Training for Children, Youth and Families Ministry

Whether you are just helping occasionally, leading a regular group, developing ministry across a parish, or shaping strategy across a benefice, deanery or wider area, there is training and support available to help you grow in confidence.

This page is designed to help you find the right next step. Some options focus on practical skills and confidence. Others help churches develop culture, vision, partnerships and long-term plans for children, young people and families.

Find the right training for your role

Use this table as a guide. You do not need to fit one description perfectly; simply start with the role that sounds most like what you currently do.

 

Programmes and options

These options can be used individually, as a parish team, across a benefice, or as part of a deanery-wide training plan. Some are ready-made courses; others are resources or partnerships that can be shaped around local needs.

Core training

• Getting Started in Children’s Ministry / Youth Ministry: a workshop day for new and growing teams, exploring the principles, culture and confidence needed for healthy children’s ministry.
• Children’s Ministry Essentials: all-round training for those working with children, especially volunteers who want to grow in confidence, knowledge and ability.
• Youth Ministry Essentials: all-round training for volunteer youth leaders, covering youth culture, practical skills and leadership development.
• MCYN Explore: learning community training and support for those developing missional youth church, schools work and youth ministry in local contexts.
• Catalyst Training: a flexible course for people working with children and young people in local churches, combining digital resources, facilitated learning groups and opportunities to build confidence, leadership and connection.
• Future Youth scheme: a year-long opportunity for 18 to 29 year olds to grow in children’s and youth ministry through placements, training, mentoring and diocesan support.
• Youth Empowered apprenticeship pathway: Church Army’s apprenticeship pathway for paid youth workers, combining the nationally recognised Level 3 Youth Support Worker apprenticeship with Church Army’s Ministerial Formation Framework.

Family faith and whole-church culture

• Deeper Rooted Lasting: a course and support programme helping churches put parents and carers at the centre of faith formation so children and young people can grow faith that lasts.
• Engage Worship – Whole Church Worship: training for churches wanting worship to be accessible, creative, participatory and genuinely intergenerational.
• Family-friendly worship support: practical help to develop services with story, movement, drama, hospitality and opportunities for children to participate and be heard.

Schools, partnerships and outreach

• School-Church Partnership Sessions: a structured package for incumbents and headteachers to build strong relationships and develop activity from that foundation.
• Open the Book: storytelling teams sharing Bible stories in schools in a fun, interactive and memorable way.
• Godly Play: training and resources for nurturing children’s spirituality through story, wondering and play.
• iSingPOP and similar music resources: school, church and community projects that use music and worship to build relationships.

Activities, belonging and participation

• Messy Church, Bubble Church, holiday clubs and outdoor family events: resources and models that can help children and families belong and take part.
• Sports and activity resources: practical resources for churches wanting to connect with children and young people through movement, games and community activity.
• Choir Church, singing groups and junior choral opportunities: music-based pathways for participation, confidence and worship.

Strategy and long-term planning

• Benefice or deanery planning workshop: a facilitated session for leaders who want to think beyond individual parishes and develop a 5–10 year approach.
• Growing Faith Strategic Leaders’ Programme: a one-year programme for leaders and aspiring leaders working across church, home and school, offering a collaborative learning community, leadership development and support for sustained culture change in children’s and young people’s faith formation.
• Volunteer recruitment and support: help to build sustainable teams, develop leaders and move beyond one-off initiatives.
• Bespoke local support: tailored conversations, mentoring or coaching for churches, benefices and deaneries.
• 360 Community: The 360 Community isn’t a course or an event but a community to belong to, giving CYF Ministry Leaders the support, connection and encouragement they need to thrive.
• Future Youth placements: a way for churches and ministry leaders to invest in emerging leaders while receiving additional capacity for children’s and youth ministry.
• Youth Empowered apprenticeship pathway: a strategic option for churches, benefices or deaneries that want to invest in paid youth ministry posts while developing youth workers as ministers through apprenticeship training and formation.

Which option is right for us?

Start with the question that best describes your situation, then follow the suggested next step.

If this sounds like you…	Start here	Then consider…
“We’d love to have a youth group, but we don’t know where the start”	Launchpad	Youth Ministry Essentials
“We have people willing to help, but they are new or unsure.”	Getting Started in Children’s Ministry or Youth Ministry	Children’s Ministry Essentials or Youth Ministry Essentials
“We already run groups, but want stronger practice and confidence.”	Essentials training with reflective practice	Inclusion, participation, pastoral care, play, youth culture, MCYN training, Catalyst Training or leadership modules
“We want worship to work better for all ages.”	Engage Worship Pop Up Church RCM The Choir Project	All-age worship planning, music, interactive prayer and children’s participation
“We want to build stronger relationships with schools.”	CPAS School-Church Partnership Sessions	Open the Book, Godly Play, iSingPOP or school services
“We want to develop youth ministry, schools work or a missional youth church approach.”	MCYN Engage or Catalyst Training	Youth Ministry Essentials, Explore Training, local mentoring or strategic planning support
“We want to support faith at home, not just at church.”	Deeper Rooted Lasting	Parent and carer support, baptism follow-up and everyday faith tools
“We know someone aged 18 to 29 who may want to explore children’s or youth ministry.”	Future Youth scheme	A ministry placement, mentoring, Aurora training and vocations support
“We have, or are considering, a paid youth worker post.”	Youth Empowered apprenticeship pathway	Level 3 Youth Support Worker apprenticeship, Church Army ministerial formation, local supervision and diocesan support
“We need a bigger plan across our benefice or deanery.”	Strategic planning workshop or Growing Faith Strategic Leaders’ Programme	Volunteer development, school partnerships, deanery events, Growing Faith culture change and long-term resourcing

Not sure where to begin?

If you are unsure which option is right for your church, benefice or deanery, get in touch with the Connect team. We can help you identify your next step and shape a training pathway that fits your context.