Diploma in Christian Youth Work
We are committed to training men and women for ministry and mission. Many churches are reaching young people for the Gospel and many Christians are already involved in youthwork (Sunday school, youth clubs, summer camps). This interactive online course is designed for those who are already involved in youth work or who plan to be.
This course forms part of the ETS Centre for Mission, which has been established with the aim of providing Christians in the church with the education, support and facilities they need to serve God, whether at home or abroad.
The Diploma in Christian Youthwork Course will equip youthworkers to:
- Model Jesus Christ in their behavior, character and words
- Embody, articulate and defend a Christian worldview
- Serve young people with care, kindness and integrity
- Safeguard and protect young people
- Share the gospel with boldness, clarity and sensitivity
- Disciple young Christians to grow in their faith
Course Components
- Understanding God
- Understanding Yourself
- Understanding the Young
- Understanding the Goals
- Understanding the Methods
- Understanding the Resources
Course Delivery
Lectures: Nick Mackison delivers 16 lectures (30 minutes each) that form the theological backbone to the course. Students watch the videos to engage with their content.
Placements: Students complete a youthwork placement arranged by the Course Organiser and supervised by a local leader.
Workshops: If practicable, workshops can be organised to share good practice and to learn from practitioners. Topics may include: Communication skills, Evangelism and discipleship, Use of technology and social media and Child Protection.
One-to-ones: Students engage directly with the course organiser. One-to-ones can take place online. Students can ask questions and explore issues more fully.
Course Assessment
Assessments are creative, reflective and practical. Students develop their ability to:
- Think biblically and apply biblical truth personally
- Research a topic using written and online material
- Understand issues related to Christian youthwork
- Organise their thoughts and structure an argument clearly and cogently
- Hone their writing skills and practice their communication skills
- Connect God’s timeless truth with contemporary culture
- Grow in the knowledge, skills and character necessary to serve young people well
Distance Learning
This programme is taught exclusively through Distance Learning.
See Distance Learning FAQ for more information on Distance Learning at ETS.
Megan MacDonald from Glenelg is a graduate of the Diploma in Christian Youthwork. Read about her experience of the course below.
Further Information
The Admissions Policy for the Diploma in Christian Youth Work can be found here.
There are no formal entry requirements for this programme.
Course fees can be found here.
On successful completion of the course, all students are awarded the Diploma in Christian Youthwork at the ETS Annual Awards Ceremony in May.
Students who receive a Distinction on at least half of their assessments will receive a Diploma in Christian Youthwork with Distinction.
Students are encouraged to receive their diploma in person.
Mound Books is the official book supplier for all our ETS reading lists.
Their opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 5pm and books may be ordered by telephone (07863 905900), e-mail ([email protected]), or through their website (www.moundbooks.com).
Each book has been heavily discounted and postage is free to any UK address. When ordering through the website, shipping costs for Europe and the rest of the world will appear automatically at the checkout.
Books may also be ordered by phone, by e-mail or online from the bookshop.
The information and different exercises from the youth work end of things were also very helpful, exploring how young people think and learn and how that can be different from adults. This was great in learning how to adapt material for teaching and learning how to adapt the same material for different age groups in ways they would understand.
Overall, this course has been a real blessing and has helped me to gain more knowledge and skills on my journey to becoming a youth worker."
