Category Archives: yfc centre

volunteer roles at GYFC

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94814c23e14f61b2ffff852ad4355564Gillingham YFC have 2 volunteer roles that  they are keen for someone to take on.

I used to work for GYFC (now I am an ex-officio trustee) and these roles will really help us to do some creative stuff with young people because if we can find these gifted people their work will release our youth workers to do more … well youth work!

Do you fancy being the new office manager or the treasurer … why not click on the job descriptions and have a think! You’ll be joining a great team with an amazing director and something that’s really quite exciting!

opportunities

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Over the last few days I have been a little more involved in my YFC responsibilities which I have found has really energised me as well as given me opoortunity to catch up with old friends.

Last week I travelled to YFC head office in Halesowen for the AGM and a board meeting.YFC is an exciting ministry to be part of at the moment and there are some great job opportunities at the moment. Nationally we are looking fr an HR manager and a street dance team leader – details here. Locally we are looking for directors for both Norwich and Epping Forest YFC. These are two of our longest standing centres with great and diverse ministries … check them out here. It’s amazing to see that we now have 72 centres across the country … interesting that as the church is in decline, the number of YFC centres  seeking to engage with young people across the nation is increasing.

wHile at head office i learned about this new 18+ resource on you tube. You can check out discussion starter videos here.

Yesterday, as a trustee of GIllingham YFC, I was involved in an away day with the other trustees and team members. The day was led by Richard Bromley and was just great. We had fun, we worked together, we thought alone … and I think the upshot will be a better worked out strategy resulting in new and creative ways of working with young peiple. Please hold GIllingham YFC in your prayers! I am convinced we are going to see some exciting stuff happening over the next year or so.

vote for Gillingham YFC

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Many of you will know that my Christian ministry roots really lay with YFC. I will unashamedly say that I think YFC is the best, by a long shot, Christian mission agency working with young people.

I was director of Gillingham YFC for a while and it is now both an honour and a pleasure to be able to work with them in a different way by becoming a trustee.

Why am I telling you all this …. well just by using a few clicks on your mouse you can help Gillingham YFC to be awarded with £6000 from the Nat West Community Force.

With £6000 Gillingham YFC can do more of the good stuff they are already doing …. you can check them out at their website.

But please …. use just a minute of your time and go to the Nat West Community site and vote for Gillingham YFC …. it would be really cool if you did ….. and if you are in Rochester and find me drinking a beer well I’d love to buy you one as a thank you!

Go …. click the link and vote!

Great Opportunity

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Great opportunities don’t arise often – but if you know of anyone that is thinking of a gap year, a great opportunity has arisen with Oxygen, a YFC centre in Kingston, London.
This will be an amazing experience with a massively creative and fun bunch of people. I received this last night:

Due to a last minute drop out, Oxygen are unexpectantly looking for one more male or female who can join our new gap year / intern team. If you know of someone whose plans for Sept onwards are yet to be decided, who is either looking to learn more about themselves and God’s call on their lives, or who is considering a career in work with young people, but would like to learn about youthwork options before they do so, then tell them to check out www.oxygen-online.org/mindthegap

Go check it out

Generosity

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I met up with the London Cluster for the last time today. This is the group of YFC Directors that run centres in and around London.

We did our business ‘bit’ in Covent Garden before retiring to the Chandos (which is still my favourite London pub)for lunch.

After lunch I was presented with some wonderful gifts – something to wear under my cassock (I’m not telling?!) a pack of Drinking Games cards which will come in handy when I am sitting in Wetherspoons in Rochester with my dog collar on, a very generous gift of money and a fantastic card.

I was entirely surprised and lost for words – not a common or comfortable place for me to be in!

These great friends told me how much they appreciated what I had been doing but I sincerely believe that all I have been doing is encouraging and supporting friends – the job has been fairly easy because the people I work with, my friends, have made work very easy.

I am touched by the generosity of gifts, but more so by the generosity of friendship of this group of people that have become a large part of my life.

Thanks again guys and girls – you’ve been great and I really hope we manage to stay in touch.

God talk

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Today I met up with Lyndsay at Chislehurst YFC before zooming off to Bluewater to meet up with Leesa and get my mac sorted.

I’m really going to miss this aspect of my job – traveling around the country meeting up with excellent, creative and inspirational people.

Today I want to thank these people as I have been truly inspired and experienced God in our conversations.

group vs community

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Last night I ran what I think will be my last bit of training given with my YFC hat on – a bit of an end of a chapter really. Tonight I was with the trustees of Peninsula YFC which are based on the Hoo Peninsula in Medway.

We looked at some governance stuff and then chatted a little about our roles on the group and that it is right and healthy for the trustees to have a renewal policy – in fact it is recommended by the charity commission. Some people clearly have the gift of setting things up and when things are running start to lose interest or feel a bit of a spare part. It’s important that these people feel they cam move on.

This leaves me with a question around staying with a group or a community.
If you no longer feel you contribute is it right to leave, or if you feel that your time of contribution has passed should you leave?
If we think in this way are we mis-treating people because we are only interested in what they offer to us as a community or group rather than just accepting and valuing them as a person?

There is a clear distinction here between a group tasked with a particular job and a community. A group is task focussed and everything revolves around the task and so people with the right skills come and go. A community is people focussed and revolves around the people, changing its outlook and activity to reflect the people that make it.

I have often dealt with a number of issues of misunderstanding when people have mixed the purposes of groups up. Task groups are not communities and communities are not task groups.

Brighton

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I was in Brighton yesterday. I love this place and find myself always pleased to visit such a wonderful city. Sadly the weather today meant I did not hang around too much.

I love Brighton because it is one of those few places I have been where people appear, on the surface, to be quite accepting of diversity. Different fashion, tribes, followings can all coexist by accepting each others differences. Many may not recognise this – but it seems to me that God is clearly present within this city.

I was in Brighton today meeting with about 12 church leaders who are just wondering about a YFC centre and what it might look like in the area. I don’t know what will happen from the meeting – but I really hope that YFC and the local churches of Brighton can work together. There is certainly a lot of scope and opportunity in such a wonderfully diverse city.

small beginnings

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I had the pleasure today of spending some time with the trustees of Gillingham YFC.

It was particularly cool as I was asked to share something of the history of GYFC and it was an exciting experience to take the time to remember the stories and be able to share how this great ministry of GYFC started very simply with Sarah and myself wandering the streets on a Saturday night talking with young people.

It was amazing to remember old names, miracles that had happened, conversations we had, and young people who’s lives had been transformed.

GYFC is now unrecognisable to what it was when I was there which is a sign of good health and development.

Amazing how God takes a little act and builds upon it.

Visions have to start somewhere, and it was great today to remember that the starting point of vision is often quite small.

work for Chilslehurst YFC

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This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a great director in a new centre and develop a new project ….

Full Time Youth Worker
Chislehusrt Youth for Christ
London Borough of Bromley

We want to see young peoples live changed by the transforming power of the love of Christ

• Are you passionate and enthusiastic about evangelism
• Do you have a calling to unchurched young people
• Are you a committed Christian, lead by the holy spirit
• Do you enjoy cheeky young people

Chislehurst YFC has and exciting opportunity for an experienced Youth Worker to come and help shape the direction of our 16 month old centre. We have just acquired our first building, which is very exciting and want someone to work along side our Director in building upon existing work.

Salary £18,000 – £23,000 depending on experience
For an informal chat or application pack please contact
Lyndsay Smith on
07767 867761 or chislehurst.yfc@btconnect.com
Closing date 14th August 2008