St. Andrew's Youth Team

Purpose statement:

 
Making and maturing disciples of Jesus.

 

Aims:

 
•  To build a place of belonging where young people feel safe.
•  To enable young people to grow in their faith through meeting, learning, praying together.
•  To help young people to discover their gifts and use them to serve the local church, in its local community and beyond.
•  To encourage young people to share their faith with their friends and to provide them with opportunities to do so.

 

Values:

 
•  Jesus at the centre.
•  Every member ministry.
•  Every member growing.
•  Open and honest relationships.
•  Multiplication.


Groups:

GEN:X - 11-14 (Yr 7-9)

 
•  Leaders - Becky & Chris Gradden, Matt Brown and Jo Adamson.
•  GEN:X meets every Sunday morning during the 10.45am service in the Rainbow Shop, unless it is a family service. The leaders rotate on a month on, month off basis (per couple).


X-CHANGE - 14 - 18 (Yr 10+)

 
•  Leaders - Matt Brown
•  X-CHANGE meets every Tuesday from 7.30pm - 9.30pm in various locations around Countesthorpe.



After Hours

 
•  Youth worship event with an emphasis on high quality worship and teaching for this generation.


Socials and other activities

 
•  Socials will be arranged once a month and are designed for young people to bring their friends to. Young people will only be able to attend if written permission from a parent/guardian has been given. Any financial cost for the trip will be on a cost or less than cost basis.


Residentials

 
•  At least one residential will be offered to the young people per year. Young people will only be able to attend if written permission from parent/ guardian has been given. Any financial cost for the trip will be on a cost or less than cost basis.


First Aid

 
•  A first aider and first aid kit will be present whenever the groups meet together (by end 2002). All accidents will be reported to the responsible adult. Young people and their parents are responsible for administering their own medication (unless otherwise agreed).


Police Checks

 
•  All leaders have complied with the child protection procedure laid down by the diocese of Leicester.


Training and Support

 
•  The youth team will meet once every half term to evaluate how the work is going and to plan for the future. •  The group will also talk through difficult issues and will occasionally contain an element of training. Youth leaders will also be encouraged to go on relevant training events throughout the year. Peer leaders meet once every half term for Young leaders training.


Code of conduct

 
1) No bullying - this include verbal and physical abuse.
2) No stealing.
3) No sexist, racist or other discriminatory language.
4) No smoking, drinking, illegal drug taking or solvent abuse.
5) Show respect for people and property.
•  Breaches of the code of conduct will be reported to parents and may result in the child being removed from the group (this is at the discretion of the youth worker).



Good Practice

Do:

 
•  Treat everyone with respect and dignity.
•  Plan activities, which involve more than one other person being present or at least which are within sight or hearing of others.
•  Respect a young person's right to privacy.
•  Have separate sleeping accommodation for leaders and young people.
•  Provide access for young people to talk to about any concerns they may have.
•  Encourage young people and adults to feel comfortable and caring enough to point out attitudes or behaviour they do not like.
•  Remember that someone might misinterpret your actions no mater how well intentioned.
•  Recognise that caution is required in sensitive moments, such as abuse, bullying or bereavement. In cases of •  abuse never investigate always refer to the Police and/or Social Services.
•  Be careful about which physical games you play with young people.
•  Make yourself aware of health and safety regulations, child protection policy, equal opportunities policy and any other policies of organisation.
•  Know your limits and when and where to refer young people on to.


Do not:

 
•  Permit abusive youth peer activities (e.g. initiation ceremonies, ridiculing, bullying.)
•  Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with others.
•  Jump to conclusions about others without checking the facts.
•  Allow yourself to be drawn into inappropriate attention seeking behaviour such as tantrums or crushes.
•  Trivialise or exaggerate child abuse issues.
•  Show favouritism.
•  Make suggestive remarks or comments.
•  Rely on your good name to protect you.
•  Promise confidentiality.
•  Believe 'it could never happen to me'.
•  Use physical punishment as a form of discipline.