JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:Reach Programme Coordinator

Responsible to:Regional Development Director(RDD) overseeing the
Friends International (FI) ReachProgramme

Responsible for:Overseeing the FI Reach Programme

Primary Working Relationships:FI Directors, Reach Leadership Team, Reach Administrator, FI Staff supervising Reach Volunteers

Location: Home based in the UK, preferably within a city where there is a local FI work

Hours:21 hours a week (flexibility will be required as to which days especially regarding conferences)

Background: The Friends International Reach Volunteer Programme has been running for 25 years.
It is a one-year training and cross-cultural ministry programme for those who would like to spend a year (or maybe two) befriending and sharing the Gospel with international students. Most Reach Volunteers (RVs) tend to be recent graduates. RVs work closely with a full-time member of staff who acts as supervisor. The Reach Programme is self-financing, which means that each RV raises his/her own financial support.

Training is an important component of the programme. This takes the form of:

  • four residential conferences,
  • informal training received from working alongside an FI staff member and spending time talking with them about the ministry,
  • half a day per week personal study for theological / cross-cultural study.

Each annual cohort comprises young people from diverse backgrounds: from British students with significant Christian leadership experience, to internationals who have been Christians for less than a year. For most international RVs, part of the necessary discipleship is preparing to return home. This is a strategic ministry to bless the global church. General discipleship is a vital part of the programme, but growing in one’s understanding of cross-cultural evangelism and discipleship is what makes the programme unique. The training that we offer seeks to reflect this.Many past RVs have gone on to do cross-cultural mission locally or abroad, and also to start up international student ministries (ISM) all over the world. We want to be intentional about this.

In recent years we have had 15-20 on the programme each year, but we would love to grow the programme, seeing more British recent graduates grow in passion for cross cultural mission and aiding those from hard to reach countries to be discipled before returning home.

Overall Purpose of the role: To lead and develop the Reach programme, discipling and training recent graduates in cross cultural ministry for life long service in the church in the UK and abroad. This will be through leading a team of experienced staff (the Reach Leadership Team) to deliver training conferences, developinga study programme and supportingFI staff who are directly supervising RVs.

Main Responsibilities

Reach Leadership Team

  • Lead the Reach Leadership Teamin developing and delivering the Reach programme and in supporting RVs during their time on the programme

Reach Training Conferences

  • Prayerfully evaluate and develop the Reach programme each year
  • Ensure the smooth running of the Reach training conferences

Reach Study Programme

  • Develop and implement a syllabus (or syllabuses) suitable for the variety of RV backgrounds
  • Respond to study assignments or train others to do so

FI Staff

  • Attend FI staff conferences and cluster days
  • Train all new FI staff so that they will be able to supervise RVs well
  • Support and develop Reach supervisors in their role as supervisors
  • Mediate when issues arise between RVs and their supervisors

Recruitment

  • Train and mobilise FI staff to identify those with the potential to be RVs
  • Speak at church, CU and IFES events to raise the profile of the Reach programme
  • Explore the possibility of global/regional partnerships, e.g. with IFES Europe and InterAction, to see if Reach can be a good training ground for young ISM workers in other countries

Personal Development

  • Commit to developing own understanding of cross-cultural discipleship and bible doctrine etc
  • Explore best practice in similar discipleship programmes

Support Raising

  • Friends International has no central base of funding and all staff are therefore expected to raise 100% of their budget through a system of developing personal support, with advice and assistance available from the Support Centre and from their line manager as required

Person Specification:

  • Agreement with FI’s statement of faith and vision, mission and values - an occupational requirement for the role
  • Educated to graduate level or its equivalent
  • Has undertaken some form of theological study or training, e.g. an internship or similar scheme
  • Knowledgeable of theological issues specific to cross cultural ministry
  • Passionate to minister out of love for international students who are studying in the UK
  • Experienced in ministry in a cross cultural setting and in leading a cross cultural team
  • Proven ability to teach and train others and to develop an existing programme
  • Experienced in discipling others
  • A self-starter, able to manage time and resources well
  • An effective communicator