Anglican Youthworks

Anglican Youthworks is an Australian Christian not-for-profit organisation based in Sydney. Youthworks oversees three divisions, each of which contributes to the organisation's mission: to support the teaching of the gospel in schools and churches, particularly to families.[1] It was formed in 1998, to avoid duplication of resources, by merging the Diocese of Sydney's Anglican Youth Department with the Anglican Education Commission.[2]

Anglican Youthworks
Formation1998
PurposeAn effective youth ministry in every church
HeadquartersSydney
Region
New South Wales
Key people
Craig Roberts (CEO)
Websiteyouthworks.net

History

The Anglican Youth Department of the Sydney Diocese was formed by Archbishop Howard Mowll, who appointed Graham Delbridge its first Director of Youth Work in 1942. Delbridge was responsible for significant growth in diocesan youth ministry,[3] particularly in the purchase of sites along the Hacking River for the welfare of returned servicemembers and youth camps.[4][5] Delbridge resigned in 1952, and was succeeded by Neville Bathgate four years later.

Bathgate, inspired by Christian camps in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, established the similar Camp Howard in 1956. Fifteen hundred children were attending the December camps by 1960; divided into boys', girls' and junior camps, they featured swimming, sailing, canoeing, archery, riflery and arts and crafts.[6]

The Port Hacking sites were developed and expanded, and new sites were opened at Springwood, in the Kosciuszko National Park,[7] Gerroa and Shoalhaven. Programs for troubled and disabled youths and mid-week school camps were introduced. By 1990, 25,000 young people attended Anglican Youth Department camps.[5]

Around the time that Bathgate was establishing the camping ministry at Port Hacking, Alan Langdon was appointed as director of education for the Anglican Education Commission. Langdon was involved in the development of the original special religious education (SRE) policy,[8][9] scripture lessons for schools and churches, teacher training, and low-fee Anglican schools.[10] As part of the Anglican Board of Education, he worked with other denominations and religious groups to produce a report which convinced the government to incorporate SRE into the 1990 NSW Education Act.[2][11]

During the mid-1990s, the Anglican Youth Department and the Anglican Education Commission investigated the idea of providing theological training of children's and youth ministers for local churches.[12] In 1997, the department and commission began negotiating a merger under the Youth Department acting director Stuart Abrahams. Anglican Youthworks resulted the following year.[13]

In 1997, Youthworks College was formed at Camp Wanawong in Loftus; the campus was opened to students three years later. The college began offering a gap year program and a Year 13 diploma in 2006, and long-distance online study in 2009.[12][14] In 2017, the college was moved to the Moore College campus in Newtown to enable expansion.[15]

Divisions

Outdoor education

Youthworks runs holiday programs for primary-aged children, disabled youths, and HSC students. They provide programs for school camps and facilities which include Youthworks activities and sites.

Youthworks sites[16]
Name Location Capacity
Chaldercot Port Hacking 54
Rathane Port Hacking 120
Deer Park Port Hacking 140
Telford Port Hacking 68
Waterslea Shoalhaven 167
Koloona Shoalhaven 67
Riverview Shoalhaven 22
Lawrence Lodge Shoalhaven 14
Blue Gum Lodge Springwood 100
Clifton Cottage Moreton National Park 12
Southern Cross Alpine Lodge Kosciusko National Park 25
Wanawong Loftus 47

Media

Youthworks supplies resources for children's, youth and family ministries in schools and churches. Christian Education Publications (CEP)[17] provides primary and secondary curricula for use in Special Religious Education (SRE) classes in New South Wales, and are used by a number of Protestant denominations in Australia and New Zealand.[18][19][20] Its Connect curriculum was reviewed in Queensland in 2016, when a primary-school principal became concerned that the material was proselytizing his students and halted all religious instruction in his school.[21] According to the state government review of the curricula, "the vast majority of Connect materials align with the Department of Education and Training's legislation, policies, procedures or frameworks".[22] Concerns were raised about content considered inappropriate for the target audience, such as references to (or activities relating to) animal sacrifice, murder, sex roles, and keeping secrets. Some advice given to instructors was inconsistent with contemporary education practices, particularly in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students with disabilities.[22][23] In response to the report, CEP affirmed their willingness to improve their resources and make suggested edits.[24] CEP curricula are "Beginning with God" (ages 4–5), "Connect" (ages 5–12), "Big Questions" (ages 11–12) and "Think Faith" (school years 7-10)

Anglican Press Australia (APA) primarily publish resources for Anglican church leaders, such as Common Prayer[25] (for use in corporate worship) and Leadership on the Front Foot[26] by Zachary Veron (Youthworks CEO from 2007 to 2017).[27] Growing Faith (an online newsletter for Christian parents),[28] APA and Aquila Press are part of CEP.[17]

Training

Youthworks provide training for children's and youth ministries.[29] They supply accreditation courses for new Anglican SRE teachers and sponsor training events and conferences for teachers.[30][31]

References
  1. "Vision". Youthworks. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  2. "History". Youthworks. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  3. "Youth Director". Propeller (Hurstville, NSW : 1911 - 1954). 17 August 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  4. "Bishop of Gippsland killed in car smash". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 10 June 1980. p. 11. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  5. "About Us". Youthworks Conference Centres. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  6. "Anglican Youth Camp". Biz (Fairfield, NSW : 1928 - 1972). 25 November 1959. p. 20. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  7. "History | Southern Cross Alpine Lodge". www.southerncrossalpinelodge.com.au. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  8. "Celebration of SRE Direction Answers Hope" (PDF). SRE Update. ICCOREIS (NSW) Inc. October 2010.
  9. "Education Pioneer dies". sydneyanglicans.net. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  10. Langdon, Pamela (September 2011). "Vale" (PDF). Central Bureau Intelligence Corps Association Newsletter.
  11. "NSW Legislation". www.legislation.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  12. "About Us". Youthworks College. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  13. "Stuart Noel Abrahams Eulogy" (PDF). Hamlin Fistula Australia Newsletter. December 2015.
  14. "About Us: Year 13". Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  15. Powell, Russell (2 September 2016). "Youthworks College on the move". sydneyanglicans.net. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  16. "Our Conference Centres". Youthworks Conference Centres. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  17. "About Us Christian Education Publications - Evangelical online book store". www.cepstore.com.au. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  18. "Special Religious Education (SRE)". Presbyterian Youth NSW. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  19. "ACC New South Wales | ACC SRE". www.nswacc.org.au. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  20. "SRE Curriculum". Children's Ministry. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  21. June 15th, Kaley Payne |; Pm, 2016 03:41. "Religious instruction under review in QLD - Eternity News". www.eternitynews.com.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. "Review of the Connect Religious Instruction Materials" (PDF). August 2017. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. Moore, Tony (8 April 2019). "Queensland to rein in religious education in state schools". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  24. Sandeman, John (14 April 2017). "School kids telling classmates about Jesus attacked in Gov't review - Eternity News". www.eternitynews.com.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  25. Common Prayer. Anglican Press Australia. 2012. ISBN 978-1-922000-68-2.
  26. "Australian Christian Books of the Year 2009". Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  27. "Craig Roberts to be new Youthworks CEO". Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  28. "Growing Faith". Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  29. "Youthworks aims for 500 new SRE teachers". sydneyanglicans.net. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  30. "Meet Australia's largest team of year-round volunteers". sydneyanglicans.net. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  31. "Coaching & consultancy". Youthworks. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
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