The Church of England
Growing Younger Advisor (Children, Families & Young People)
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Growing Younger Advisor – Job Description
Job Purpose
Rooted in the diocesan vision “to Make Jesus Known in every place so that all may flourish and grow,” the Growing Younger Advisor will provide support, training, and resources to parishes across the Diocese of Salisbury to engage children, families, and young people (CYF) in their communities.
The Growing Younger Team’s role is to inspire, encourage, and equip churches to engage with younger generations (0–50) to reverse the overall decline of church engagement across the diocese. This position focuses on supporting parishes in growing and developing child, family, and youth ministry so congregations can encounter the love of God and live out faith authentically in all areas of life.
Duties and Responsibilities
Core Support and Engagement
- Work collaboratively with internal and external partners to deliver excellent resources and support for CYF ministry
- Align all work with the Diocese of Salisbury’s strategy and vision
- Adopt a theological and missional approach to intergenerational church engagement, ensuring all age groups (0–50) are actively included
- Plan and lead training sessions and events for those in CYF ministry
- Collaborate with area offices and ministry teams to embed Growing Younger principles across:
- IME (Initial Ministry Education)
- CMD (Course for Ministry Directors)
- Lay formation pathways
- Inspire and equip clergy, lay leaders, and volunteers to embed intergenerational mission and leadership as a core part of parish renewal (inside and outside the church)
Strategic Implementation Across Contexts
- Work with Mission Hubs and local leaders to catalyse sustainable ministry aligned with diocesan outcomes
- Foster new congregational models, including:
- Young congregations
- Intergenerational worshipping communities
- Chaplaincy-led engagement in schools, colleges, and digital spaces
- Ensure rural and coastal contexts are resourced for sustainable CYF ministry
- Develop and test pioneering approaches to connecting with CYF and contribute to a discipleship pathway, sharing best practices with the diocese
- Signpost additional organisations and resources to support parishes in CYF ministry
Records and Resource Management
- Maintain up-to-date contact records, workstream evaluations, and resources
- Assist with Growing Younger Team briefings
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Championing Inclusion and Cultural Change
- Advocate for cultural change that prioritises younger generations in church
- Challenge structural and cultural barriers limiting access for:
- GMH (Global Majority Heritage), UKME (UK Minority Ethnic)
- Neurodivergent, disabled, and LGBTQ+ CYF
- Centre younger voices in leadership decisions (in collaboration with the Growing Younger Enabler (Digital & Youth Voice))
- Partner with the Racial Justice Officer and Safeurdarding Team to ensure representation and leadership from under-represented groups
- Ensure safeguarding, inclusion, and wellbeing are embedded in all ministry delivery
- Promote diocesan communications, training, and mission platforms that amplify younger voices, addressing issues such as:
- Climate justice
- Mental health
- Inclusion policies
- Foster a culture of Gospel confidence, spiritual curiosity, and innovation in engaging younger demographics
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
- Develop and implement outcome frameworks to measure:
- Participation rates
- Discipleship growth
- Leadership engagement
- Provide regular progress reports to diocesan leadership and national funding bodies
- Build communities of practice to sustain innovation and share best practices
- Contribute to strategic planning, direction, and development of the Growing Younger strategy
- Integrate Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies into activities, modelling best practice
- Maintain up-to-date technical knowledge in core competency areas
- Promote a culture of prayerful collaboration, continuous learning, and shared mission
Additional Information
-
Must adhere to legislative, regulatory, and diocesan policing requirements
-
Compliance with DBF Equal Opportunities Policy and Health & Safety regulations
-
Ability to travel within the diocese and attend events outside working hours (on "time off in lieu" basis)
-
Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR):
- Must be a practising Christian (as per Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010)
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential:
- Relevant children or youth work qualification or certification for church contexts
- Theological qualification or demonstrable theological knowledge
- Clear understanding of spiritual and faith development theories/practices for CYF
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Desirable:
- Advanced theological knowledge of ministerial and lay education systems
- Practical familiarity with diocesan structures and governance
Experience
Essential:
- Significant leadership experience in CYF ministry
- Experience working across multiple stakeholders and traditions
- Experience communicating with adult congregations through:
- Presentations
- Training
- All-age worship leadership
Desirable:
- Previous experience within Church of England diocesan structures
- Experience in youth congregation planting, pioneering ministry, or mixed ecology models
- Partnership work with schools, trusts, or civic bodies
- Experience presenting and championing initiatives
Key Competencies
Essential:
- Exceptional communicator able to adapt to diverse audiences and traditions within Salisbury Diocese
- Passionate advocate for the spiritual lives of CYF with a track record of transforming church engagement levels
- Collaborative, nurturing leader with strong:
- Inspiring influence
- Planning and evaluative skills
- Highly organised with a capacity to meet deadlines effectively
Desirable:
- Expertise in data-driven evaluation and reporting
- Knowledge of formation and training frameworks for clergy and lay leadership
Behavioural Requirements
- Deep personal faith and spiritual maturity
- Resilience and adaptability under pressure
- Willingness to travel, work flexibly, and accommodate evenings/weekends across a large, largely rural region
- Commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity, and inclusion
- Ability to engage generously with diverse theological traditions and handle contentious issues professionally
- Personal resilience demonstrated through:
- Management of high workloads
- Ability to make difficult decisions where necessary
Closing Statement
Are you enthusiastic about supporting children, families, or young people in their spiritual journeys? If so, explore this exciting opportunity to help the Diocese of Salisbury grow a flourishing, intergenerational faith community.
Apply today via DBF Vacancies – Diocese of Salisbury.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location