Churches throughout the United Kingdom are being encouraged to enhance their community involvement by introducing mentoring programs designed to support young individuals. This initiative is backed by Nicodemus, a Christian charity, which is offering financial assistance in the form of bursaries to help churches establish these programs.
Nicodemus has launched the Build Your Own Mentoring Programme (BYOMP), a comprehensive year-long initiative that equips churches with the necessary training and guidance to either create new mentoring efforts or bolster existing ones. The focus is on building mentoring systems that are not only safe and ethical but also sustainable, reaching through youth ministries and community activities.
Jonnie Welford, CEO of Nicodemus, highlighted the transformative potential of mentoring, saying, “For vulnerable young people who have experienced abuse or the absence of caring adults, a safe and trusting relationship with a caring mentor can offer the opportunity to be seen, heard and valued in ways they may never have experienced before.”
Each participating church or community group will designate a Programme Manager to collaborate with a Nicodemus trainer over the course of the year. The program includes six bi-monthly one-on-one online consultations to cover essential aspects such as defining the mentoring ministry’s purpose, tailoring approaches to local needs, and ensuring long-term program sustainability.
Additionally, up to five volunteers from each organization can enroll in Nicodemus’ 12-hour online Foundational Specialist Mentoring Course at no extra charge. This course emphasizes core skills necessary for “safe, relational and faith-informed mentoring.” Participants will also attend two extra online workshops throughout the program.
Nicodemus aims for participating entities to end the year with a robust mentoring framework capable of independent continuation. The organization offers bursaries valued at £1,040, reducing the fee for churches and groups to £25 per month over a year. Those who can afford the full fee will pay £120 monthly.
While primarily aimed at churches, the program also accepts applications from community organizations such as foodbanks and youth projects. Nicodemus reports that its training resources are already enhancing relations between youth leaders and the young people they serve.
Encouraged by the positive impact, church networks and denominational leaders are urged to promote the bursary opportunity to their congregations. Mikky Baker, a Youth Pastor at Legacy Church Walsall, remarked on the effectiveness of the training, noting it helps youth leaders connect with young people more rapidly.
Founded in 2012 by Alastair and Debbie Welford after witnessing the struggles of young people in Latin America, Nicodemus has grown into an organization focused on mentoring and training in the UK and Latin America, addressing social challenges through relationship-based, faith-informed mentoring.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
