Prayer Spaces in Schools Coordinator
BeSpace is an Oxford-based Christian Charity that is passionate about seeing people have space to simply 'be' in life and to give people the opportunity to connect with God. We believe that creative, reflective prayer spaces can help do this. To see our vision realised we equip churches to create spaces, from a Christian perspective, for prayer and reflection in the community and we also lead prayer spaces in the community.
Within this academic year we will see over 50 Prayer Spaces in schools happen in the Oxfordshire area. We are looking for a part time prayer spaces in schools coordinator to facilitate the growth of the work within schools across the county. The right person will have
- the ability and confidence to communicate effectively with a wide range of people including church leaders, head teachers
- relevant experience of working with children and young people
- enthusiasm to see local churches work together, building strong relationships with the community around them and have good networking skills to help facilitate that process.
- enthusiasm to share with young people about Christian prayer.
For further details and application pack, please e mail
Salary: The post is designed to be 26.5 hours per week at £7.50 an hour. A partner organisation can offer subsidised accommodation to help with living costs.
BeSpace Registered Office: 1-4 The Plain, Oxford, OX4 1AS
Charity Registered Number: 1168891
Website: Email:
Job Role: Part time Prayer Spaces in Schools Co-ordinator
About BeSpace
BeSpace is an Oxford-based Christian charity established in order to give adults and children the opportunity to explore Christian Prayer. It has been developed from an extremely successful project through which we have helped facilitate the growth of the national Prayer Spaces in Schools initiative within Oxfordshire.
To date we have been involved in nearly 200 prayer spaces in over 70 different schools. However, our vision for BeSpace has expanded beyond just schools; we have a desire to give people in all areas of society the opportunity and space to engage with Christian Prayer. Our aim is to work alongside local churches to reach people in all areas of the community, including workplaces, offices, retirement homes, universities and beyond.
Prayer spaces are presented from a Christian perspective and are usually a week-long event that is hosted by members of local churches. They involve transforming a space with fabric and lighting, and setting up activities which help people creatively reflect or pray about a particular topic. Of course, prayer spaces will look different and have a different emphasis, depending on the context.
Facilitating the development of positive, long-lasting relationships between churches and their local communities is central to what we do. This ensures that the project is not only sustainable but has the potential to grow.
The Role
We are currently recruiting for the position of a prayer spaces in schools Coordinator to develop and grow the prayer spaces in school’s aspect of BeSpace. You will work alongside the CEO who will support you in this role. The successful candidate will continue to pioneer the work enabling churches to run prayer spaces regularly into the life of their local schools. There is an Occupational Requirement that the post-holder, who will be required to represent BeSpace to schools and volunteers, should do so from the perspective of a shared Christian faith.
Reporting lines: The post-holder will report to the BeSpace CEO.
Terms: The post is designed to be 26.5 hours per week at £7.50 an hour, increasing to at least the National Living Wage from April each year. A partner organisation can offer subsidised accommodation to help with living costs.
Prayer Spaces in Schools Coordinator
Job Description
Note: The details of tasks given below are intended to be illustrative rather than exhaustive. The post-holder will be required to undertake other similar tasks in furtherance of the work of BeSpace.
Responsibilities
Developing prayer spaces in schools
- Coordinating the delivery of prayer spaces in schools.
- Meeting with representatives from schools and/or churches to help them organise prayer spaces
- Model setting-up & hosting prayer spaces in schools from a Christian perspective.
- Supporting churches in recruiting volunteers
- Training volunteers
- Supporting local churches in running prayer spaces
Managing and developing Prayer Space resources.
- Managing, organising and developing stock of resources that are lent to churches to run prayer spaces.
- Developing and producing new prayer space activities and themes.
Maintaining and developing relationships with local churches:
- Meeting and communicating with church representatives to support and encourage them on an ongoing basis.
- Running training events, with support, to equip and encourage church members to organise prayer spaces
- Updating the website and social media sites to reflect Prayer Space activity.
- With support producing publicity/information to ensure supporters and donors are kept informed.
Personal Profile and Specification
The successful candidate will:
- Be committed to the vision of BeSpace
- Motivated by a desire to share about Christian principles of prayer in schools, but be able to understand
how to operate within sensitive boundaries between working for a Christian Organisation and working
within secular schools.
- Have the capacity to organise and lead prayer spaces (following ‘on the job’ training)
- Have the ability and confidence to communicate effectively with church leaders, head teachers and
children alike.
- Have some relevant experience in leading and managing relatively small groups of students aged
between 5-18.
- Have enthusiasm to see local churches build strong relationships with the community around them and
have good networking skills to help facilitate that process.
- To be able to take initiative and have a high level of integrity and good judgement.
- Be able to travel to various locations across the county
- Be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check
Desirable:
Be able to drive and have use of a car.
How to apply:
Please complete the attached application form and send it with a CV and covering letter giving details of:
- Your relevant experience for the position,
- Why you feel you would be good for the role,
- Any relevant training you may have
- How your training, experience and personal qualities/gifting match with the person specification
Please return your completed application form to:
Catherine Clayton at by 5pm on Tuesday 15th November.
Interviews will be held during the week of the 21st November.
Prayer spaces in Schools Coordinator
Application form
ALL candidates are asked to fill in this application form.
Completed forms, with CV and covering letter giving details of how your training, experience and personal qualities/gifting match with the person specification above, should be returned by 5 pm on Tuesday 15th November 2016 to: Catherine Clayton at
1.PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name
Address
Telephone: homemobile:
Email:
2.YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
Right to work: Do you currently have the right to work in the UK?
Disability Access: Do you require special access for the purposes of an interview?
If yes, please describe any special conditions or adjustments required on a separate sheet.
Convictions: Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence, other than a spent conviction under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974?
If yes, please supply further details on a separate sheet
Note: This post is subject to a satisfactory DBS check.
If successful in my application, I agree to complete a Confidential Declaration form, and to apply for a Disclosure.
Signed:Date:
3.REFERENCES
Give names and addresses of three referees who know you well, but who are not related to you. One reference should be from a Christian leader who knows you well (eg, a leader of your church or fellowship group; a senior team member if you currently work with a Christian organisation, either professionally or voluntarily).
If you currently hold a job, one reference should be from your manager or equivalent at that place of work. (Please indicate if taking up this reference before interview will cause you any problems.)
Please include a brief note on how each of your referees knows you.
Referee 1
Name
Address
Telephone
Mobile
Capacity in which your referee knows you
Referee 2
Name
Address
Telephone
Mobile
Capacity in which your referee knows you
Referee 3
Name
Address
Telephone
Mobile
Capacity in which your referee knows you