Church of Ireland Youth Department highlights challenges to Youth Ministry in Ireland
In its report to the General Synod today, the Church of Ireland Youth Department outlined the difficulties for those involved in youth ministry throughout the Church. The report speaks of “a lack of professionalism that hinders many individual and parish youth ministries” and calls for the Church to address these issues urgently. There is a need for full-time youth ministers to be given some sort of license or authorisation and for part-time volunteers to be given comprehensive and well-recognised training and support, it said.
The CIYD also remains mindful of the needs of those young people outside the Church and continues to strive to develop a greater awareness of such issues as alcohol and drug abuse which affect young people of all creeds, background and identity. While acknowledging that they can never be “expert” in such issues, the report expresses the desire that the Department has to become “more conversant and prepared to share Christ into these and other concerns facing our young people.”
Proposing the report, Revd Philip Heak (Cashel) told Synod that the challenge of youth work was to go beyond the superficial to make a real difference in young people’s lives.
Mr Peter Hamill (Connor) drew the Synod’s attention to the importance of the CIYD’s relationship with Youth Link Northern Ireland while Mr Roy Totten (Connor) thanked the Church of Ireland Youth Department for their input into the work of the Priorities Fund.
In July 2005, the CIYD published Best Foot Forward, a resource that offers guidelines and information on the employment and management of youth workers in a parish context. Also during the year, the Youth Department’s website was re-launched. Full of resources, links and information on the work of the CIYD, the site can be viewed at www.ciyd.org.