These roles are part of the existing Church of England Birmingham Children and Families Missioner Project, which is an exciting opportunity to grow children’s and youth work across the diocese. Employed by Church of England Diocesan Board of Finance and hosted by a local parish, each CFM will work across the breadth and diversity of parishes in either deanery of Handsworth and Central or Yardley and Solihull. The CFM will support parishes by: enabling vision; equipping and deploying volunteers to engage with children and their families; helping children and families to grow in their discipleship; developing new and existing worshipping communities that are connected to local parish churches.
Role Description
Working in support of each deanery’s vision and focus, the main elements of the roles are:
- Recruit, support, train and encourage local volunteers from the host parish and across the deanery to grow mission and ministry with children and their families - particularly with those not yet engaged in their local church community.
- Develop and resource a youth group in the local parish church, and a Messy Church worshipping community.
- Bring to life new volunteer-led initiatives for engaging children and their families with their local church community.
- Catalyse the launch and ongoing development of a new intergenerational worshipping community in the wider deanery, with support from an existing Children and Families Mission Enabler (CFME) and local stakeholders.
- Identify and enable ways in which volunteers from across the deanery could work together fruitfully.
- Identify training needs for volunteers in collaboration with the diocesan Flex Pathway.
- Support and model a culture where children and families are integrated throughout the church and community and where children of all ages are valued and given opportunities to share in ministry and mission.
- Work with the Area Dean to understand potential opportunities in the deanery and identify which parishes will most benefit from CFM support.
- Meet regularly for reflection and supervision with the local supervisor, and line management from the Mission Support Developer CFME.
- Manage the delivery of the CFM project within the parish and deanery and be responsible for gathering and delivering feedback and evaluation, updating plans and communicating clearly with all key stakeholders.
- Participate in a relational and learning community with the existing CFMEs from across CofE Birmingham.
- Uphold high safeguarding standards, supported by the CofE Birmingham safeguarding team.
- Contribute to parish, deanery and diocesan life in other ways as agreed with your line manager, Mission Support Developer CFME.
Person Specification
Essential
- Demonstrable love of Christ with an infectious Christian faith
- Experience of building and leading teams of volunteers
- Experience of recruiting and supporting new volunteers
- Experience of initiating and overseeing new work delivered by a team
- A strategic thinker who can deploy teams and individuals in a way that maximises what can be achieved
- A team player, with good self-awareness and both ability and enthusiasm to reflect self-critically with colleagues.
- Empathy, commitment and proven ability to grow healthy relationships with a wide diversity of people.
- Good verbal and written skills and able to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts
- Confident communicating with a number of varied stakeholders in a project who may have differing expectations.
- A commitment to uphold current safeguarding legislation and best practice
- Ability to travel across the geographical area of the deanery
- Supportive of the Church of England and a willingness to work within its frameworks
- There is an occupational requirement for the postholder to be a practising Christian
Desirable
- Experience of missional activity and ministry with children and their families
- Experience of working with or in schools
- Experience of working with others to bring about culture change
- Confidence in using technology and social media, especially Office 365
- Access to own transport
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Full-time 35 hours per week for a fixed-term of 2.5 years (subject to funding) part-time/flexible working proposals may be considered. The role will be parish based.
- Salary £25,000
- Pension 12% employer contribution into the Church Workers Pension Fund
- Holidays 25 days per annum, plus 8 Bank Holidays, plus 3 discretionary days
- The posts are subject to a DBS disclosure and satisfactory references
- The employer is the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance (BDBF)
- Reports to the Mission Support Developer CFME and deanery steering group
Application Process
To arrange an informal conversation with the CFM Project Coordinator please email Rachel.retallick-cheel@cofebirmingham.com
Closing Date for Applications: 6th May 2024
Interviews Scheduled: W/C 13th May 2024
To apply for the role, please click here.
CofEB is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where all can be themselves.
We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under-represented in our staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+.
We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.