District Education & Youth Committee  - structure and issues covered

Groups
The committee consists of three groups – Children’s work, youth work and further education

Children’s work
There has been a vacancy for a District co-ordinator and this position is to be filled by Jacqui Gillon. Jacqui will be aiming to help children’s workers share ideas and best practice.

Youth work
Simon Sutcliffe leads this work and is particularly engaged in interdenominational activities with Lichfield and Chester Cof E and others. Successful Toolbox events were held in spring 2008 and 2009.

Further Education
There’s a need to review the District’s formal engagement with Colleges and Universities in the light of changing needs and locations  - there is a vacancy for group leader.

Meetings
The committee consists of Rev’d Peter Barber, Rev’d Ashley Cooper, Rev’d Simon Sutcliffe, David Syson, Heather Staniland, Ruth Pickles, David Pickles, Jacqui Gillon, Ken Martin and Steve Best.

An annual meeting was held to discuss reports from the three groups, approve grants, and receive the treasurer’s report

Youth Participation Strategy (YPS)
YPS – a new plan agreed by Conference to support youth work throughout the Methodist Church in Great Britain – designed with young people, for young people.

The District is fully aligned with the principles of encouraging and empowering young people to participate at all levels of the church. A number of questions still need to be answered by the Connexion and proposals need approving by DPG before further activity takes place.

Grants policy- guidelines
The committee approves grant requests in a flexible and discretionary manner at committee meetings, or by email correspondence.

The District provides financial assistance for:

• start-up initiatives,
• the cost of local or District events including holiday clubs and toddlers clubs,
• travelling to events, or for the purchase of equipment – where connected to Youth or Children’s activities
• Subsidy for Breakout or other events is normally limited to 20% of the cost  (where felt justified, transport grants of up to £20 per person may be approved)
• Funding may be granted for the purchase of laptops or projectors in exceptional circumstances, when used for youth or children’s work
• Assistance with start-up grants for Youth or Children’s worker projects is limited to £500 maximum, grants for equipment limited to £250, and grants for overseas travel limited to £200.

Grants will not be approved for structural work to buildings (although decoration of premises for youth/children’s work may be acceptable). No retrospective grants will be awarded, and repeated requests from a single group in one financial year should be discouraged.