences and courses as agreed with the PCC.
• Keep in touch with national and diocesan trends, thinking, etc. to inform parish practice to the PCC.

Diocesan & other church Youth and children leaders / Activities:

• Build relationships with other church youth and children's practitioners, sharing ideas and good practice especially at High Tide.

We seek an individual who can take the wider CoGS vision, develop a clear plan for this role, and then work closely with the PCC to make that plan a reality. We look forward to working together to serve the community and bring positive change to local families, children, and young people. We are a bible believing and Spirit filled church; affiliated with the New Wine network and the Evangelical Alliance. We are informal and friendly, with a modern style of worship and a desire to reach out into our community. Our vision is to be a Church with Jesus Christ at the heart of everything we do, a Church in which we seek God’s Kingdom, and where all are enabled to experience a life-transforming encounter with Jesus Christ in order to become disciples.