Children and Young Persons Development Worker - WM Racial Justice Initiative - Church of England Birmingham

Location: Hybrid, travel across the region

Reports to: Director

Working days and hours: 35 hours per week 

Role Status: Fixed Term to 31.12.27

Salary: £38,600

Purpose:

The key purposes of this post are to:

• Support our participating dioceses and their parishes in their identified approaches and routes to addressing racism within church youth groups, children’s groups and their work with children and families, enabling young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds to be supported in their discipleship journeys, and
• Working collaboratively with the participating dioceses and their parishes, and to facilitate gatherings and other opportunities for sharing experiences, good practice, and learning across church-based youth and children’s and families work

Role contextual  information:

Our role holder will be able to:

• Understand how racism intersects with youth culture and the diverse ways in which families work
• Be able to work for transformational change within the diverse contexts across the region.
• Be able to scope existing children and youth work provision in which GMH/UKME communities are engaged across the participating dioceses and identify where there is need but absence of provision.
• Establish and develop a collaborative programme of activity to meet the aims and outcomes of the Initiative, and work with diocesan children and youth work teams to develop strategies for addressing the gaps in provision, connecting need with resources.
• Work with diocesan children and youth work teams to identify and facilitate the sharing of good practice in this field, supporting diverse local contexts.
• Effectively connect the learning from youth and children’s work into the wider Initiative’s board and the diocesan racial justice groups.
• Be a good communicator and networker, able to make meaningful relationships with people of all ages in their diverse contexts as well as to engage meaningfully with diocesan and parish structures.
• Be a good listener able to translate learning into appropriate action.
  

Specific Responsibilities: 

• Responsible for identifying and reporting on diocesan activities that increase connection with young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds – This is a first priority for this post; completed within the first three months- To do this by:
  - Working collaboratively with our participating dioceses to collect information/data/ and reporting to the Initiative's Board
  
• Responsible for identifying appropriate and available training resources for diocesan youth and children's work around racial justice - To do this by: 
  - Working collaboratively with the RJU nationally and the participating dioceses to collect a detailed record of all training used, being developed or being delivered
  - Reviewing where there is evidence of evaluating the impact of this training
  - Researching what training needs analyses are being undertaken and reviewing outcomes
  
• Responsible for supporting diocesan teams and seeking opportunities where further advice and support may be required - To do this by:
  - Creating and developing supportive and positive working arrangements with each of our participating dioceses and relevant staff/roles
  - Working with diocesan teams to support churches in areas where people of GMH/UKME backgrounds are the majority to engage with those young people.
  - Working in collaboration with dioceses and local communities - bringing opportunities for children’s, children’s and families workers and youth leaders in churches to come together to grow their networking, and develop their skills. knowledge and confidence
  - Taking opportunities to organise and lead events and participate as appropriate.
• Responsible for scoping a regional network of role models and mentors from GMH/UKME backgrounds for young people – To do this by:
  - Developing a needs based approach with a focus on the lived experience of GMH/UKME young people in church settings
  - Reporting on the feasibility of a mentoring network for GMH/UKME young people
  - Creating a sustainable framework and timeline for delivery of a mentoring network or alternative forms of support in collaboration with participating dioceses
• Responsible for curating an annual calendar of relevant activities and events, bringing togetherappropriate (and largely existing) resources which will engage the involvement of young people - To do this by:

  Including events such as
  - Working collaboratively with the communications mechanisms in dioceses, and the WMRJJI communications officer
  Black History Month
  Racial Justice Sunday

• Responsible for devising and supporting opportunities and events which will bring a shared learning, experience of racial justice between churches across the region and within dioceses. – To do this by:

  - Facilitating the sharing of experiences and expertise about children and young peoples’ experiences

  
  - Working with children and young people to include their voices, perspectives and experiences in the formation of learning experiences
  - Collecting and curating stories from young people and families among the GME/UKME community in our churches.
• Responsible for regular reporting on activities, updates and plans - To do this by:
  - Ensuring a regular pattern of updating and reporting, evidence and data as agreed with the Regional Racial Justice Director, Project Manager and Board.
  - Working collaboratively with WMRRJI and other regional/diocesan and national church/other/data resources
• Responsible for being visible and supportive in national and regional networks that grow positive and collaborative working relationships. – To do this by:
  - Identifying key networks agreeing which are priorities or offer potential with the WMRRJI Directors
  - Using such networks as opportunities for personal and professional development
• Responsible for championing the highest standards of safeguarding practice within the remit of the role and links to diocesan / local work – To do this by:
  - Ensuring key relationships with diocesan safeguarding teams, linking up with where there are opportunities to promote training, and safer recruitment for employees and volunteers (role models and mentors)
• Responsible for maintaining high standards of safeguarding practice that supports the flourishing of children and young people in church settings – To do this by:
  - Maintaining up to date appropriate safeguarding training
  - Liaising with Diocesan safeguarding teams to stay up to date on training and practice
  - Accurately following relevant safeguarding reporting procedures
  
• General responsibilities
  - Safeguarding training
  - Data and GDPR and training
  - Health and Safety

General Requirements: 

Due to the nature of this post, the post-holder will need to work within the underrepresented GMH / UKME communities of the six dioceses, understanding the contexts which individuals of a GMH / UKME background serve in their Christian discipleship, mission and ministry and any barriers which they may face, therefore there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) under the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder is of a GMH / UKME background and a practicing Christian.

Person Specification: 

We are looking for someone who:

• Able to be supportive of the Church of England, able to work within and navigate its frameworks.
• Is passionate to eliminate racism within church youth groups, children’s groups and work with children and families.
• Can create, develop and share resources and good practice to support the active inclusion of and participation of GMH / UKME individuals in leading and receiving young peoples work.? Is supportive of young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds in their discipleship journeys.? Produces clear and well-structured written work, including reports
• Can use both qualitative and quantitative data to evidence impact of their work against the required outcomes and outputs of the Initiative.
• Has the ability to listen, communicate and be a natural networker who can create meaningful relationships with people across a variety of levels.
• Can arrange and facilitate effective and inspiring events and gatherings to enable the sharing of stories, resources, and good practice
• Is an effective team worker, following the Director’s reasonable directions regarding duties that support other roles and the overall aims of the Initiative even though it may be in another colleague's specialism
• Has the ability to travel the length and breadth of the six dioceses of the project
• Able to work flexibly, a Team player, and able to attend occasional evening and weekend activities for which Time off in Lieu will be given.

Additional  information:

•    Pension provision – Church of England’s Church Worker Pension Scheme – 12% employer contribution 
•    Annual leave 25 ordinary leave days, plus all bank/public holidays and 3 days between Christmas and the New Year (7.2 weeks).
•    The employing body is the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance 
•    The West Midlands Racial Justice Initiative is committed to the safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment. The successful postholder will need to provide satisfactory references, receive a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check (with barred list check) and undertake the relevant training.

Closing date 15th May 2026

Interview date Wednesday 27th May 2026

Interview location (Birmingham)

For more information, to arrange an informal conversation contact: Jennie Johnson jennie.johnson@wmracialjustice.org.uk