Purpose: Investment into children and youth ministry to see an increase in younger church population as well as worshipping communities that prioritise children and young people. Hubs denote a coherent strategy across a deanery, they don’t mean a single location.
Scale: Funding is available for 11 hubs to be set up in larger single parishes, with a start-up grant of £8k and staff funded as follows:
- Deanery Youth and Children’s lead funded for 4 years
- Two trainee students on placement, funded to obtain a 3-year BA in Youth Mission and Ministry from Emmanuel Theological College.
Timing: Following Fit for Mission cohort rollout i.e.
St Helens & Wigan: Starting 2025
West Derby & Cohort 2: Starting 2026 & 2027
Cohort 3: Starting 2028
Access Criteria: Larger Single Parishes must form a coherent plan with the 0-18s lead by March of the year when the Hub will start (starts in September).
Note:
- Individual churches can choose to fund additional youth and children’s workers to further boost the team’s impact.
- Funds only stretch to 11 of our 14 deaneries, priority being given to deaneries where a Larger Single Parish exists (because those existing structures significantly enable a successful result).
- If less than 11 Larger Single Parishes are created, then applications can be made in January 2028 from deaneries that do not have Larger Single Parish. The deanery would need to demonstrate their ability to provide the structure, support and sustainable mechanisms required to host a deanery youth hub including employment and line management.
- Single Parishes that have their own youth leaders/volunteers are encouraged to join efforts with the youth hubs to deliver the deanery strategy for children and youth.
- Funds are not available for youth workers etc in individual churches.