SWYM | BA (Hons) Applied Theology (Youth and Community Work) (Moorlands South West)

The BA (Hons) Applied Theology (Youth and Community Work) is delivered by Moorlands College at the Moorlands South West campus alongside South West Youth Ministries, and is validated by the University of Gloucestershire.\

The programme is validated by the National Youth Agency (NYA) which means that upon graduation you will also receive JNC accreditation as a professional youth worker. The Applied Theology, Youth and Community Work degree has been designed to give you a firm foundation and will equip you to serve God in practical and relevant ways in dynamic youth work contexts.

Course Overview
Your studies are orientated around four different strands. Full time students will study one module from each strand every year.

Strand 1: Biblical Studies
The Bible forms the basis of all of the College’s teaching and action. As a result, a large part of your academic study will involve robust engagement with Biblical texts. This strand equips you to handle Scripture appropriately, engaging with factors such as genre and cultural context, that inform interpretation. This strand will help you to explore the implications of the Biblical texts studied for contemporary Christian life and ministry.

Strand 2: Christian Foundations
This strand explores the foundations of the Christian faith through developing your knowledge and critical awareness of Christianity’s historical unfolding. You’ll explore the key themes and concepts within the biblical narrative, and the core beliefs and practices of Christian orthodoxy. This strand equips you to be effective in ministry in a variety of contexts by allowing you to engage with contemporary challenges and objections to Christianity and to address them effectively and appropriately.

Strand 3: Young People, Communities and Contexts
This strand enhances your ability to engage with the contemporary world of young people. It explores the contexts of youth and community work and considers social policy and frameworks for professional practice. You will use the experiences from your placement to engage with methods and principles of contextual theology and reflective practice within a value base of social justice and human rights. In Year 3, you’ll have the opportunity to choose between doing a longer piece of research-based work, or an immersive placement project with young people.

Strand 4: The Christian Youth Worker
This strand develops the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are central to formation in line with the National Occupational Standards for Youth and Community Work. You will use the insights gained from your placement experiences to grow in your personal development and in the management and leadership of others. In Year 3, your studies will have a particular focus on community development and transformation, examining key issues such as power, poverty, inequality and injustice.

from South West Youth Ministries

SWYM | Be Transformed (Christian Gap Year)

Be Transformed is a year where you can grow into the person and leader that God wants you to be. This course will help root and ground you in the Christian faith, giving you the practical tools and knowledge to grow as a disciple of Jesus.

Be Transformed is more than just a gap year program; it is an opportunity to gain skills that will serve you for a lifetime, and make connections and memories that will last forever. You will leave Be Transformed with a greater understanding of your calling and purpose, as well as increased skills, lasting memories, and new friendships.
In addition to six conferences across the year, you will receive four core books which we will explore together.

You will also be provided with resources to help you develop your practical ministry skills including leading groups, teaching children and young people and developing your time management and productivity. As part of this course, you will be working towards the Engaging with Applied Theology course from Moorlands College, which has been accredited by NCFE as a Customised Qualification with the learning outcomes and assessment criteria benchmarked at Level 3 (using a national framework’s level descriptors).

from South West Youth Ministries

SWYM | The Academy

This course will encourage you to “Step Up” and “Step Out”, building on the discipleship journey in Be Transformed and go deeper into specific topics. During the course, you will sharpen your skills and experience to develop your practice through group work, leadership and managing programmes.

from South West Youth Ministries

The Key

The Key is a new training resource which has been written and developed by the Youth and Children’s departments from the Diocese of Bath and Wells and the Diocese of Bristol to equip those who work with children and young people.
It is primarily aimed at volunteers in a variety of church settings, however, The Key can also be used as a basic quality assurance tool and team building exercise for existing volunteers or paid workers. Facilitators are encouraged to follow the simple guidelines, however, it is flexible enough to use other resources to enhance the learning experience.

from Diocese of Bristol, Diocese of Bath

thirtyone:eight (previously Churches Child Protection Advisory Service [CCPAS])

thirtyone:eight (previously Churches Child Protection Advisory Service [CCPAS]) is the only independent Christian charity providing professional advice, CRB checks, support, training and resources in all areas of safeguarding children and for those affected by abuse.
Our services are used not only by churches and groups across the denominational spectrum, but increasingly by other faiths as well as non-faith based organisations keen to utilise the resources and expertise we offer. We also give advice to Children’s Services Departments, Police and other agencies across the UK.