Children & Youth
Our Youth & Children’s Service is committed to accurately and creatively teach our children, young people and families the content and relevance of the Bible. They are encouraged to adapt its teaching to their own lives in order to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ and good citizens.
We encourage them to consider their relationship with Jesus and to discover their God-given talents. We also ask them to examine their role within the local church. We hope to nurture and train new leaders for modern Wales!
Our Youth & Children’s Service aims to support leaders of children, young people and families on the ground by listening, encouraging and reassuring, training, preparing and advising on resources that are suitable for their work.
Children’s Work
Children’s Christian clubs are popular in many areas of Wales. They typically run regularly throughout the week; after school or late afternoon. We can help the local church to establish and run such Clubs and offer advice to Sunday School teachers.
Youth Work
Continuity is important in children and youth work! Children should be offered a club to attend after they are too old for the children’s club. We can advise the local church on how to establish and run Christian Youth Clubs.
Older Youth Work
We work among older youth by gathering, training and encouraging individuals to serve in modern-day Wales through their local churches. This is achieved through Souled Out.
Schools Work
We can help the local church to establish a relationship with the local school. Our schools workers:
can help you establish Open the Book teams
can discuss with you how members of your church can be hands on in your local school.
Click on the image below to read the document ‘ Linking Churches with Schools – the experiences of church members’, Vaughan Salisbury, PCW Education Officer (November 2023)
Family Work
Building relationships with families should be one of the main visions of a local church. We can help the local church to work with families in their area.
Gap year students
We offer opportunities for two young people to spend a year at Coleg y Bala. The GAP YEAR is a practical course in nurturing disciples which runs for one year (September-August) based at Coleg y Bala, the Children and Youth Centre of the Presbyterian Church of Wales.
The aims of the GAP YEAR are:
to encourage personal and spiritual development
to strive to an increasingly Christ-like character
to help each student to recognise his or her talents and potential
to develop effective leadership, communication and team-building skills
to help and enable each student to comprehend his or her future contribution to the Church
THE CLOSING DATE FOR THE 2024 GAP YEAR IS THE 23RD OF FEBRUARY, 2024.
Coleg y Bala
The Children and Youth Service Centre runs residential courses for children, youth, young adults and families from all over Wales. If you lead a Sunday School / Children’s Club or Youth Club why not bring a group to some of the College weekends? It is a great opportunity for local leaders to spend time in the company of the children and young people the opportunity to think more about faith and to meet other children and young people who go to similar clubs. The centre also gives young people the opportunity to lead on the courses which is a great experience and helps them grow as leaders.
Click the image below to read more about our upcoming events.
If you would like more information about the courses visit the Coleg website colegybala.org or call 01678520565.
Resources
Souled Out Cymru – https://souledoutcymru.net/?lang=en
Kids Club Resource Pack
Balloon and Bible – 5 Sessions for Children’s Club
Move on Moses! – 6 Children’s Club Sessions
Area Workers
We offer advice on employing children’s workers, youth workers and family workers locally. Over the years we have helped many an area to establish inter-denominational trusts.
For more information please contact:
The Children & Youth Service
Y Coleg
Y Bala
Gwynedd
LL23 7RY
01678 520565
ieuenctid@ebcpcw.cymru
https://souledoutcymru.net/?lang=en