FEATURED OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING (ONLINE)

SUBSIDISED PLACES STILL AVAILABLE IN APRIL!

"I have really enjoyed each session and it has really helped my further understanding and how I can best help others." (2022 participant)

Ministers, workers, volunteers or parents/guardians who are connected to the Methodist Church are offered the opportunity to qualify as Youth Mental Health First Aiders. The recommended retail price for this training is £300, but we're really pleased to be able to offer it within the Methodist Church at the heavily subsidised rate of just £35. This covers the cost of your training materials, sent directly to your home or work address.

BOOK HERE FOR THIS OR FUTURE COURSES.

SNAPSHOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU

Gambling harm reduction and prevention training. With around one person a day taking their life due to gambling harm and approximately one young person in every classroom who is displaying at-risk or problematic gambling behaviour this is now more vital than ever. This fully funded CPD accredited training is offered free to anyone working, volunteering, or supporting young people in the Methodist Church. These sessions aim to equip people and bring about awareness, knowledge, and skills to make safe choices around gambling. The training also look at the world of digital harms, exploring, loots boxes, gambling ads, crypto and much more. For more information or to book a workshop please contact Megan Thomas.

Free specialist skills! NatWest is working with the National Youth Agency (NYA) to recruit volunteers from across its business, who will offer their skills and expertise to support youth work organisations. Whether you need help writing a bid, developing a marketing plan or working more effectively with partners, the NYA will match you with one of NatWest’s expert volunteers who will give between two and eight hours of their time, provided online, absolutely free. Apply here.

SNAPSHOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR

CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUNG ADULTS

SafeLives believes that people who have been in a toxic relationship, grown up in a house with fights or have seen that happen to a friend have a kind of knowledge that only comes from living through it – expertise by experience. SOS: The Sound of Silence works with young people so their voices can influence changes in how a range of services respond to domestic abuse in young people’s relationships and advise people working with children on healthy relationships. They are looking to recruit young people who live outside of London, aged 11-18, to be Changemakers to work alongside them to end domestic abuse for good. Changemakers can have lived experience or can simply be passionate about ending domestic abuse. Application deadline: 26 March. Apply here.

The Big Bang is the UK’s top STEM competition for young people.11 to 29 year olds are invited to come up with solutions to challenges they’ve come across in their own lives by entering their science or engineering project online by 30 March 2023 at 5pm.

Action for Conservation are offering free places on their summer camps in UK National Parks this summer for 12-16 year olds. Their camps are filled with exciting conservation activities where young people can learn new skills, make unforgettable memories and make new friends! Please pass this on to young people you know - the link includes teacher/youth worker resources to help you promote the opportunity. Applications close 7 May 2023.

MORE EASTER RESOURCES

SNAPSHOTS OF OTHER RESOURCES

"How to Save the Planet" - a short guide for those who want to save the world

Developed by the European Methodist Climate Youth. This resource is aimed at people who would like to help their community take meaningful action against climate change.

Single Parents Wellbeing

Run by single parents for single parent families. The work includes online resources and a podcast. Find out more on the website.

Cost of living toolkit for youth workers

The National Youth Agency (NYA) has developed a practical resource pack to help youth workers deliver cost-of-living and money-management sessions for young people across a variety of settings.

Vocations Sunday, 7 May 2023

This is also the weekend of the coronation of King Charles III. The lectionary readings this year invite us to consider that our vocations do not happen in isolation, but as part of the continuance of the work that God has done and is doing. As in previous years, a whole service outline, with an all age talk, a sermon and prayers, are offered to those preaching on vocations Sunday. This content might act as launch pad for one’s own reflections, or could be used as it is, as a local arrangement. The content will be in English and Welsh and will be uploaded to the website in March. The content can be used any time of year, and the website also has some non-lectionary based materials.

SNAPSHOTS OF THINGS TO READ/WATCH/LISTEN TO

ADHD uncensored: the realities of living with ADHD is an article written for the Methodist blog by Youth President James Carver, to mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week in March.

The Votes at 16 Manifesto - a new era for democracy from the British Youth Council is calling for better political education, lowering the voting age and relaxing voter ID rules in order to improve engagement. Read a summary blog post here.

Rise in loneliness among children sparks wellbeing concerns is an article from Children and Young People Now. It highlights the fact that calls to Childline from children under 11 struggling with loneliness have risen by 71 per cent in just five years. You can also watch the videos from Childline's 'Day in the lonely' campaign, featuring stories based on real-life experience.

Empathy Week 2023 - catch-up on all the webinars, including content for teachers/educators/parents, 5 to 11 year olds and 11 to 18 year olds that explores emotional intelligence, forgiveness and wellbeing.

Click here for a summary of  findings from Being a young carer is not a choice; it’s just what we do, a survey from the Carer's Trust that aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact on young people of fulfilling their caring role without sufficient support.

How do we grow the number of children and young people in our churches? is a video from the Church of England outlining four principles for this work, based on 2022 research.

SNAPSHOTS OF FUNDING AVAILABLE

The UK Youth Fund in partnership with Pears Foundation

Charitable and not-for-profit youth organisations across the UK, who are delivering high-quality youth provision, but whose work is being hindered, curtailed, or cut back due to rising core costs, can apply for cost of living support to address these unprecedented demands. Applications can be submitted any time.

National Lottery Awards for All accepting 2023 event applications

Funding to build strong relationships in and across communities in England, including support to help communities celebrate the national events that are important to them - including the Coronation of His Majesty The King, The Eurovision Song Contest and the 75th anniversary of Windrush. Applications can be submitted any time.

BME Youth Together Fund Accepting Applications

Funding to engage vulnerable groups in physical activity and strengthen communities across the country. Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups for the delivery of sports and physical activities to culturally diverse communities, disabled people, lower socioeconomic groups and people with long term health conditions to improve their health and wellbeing across England. Closes 31 March.

Sport England Reopens Small Grants Programme

Funding to encourage communities to become more involved in sport and physical activity. Grants are available to help not-for-profit sports clubs, local authorities and schools in England to carry out local community sports projects and encourage more people to be involved in sport. Closes 30 June.

TRAINING AND EVENTS CALENDAR

Monday 27 March 2023, online event

Considering RE teaching as a career?

Religious Education is a subject that places students at the heart of the complex and dynamic nature of our multi religious, multi secular world. It has never been more important, recognised by wider society as vital for preparing students for life in global Britain. Find out more and book here.

Tuesday 28 March 2023, Newport (see also 29 March, 30 March, 23 May, 24 May, 25 May)

A Mind of Their Own

From Care for the Family, these events are packed with practical and preventative tools for you to use at home, helping you to better understand what’s going on in your child’s head. Exploring the science of the mind, and why children act and react the way they do. Find out more here or book for Newport event here.

Tuesday 28 March 2023, London

Multiply: Estates Mission

A conference for practitioners with a deep love for estates mission and those who are new to the call but hungry to get going. Find out more and book here.

Wednesday 29 March 2023, Manchester

Best practice in youth participation

The Lundy Model of participation is based on the four elements of space, voice, audience and influence has been widely used since 2014 to understand child rights-based participation for both policy and practice. This event will bring together participation leads from the child and young people sector to hear from organisations using the model in their practice and to discuss how to evidence impact and share resources going forward. Find out more and book.

Wednesday 29 March 2023, Worcs (see also 28 March, 30 March, 23 May, 24 May, 25 May)

A Mind of Their Own

See information for 28 March or find out more here. Book for the Worcester event here.

Wednesday 29 March 2023, online event

Gambling harms in young people

A free online training session looking at what gambling is and what harmful gambling looks like, how it affects the brain, the digital side of gambling and much more. Includes advice on where to signpost young people you work with who might be affected. Book here.

Thursday 30 March 2023, N'hampton (see also 29 March, 30 March, 23 May, 24 May, 25 May)

A Mind of Their Own

See information for 28 March or find out more here. Book for the Northampton event here.

Friday 31 March to Sunday 2 April 2023, Cliff College

Community organising

Beginning at 6pm with dinner on the Friday evening and ending after lunch on the Sunday. This course is a starting point for anybody interested in community organising. It will help develop an understanding of what community organising involves and what it looks like in the real world.  Participants will start to explore how people come together so that they can understand and take action on their concerns to build community and overcome social injustice. Find out more and book here.

Tuesday 11 April 2023, online event

Prison chaplaincy and ministry to ex-offenders

A conversation with Deacon Sue Culver and Karen Brown. Full details of this and other webinars in the 'Social justice and evangelism' series on the Methodist website or book for this webinar here.

Wednesday 12 April 2023, online event

NYA tea break: supporting refugees/asylum seekers through youth work

Young refugees face many challenges as they cope with the trauma of their past and adjust to a new environment. Join the National Youth Agency to discuss best youth work practice in meeting their needs. Register here.

Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19, Thursday 20, Friday 21 April 2023, online

Youth Mental Health First Aid training

(Also running in June and in October/November 2023)

Places on these courses are prioritised for Methodist leaders, workers, volunteers and parents. If you are not Methodist and would like to attend a course, please contact Lynne Norman and she will ensure you are added to a waiting list. Participants will need to attend all four sessions (10am to 12.30pm) and complete approx. 1.5 hours of self-guided learning between sessions and ahead of session 1. The cost of attending the course is £35. This covers the price of the course materials (which will be posted to your home address) and the Eventbrite fees. This training has a recommended retail price of £300 and we are offering it for a heavily subsidised price to those working for the Methodist Church. Book for the April course here.

Monday 24 April 2023, online event

The ministry of toddler groups, with Bron Coveney

Led by the London District of the Methodist Church but open wider. Many churches around the country host a range of families in their churches at their weekly toddler groups. Beyond the noise and hum of babbling toddlers, there is a glorious, rewarding and exciting ministry to discover. This event and others from the London District can be booked here.

Tuesday 9 May 2023, Peterborough (see also 10 May, 11 May)

The heart of communication

Rob Parsons (Care for the Family) invites you to this event, where he will share insights and techniques from his fifty years of public speaking experience. Find out more and book Peterborough event here.

Wednesday 10 May 2023, Coventry (see also 9 May, 11 May)

The heart of communication

Details above for 10 May event, or find out more and book for Coventry event here.

Thursday 11 May 2023, Milton Keynes (see also 9 May, 10 May)

The heart of communication

Details above for 10 May event, or find out more and book for Milton Keynes event here.

Friday 12 to Sunday 14 May 2023, Newport in Wales / online

International Commission on Couple and Family Relations Conference

Hosted at the headquarters of Care for the Family. The theme of the conference, The family offers a lifetime foundation to build resilience and elasticity, acknowledges the impact recent world events have had and are still having on families. Families have been challenged to maintain an environment in which members can cope, adapt, transition, celebrate and even grieve when the larger community has been generally unstable. The keynote speakers will offer a cross-cultural, international point of view on the subject of the family’s role as a critical environment in which resilience is cultivated. Find out more and book.

Sunday 14 to Tuesday 16 May 2023, Gloucester (see also 6-8 June, 13-15 July)

Godly Play core training course

Led by two Godly Play trainers, these three-day courses offer a mixture of trainer-led sessions and opportunities for coached storytelling by participants. Each day focuses on a different kind of Godly Play presentation (sacred stories, parables and worship) to help you understand how different styles of Christian language support spiritual exploration. Courses take place in a model Godly Play environment, with the opportunity to use and see a comprehensive set of resources. £325 including lunch each day. Find out more here or  book for Gloucester here.

Monday 15 May 2023, online event

Family/Intergenerational ministry with Gail Adcock

Led by the London District of the Methodist Church but open wider. This session will explore why being intergenerational matters, reflect on the benefits it offers to all as well as sharing some useful tools and resources. Come ready to share your own tips and learn from others as we explore great ways to shape an intergenerational identity for your church both now and into the future. This event and others from the London District can be booked here.

Thursday 16 May 2023, Birmingham (see also 17 May, 18 May)

Mums' night out

Care for the Family invite mums to take a breather and be affirmed in the incredible job they do. The hope is that participants will leave feeling refreshed and ready to face the many demands of motherhood. Find out more and book for the Birmingham event here.

Friday 17 May 2023, Stoke-on-Trent (see also 16 May, 18 May)

Mums' night out

See details for 17 May or book for the Stoke-on-Trent event here.

Friday 17 May 2023, University of Roehampton

Emotional spaces: The student journey through Higher Education and beyond

This free symposium proposes that we explore the journey of students through education by considering the different spaces that students inhabit as part of their experience of Higher Education and beyond.  Students are emotionally embedded in these spaces and this becomes part of the narrative of their educational experience, and how ‘successful’ they may deem this journey (and their future) to be. Find out more and book here.

Saturday 18 May 2023, Manchester (see also 16 May, 17 May)

Mums' night out

See details for 17 May or book for Manchester event here.

Tuesday 23 May 2023, Bath (see also 28 March, 29 March, 30 March, 24 May, 25 May)

A Mind of Their Own

See information for 28 March or find out more here. Book for the Bath event here.

Wednesday 24 May 2023, Exeter (see also 28 March, 29 March, 30 March, 23 May, 25 May)

A Mind of Their Own

See information for 28 March or find out more here. Book for the Exeter event here.

Thursday 25 May 2023, Poole (see also 28 March, 29 March, 30 March, 23 May, 24 May)

A Mind of Their Own

See information for 28 March or find out more here. Book for the Poole event here.

Friday 26 to Monday 29 May 2023, Cliff College

Cliff College Festival 2023 - Eden Restored

This could be your youth group’s next adventure! Cliff Festival 23 is a place for all ages to gather for a fun weekend of camping and encountering God on the beautiful Cliff College site in Derbyshire. The festival aims to be an affordable event for youth groups and therefore offers FREE tickets for under 18s. Find out more here.

Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 June 2023, Saffron Walden, Essex (see also 14-16 May, 13-15 July)

Godly Play core training course

See details for 14-16 May or find out more here. Book for Essex here.

Saturday 10 June 2023, Leeds

Dignity for All conference

The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) is partnering with Church Action on Poverty and the APLE collective to host this conference about ending poverty where the real experts are at the centre: people who experience poverty. The hope is to bring together activists based in churches with campaigners with lived experience of povert y - to listen and learn from each other about how we can end poverty in the UK. Find out more and book here.

Wednesday 14, Thursday 15, Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 June 2023, online

Youth Mental Health First Aid training

(Also running in April and in October/November 2023)

See information for April course or book for the June training here.

Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 July 2023, Llandudno (see also 14-16 May, 6-8 June)

Godly Play core training course

See details for 14-16 May or find out more here. This event is residential and the cost is £460, including two nights' accommodation. Book for Llandudno here.

Saturday 23 September 2023, Bristol (also in Sheffield on 5 October)

National Estate Churches Network Conference 2023

The theme for the conference is ‘God With Us: Sharing our journey’, with opportunity to share examples of God at work and good practice in estates ministry, as well as practical workshops and fellowship. Conversations will include starting out in a new church, longevity in ministry and moving on well. Find out more and book here.

Thursday 5 October 2023, Sheffield (also in Bristol on 23 September)

National Estate Churches Network Conference 2023

See details for 23 September or click here.

Friday 20 October to Sunday 22 October 2023, Cliff College

Community organising

Beginning at 6pm with dinner on the Friday evening and ending after lunch on the Sunday. This course is a starting point for anybody interested in community organising. It will help develop an understanding of what community organising involves and what it looks like in the real world.  Participants will start to explore how people come together so that they can understand and take action on their concerns to build community and overcome social injustice. Find out more and book here.

Tuesday 31 October, Thursday 2, Tuesday 7, Thursday 9 November 2023, online

Youth Mental Health First Aid training

(Also running in April and in June 2023)

See information for April course or book here for the October/November course.