Volunteer Chaplains, YMCA

Could you be a Volunteer Chaplain and add real value to the work we do?

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We are looking for volunteer chaplains to help take part in informal weekly chaplaincy evenings to support the residents living in our Support Housing projects.

We house young people, aged 16-25, most of whom stay around 2 years. Our young people face many barriers; we provide a place and space for young people to feel safe through our projects that will lead to better life chances and a positive future. Our volunteers are at the heart of our work to support and encourage young people to turn their lives around.

YMCA DownsLink Group has a Christian foundation and inclusive vision. Our chaplaincy service helps ensure our YMCA supported accommodation is unique. Our multi-faith chaplains make a difference to the lives of young people in our supported accommodation by providing a space to be heard, to have fun and to eat together.

We are looking for people of faith or belief who are kind, good listeners, non-judgemental, with a sense of humour and a love of young people. We have a Christian Foundation and inclusive vision and we welcome applications from people of all faiths and beliefs. As a volunteer chaplain you will work as part of a team and spend time with the residents in their projects, cooking and eating with them, chatting, playing board games, and generally just being there for them. You will also receive training and support from one of our paid Chaplains.

We ask for a commitment of one evening (approximately 2 hours) every 2-3 weeks.

We are looking for Volunteer Chaplains in the following areas:

• Guildford and East Sussex

• Horsham and Crawley, West Sussex (one to two days a month preferably on Tuesday or Thursday evenings)

• Brighton & Hove

To find out more about our chaplaincy service click here and/or please contact:

Elly McKay-Smith – East Sussex Chaplain email Elly.Mckay-Smith@ymcadlg.org mobile. 07884549308

Danielle Fray – West Sussex Chaplain email Danielle.Fray@ymcadlg.org mobile. 07912271164

Isaac Watson – Brighton & Hove Chaplain email Isaac.Watson@ymcadlg.org mobile. 07590 446066 

How to Apply

Please get in touch with one of the employed chaplains (contact details above) who will be able to talk with you about the roles and the application process or visit YMCA Website.

The application form can be found HERE 

Faith in Action Project Worker Vacancy at Student Christian Movement

Salary: £24,274 pro rata

Hours: 21 hours per week

Contract: 12 months fixed term, on completion of a 3-month probationary period

Location: Flexible - home based with regular visits to Birmingham office and some UK travel.

Are you a recent graduate ready to spend a year working for an organisation that shares your values and commitment to social justice? Do you want to make a difference to the lives of students and equip them to put their faith into action?

SCM is looking to appoint a Faith in Action Project Worker to join our small and dynamic staff team:

The responsibilities of the Faith in Action Project Worker centre around inspiring students to come together in community and helping them to deepen and act on their faith together.

In this role, you will be a theologian to make other theologians, and will provide the framework for students to be able to reflect theologically on their life and modern Christian Living. You will be responsible for growing the breadth of SCM’s Faith in Action resources, and discovering new ways of connecting with the current membership via the trends of social media or engaging in face-to-face reflections. An activist to make other activists, you will coordinate social action for SCM, engaging the membership in social justice projects that maximise our impact in society and the world.

If this role excites you, please visit www.movement.org.uk/vacancies to download a detailed recruitment pack and application form.

Closing date for applications: Thursday 17th July 2025 at 12 noon

Interviews to be held: Thursday 24th July 2025

Start date: 1st September

We particularly welcome applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and LGBTQ+ individuals who are currently underrepresented in the organisation. Due to the nature of this role and the responsibilities of the successful post-holder, a genuine occupational requirement to be a committed Christian is in place for this role in accordance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

For an informal discussion about this role contact Naomi Nixon, CEO, at naomi@movement.org.uk.

If you wish to apply please use the form provided; do not send a CV as these will not be accepted.

SACRE Representative (voluntary)

“There are vacancies for suitable people to serve on Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACRE), with the following Borough Councils: 

• Lewisham

• Ealing

• Bath & Somerset

• Leicester

• Hillingdon

• Wiltshire

• Brent

• Hammersmith and Fulham

• Kensington and Chelsea

• East Sussex

• West Sussex

• Wakefield

• Sandwell

• Kent

• Milton Keynes

• Bolton

Volunteers need to be denominational members of the Free Churches Group, have an interest in education and religious education in particular. They can be lay or ordained but must live or work in the respective boroughs to which they wish to be nominated as shown above. The SACRE meets once every school term (with perhaps an occasional sub-meeting) at Council offices. This is a challenging and rewarding role which will provide a great deal of satisfaction to those interested in providing advice, debating issues and guidance in regard to the school curriculum.

APPLY NOW
Contact Sabina Williams
sabina.williams@freechurches.org.uk
0203 651 8334