The money for this area of work has been awarded in full
SMMIB has awarded £1.14m in full for leadership, education and capacity. This enables us to build on work that is already bearing fruit, and to strengthen mission in schools and leadership formation across the Diocese.
Leadership: strengthening leadership development
The leadership investment is designed to grow the number of younger and more diverse leaders (lay and ordained), strengthen youth leader development, and widen access to vocational and leadership pathways. A major element of this is expanding The Alban Way—including leadership formation for young adults and joined-up pathways around key transition ages (including 11, 14 and 18). This supports local churches by increasing confidence, skill and capacity among leaders serving children, young people and young adults.
Education: strengthening parish–school mission
The education investment is designed to strengthen parish and school engagement by supporting mission in schools, including collective worship and developing pupil leaders of worship, and strengthening the relational links between churches and their local schools. This is about helping schools and parishes work together so that young people can explore faith, belong, and thrive.
Who benefits?
- Parishes and deaneries strengthening children, youth, and young adult pathways
- Clergy and lay leaders accessing training and support
- Schools and worshipping communities deepening church–school relationships.
What it could look like locally
- A parish partner school develops pupil leaders of worship who are connected into church life
- A deanery strengthens discipleship at 11+, 14+ and 18+ through joined-up pathways and shared learning
- A young adult cohort, which operates across church traditions, produces new lay leaders and vocational exploration.