Joshua Robertson first stepped into youth ministry for the volunteering element of his Duke of Edinburgh Award. Little did he know it would be a life-changing experience.
Josh now serves as the Children, Youth, and Families Minister at St Mary’s Church in Newent.
“A curate needed help with a youth Alpha course, and I needed to volunteer. So I joined in – and I fell in love with it,” Josh said. “Talking with young people, engaging with families, helping them find a voice in the church – that’s when I knew this was my calling.”
Josh was raised outside the church. His faith began to grow when a school friend invited him to a church musical.
“It wasn’t an adult who invited me. It was my best friend. That’s stuck with me.
“Young people are already doing the work of evangelism – we just need to give them space.”
After sixth form, Josh began an apprenticeship, but didn’t feel like it was the right fit for him. He decided to work in a secondary school as a mentor.
“I was still working in the remit of youth ministry; I got to connect with the local church and community. I really loved it. It was in a non-religious secondary school, but I learnt ways to introduce faith-based discussions through curriculum programmes like Ten:Ten. There was room to explore life and happiness from a Christian perspective.”
Now, Josh is studying for a degree while working in his current role.
“I help children, young people, and their families grow in faith.
“The most rewarding part of my role is seeing the lights go on in a young person’s eyes when faith becomes personal. It’s that moment when they say, ‘Oh, I get it now,’ and it’s theirs. That personal connection with Jesus is what it’s all about.
“The biggest shock for me is realising how many young people don’t even know who Jesus is, right here, on our doorstep. It drives me to make church accessible, relevant, and welcoming.”
Since working as a children and families minister, his view of his faith and ministry has shifted, from large-scale mission to everyday witness.
He said: “We think we have to do something huge, but living day-to-day as disciples, reading the Word, praying, and being present, that’s powerful. Just living life out faithfully is enough.”
He also hopes more churches will invest in youth ministry, not just paid roles, but someone championing this work in every parish.
“We need our voices heard nationally. Youth and family ministry is vital. Let’s treat it that way.”
His advice to anyone exploring a vocation is to just try it.
“Just try it. Volunteer. You won’t know unless you step in.”
If you feel you might have a calling into this ministry or something new, find out more about next steps on our diocesan vocations pages or visit our Connect Youth Ministry pages.
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