Church Family Support & Outreach Worker (18 hours pw)
F/T Salary circa £29k P/T Pro Rata
Are you a people person who enjoys making connections?
Apply for full details to St Andrew’s URC Chesterfield Revd Don Nichols
standrewschesterfieldjob@gmail.com by 30th June.
Position: Church Family Support and Outreach Worker
Employer: St Andrew’s United Reformed Church
(website address: standrewsurcchesterfield.org.uk )
Purpose of Role: Working with the Minister, Line Manager, Support Group and church members to:
1. Encourage and support young families associated with St Andrew’s United Reformed Church (hereafter called ‘St Andrew’s’) in their family life and Christian faith;
2. Lead the Junior Church and Messy Church teams;
3. Engage with users of the church premises, in order to identify ways in which we can share the Christian message;
4. Initiate opportunities for our children and young people to engage with the wider URC (North West Derbyshire Resource Area (NWDRA), Synod and National.
5. Build bridges within the local community in which to share the Christian message.
Hours of Employment: 18 hours per week;
Deployment will be as agreed with the Employer. However, as a rough guide this will include activities along the following lines;
* Sunday Morning: (Junior Church), but with some Sunday’s off duty to enable personal attendance at Sunday worship.
* Messy Church.
* Parent, Carer and Toddler Group plus a Bible Based Craft Group.
* Primary School Liaison: Possibly including the occasional Open The Book Assembly.
* Family Support.
* Supporting our young people attending Synod and National URC events.
* Team Meeting/Training.
* Prep & Opportunity Time: Responding to ‘Godincidences’.
It is to be expected that this pattern will evolve and change as the role develops and reflects the skill-sets of the job holder.
Line Manager: The Employee will report directly to the Line Manager. The Employee will meet with the Line Manager and Support Group once a month to discuss support, progress, pastoral matters and any other issues either wishes to raise.
Key Working Partners: The Employee will work with The Minister, Support Group, Elders, Junior Church and Messy teams in the carrying out of their agreed role. The Employee once established in the role will be expected to play a major role in leading the Junior Church and Messy Church teams. Ideally the Employee is expected to take their part in the spiritual, worshipping life of ‘St Andrew’s’ in order to be able to interact with the families they are supporting. ‘St Andrew’s’ is looking to model the Rachel Turner ‘Parenting Children for a life faith’ as a means of growth.
Key Skills and characteristics:
1. An infectious Christian faith is a prerequisite of the role in inspiring those they support towards a living faith themselves.
2. The ability to communicate well with children, young people and adults and to be able to articulate one’s personal faith in an age-appropriate manner.
3. To be able to work as a member of St Andrew’s ministry team.
4. To be able to build bridges with the users of St Andrew’s premises and the local Newbold community.
Remuneration: Rate per hour dependent on experience; Reviewable every twelve months. In this review The Employer will remain aware of movements in the ‘Living Wage’ and any recommendations on pay made by the United Reformed Church nationally.
Holidays: 80 hours per annum (equivalent to five weeks at 18 hours). The Employer will be open to discussing flexible working hours during holiday periods and around child care arrangements, recognising that certain key activities need to be resourced.
Length of Contract: The position is for a period of three years at the end of which this will be reviewed and the Employee advised by ‘St Andrew’s’ as to whether the contract will be renewed and if so at what terms.
Probationary Period: The Employee shall be subject to a six month probationary period at the end of which the Employee will be advised as to whether the position is to be:
1. made a permanent (for the remainder of the three year contract);
2. made subject to an extended probationary period (In which case the Employee will be given:
1. the length of the extension to the probationary period;
2. the reasons for this;
3. the appropriate guidance and support as what is required in order to meet ‘St Andrew’s’ needs. It shall be at the ‘St Andrew’s’ discretion as to the level of guidance, support and whether these identified needs have been met at subsequent review meetings.
The Line Manager and Support Group will give regular feedback during the probationary period as to the Employee’s performance.
Travel & Other Expenses: ‘St Andrew’s’ will reimburse the Employee for mileage travelled in carrying out this role for:
1. Any journeys in excess of the first travelled;
2. Any Mileage on the first journey in excess of the distance to/from the Employee’s home to the Church at ‘St Andrew’s’.
3. Any agreed travel for training or for ‘St Andrew’s’.
Reimbursement will be at the rate of 45 pence per mile for use of own car or the reasonable cost of public transport where used as necessary. Reimbursement for the use of own car for training purposes will be at the rate of 25 pence per mile.
Other reimbursement: St Andrew’s’ will agree appropriate expenses for agreed training, craft and other similar supporting costs and a contribution towards telephony expenses.
Safeguarding and Health & Safety: The Employee will be expected to follow ‘St Andrew’s’ Safeguarding and Health & Safety policies and, once established in the role and help to train the Junior Church team in the application of these policies.
Training & Development:
As this is a new role some flexibility will be required by both parties. After 4 weeks in post a planning meeting will be held where key targets are discussed this will then form part of the probation period and the annual performance review.
The worker will be encouraged and expected to attend any training that would support the role.
Disciplinary & Employment Practice: As per ‘St Andrew’s’ ‘Church Family Support Worker Contract of Employment’ and the ‘Employment Handbook’. The terms of this role in terms of disciplinary and employment practice follow those of The United Reformed Church Church nationally.
1/06/2025
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