Growing younger and more diverse is at the heart of our mission. We enable those working with children, young people, families and young adults to come alongside young people to grow in their faith and become confident disciples of Christ.
These pages will guide you through links to the resources we offer, such as training, grants, upcoming events, and our formational discipleship programme for young adults.
A Strategic Priority
In line with the Church of England nationally, we are making growing younger and more diverse a major strategic priority.
The Growing Younger and More Diverse team is overseeing our support for parishes to enable all children, young people, and young adults to grow as disciples of Christ and as active participants and leaders in the local church which will be through existing and new leadership training and networking opportunities.
Further support is being provided for New Worshipping Communities, including through small and large grants for local initiatives and we are committed to continuing the integration of the work of Reaching New People into the support provided for Mission and Ministry across the Diocese.
If you need support from the Mission and Ministry Support Team please get in touch by email:
Training
Launchpad
This is an exciting opportunity for churches to receive expert support in planning and beginning church youth engagement facilitated by program leaders who have been trained by Youthscape, a national youth work charity. Over the course of six sessions clergy are encouraged to discuss and implement a strategy for youth ministry within their parish. More than 70% of parishes that have completed the programme now have youth work happening where there was none.
Our Autumn 2026 Launchpad course is now full. Register your interest in the next course commencing in February 2027, by clicking below.
Youthscape Essentials (YSE)
As a diocese, we have collaborated with Youthscape to provide fully funded training for all children and youth workers. This all-around 10-session training program covers 30 important topics, including emotional health, gender and sexuality, school life, engaging young people with the bible and more. A crucial part of this initiative is to empower leaders with the necessary confidence and skills to make a difference to the lives of young people wherever you are.
Each year we facilitate in person YSE courses in various location around the Diocese. These sessions are run monthly and provide an opportunity to delve into the content alongside others in similar ministry settings. Online courses are also available, these sessions take place weekly and can be a brilliant option for those less able to travel.
The next YSE course is running online for 10 weeks commencing Wednesday 16 September 2026.
Children’s Ministry Essentials
The online Children’s Ministry Essentials course is designed to be a comprehensive introduction to mission and ministry with children whatever context you work in.
There are six modules, each module will be delivered online. Each module introduces the key concepts for the theme and then explores how these can be applied to both your practice and you as a practitioner. Each session starts and ends with a reflective prayer activity designed to inspire how you enable the children you work with the engage with the Bible and pray. Our prayer is that as you watch, think, talk, jot down your ideas and put things in to practice not only will you grow in confidence, but the children you are engaging with will grow knowledge and love of God.
The next course is commencing on Wednesday 30 September 2026 for six weeks. Please register your interest in this course through the link below and we will be in touch shortly.
Further Support
Leaders Support Events
We are committed to supporting frontline leaders who are actively engaged in growing our youth, children’s, and young adult ministries. To achieve this, we host a variety of events designed to foster relational networking, providing opportunities for leaders to connect, share experiences, and build strong, collaborative relationships. These events also focus on equipping and supporting leaders with the tools, resources, and encouragement they need to thrive in their vital work. Together, we aim to create a united and well-supported community dedicated to nurturing the next generation.
Coaching
Coaching aims to gently guide a person toward a personal or professional goal and allows space for useful processing. You come to these conversations for all kinds of reasons; you are stuck; you are transitioning to a new job or project; you need a place outside your context to explore. Some people don’t know why they have come and that too is part of the process.
We offer single-session coaching, which can help you press the reset button and enable you to look at things from a new perspective. And/or we work with people over time. Use the button below to enquire into our coaching services.
The Alban Way
The Alban Way
The Alban Way is a year long programme focused on equipping and forming you to grow as disciples and leaders. Through practice-based teaching sessions, we want to help you build foundations on which your relationship with Jesus grows and flourishes.
Meet the Team
Dan Drew
Stephen Moore
Rachel Drury
Benjamin Hammond
Be Barlow
Clare Banham
Alexandra Zhirnova
Helen Walker
Nadine Scarlett
Vacancies
If you are interested in a position as a children’s, family, or youth minister, simply click the link provided to access a list of current job openings in that field.
Looking to recruit staff? Send in your job adverts to share on our vacancies page. If you require any direction or advice on creating new roles in your context you may find our employment and human resources page helpful.