At the start of National Youth Work week, it is announced that the Church of England Diocese of Leicester is to be the new home for the Institute for Children, Youth and Mission (iCYM) courses from September 2020.
For over 20 years CYM has been a leading provider of Christian training for work with young people, children and families and communities. CYM offers courses at pre-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate levels with students being based in a ministry context and travelling for their modules.
Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Martyn Snow, who is at the forefront of work to improve the recognition and valuing of church-based children and youth workers in the Church of England, said this was an important development for training nationally as well as locally: “I’m very pleased to be able to welcome CYM to Leicester. When the idea of this move was first voiced, it quickly became apparent that there was so much synergy between the vision of CYM and that of the Diocese of Leicester.
“Not only does this fit with our own priority of working with children and young people, but there are also real possibilities of partnership with the Community of the Tree of Life, our Chaplaincies and our Universities. I look forward to seeing what will emerge once they are here and students from around the country are travelling here for training.”
Sally Nash, Director of CYM, said: “We are delighted with this significant step as it will enable us to consolidate CYM’s provision in an exciting setting alongside some of the most innovative mission and ministry provision in the UK. We are reimagining our provision for this next phase of CYM’s history and look forward to offering great new courses for the challenges ahead.
“The theme for today as part of the National Youth Association’s youth work week is ‘skilled and equipped to learn and earn’ which also fits the CYM’s work to support the training and development of Christian mission and ministry workers and chaplains among children, young people, families and communities. This move to Leicester is set to enable us to develop our work in this work still further.”
Rob Hay, Director of Learning for the Diocese of Leicester, said: “CYM has been e pioneer in this field since the early days of youth work training. Leicester recognises that if the Church is to grow younger, the quality of youth workers who will be at the forefront of that growth, is key.”
Mike Kelly, Diocesan Youth Officer in Leicester, who himself trained with CYM, said: “Youth ministry has changed dramatically in the last 10 years and we need well trained and passionate people to disciple young people in a challenging environment. CYM gave me a real grounding in my own ministry and I’m really excited that CYM is moving to the Diocese of Leicester where we are committed to serving and reaching young people with renewed energy.”
The move will also see the possibility of a new partnership with the Diocese of Leicester’s new monastic community, The Community of the Tree of Life.
Prior of the Community, Rachel Bennetts, said: “This will give single students studying with CYM the opportunity to live as part of a residential new monastic community and house of prayer. We are excited to be working with CYM as we develop the offer of this unique formational training experience.”
Open Days are planned throughout the year in Leicester at the new centre which will be based in the Diocese of Leicester’s St Martins House at the edge of Cathedral Gardens. See the CYM website https://cym.ac.uk for details.
