UK Churches encouraged to offer placements to young people

An initiative of the Methodist Church is helping young people gain vital life and work experience.

The One Programme is a paid year out for young people between the ages of 16 and 23. Participants are paid to work 15 hours a week, with nine hours in a local project and six hours for training and other Connexional work.

One of last year's participants, Matt Parker brought a fresh perspective to Hart Foodbank, run by Fleet Methodist Church, where he was one of the few young volunteers within a team of mainly over-fifties.

Churches and youth leaders are being encouraged to support young people by offering them a placement through the programme.

Hayley Moss, Methodist Youth President, said: "The One Programme is an excellent opportunity both for the young people and the projects hosting them.

"Young people get stuck in to an exciting local project and participate in an excellent training programme alongside other young people from across the UK. Churches benefit from having an enthusiastic, dedicated young person involved in their work. I loved my year on The One Programme.

"I think it is a fantastic, challenging, worthwhile experience both for young people and their host projects. Everybody wins."

John Howard, District Chair for the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District, said: "I am delighted with what the One Programme is doing. I think it has been one of the most exciting initiatives taken in youth work in recent years.

"Young people have been given the opportunity to show how they can contribute to the church and their local community.

"One young person in my District worked in a youth cafe for the year and made a significant difference to the work that was being done there."

The Church’s Children and Youth Team is inviting churches to put forward their projects for selection by filling out the Host Project Application Pack and returning it to them before the 1 March deadline.

Find application packs online here.

Tags : young