This is a fantastic opportunity to join the Scripture Union New South Wales team who are looking for enthusiastic people from the UK to work alongside their Sydney schools team as they develop this ministry. You would be based in the Scripture Union office which is in north Sydney.
Scripture Union is developing a network of volunteers who are running lunchtime Christian groups in primary schools where they are called SUPA clubs and secondary schools in the form of ISCF groups. Each group is led by a team of volunteer leaders. Each week you will be helping with at least one of these clubs which will be a great opportunity for you to build relationships with local children or young people as well as volunteers. There is flexibility as to whether you work with primary or secondary groups.
You will also be supporting the volunteer leaders and the students that attend by being involved in the city wide work the schools ministry team does. This includes running School SUrges which are regional gatherings of all of the students who are currently attending a lunchtime group to have fun together and also to encourage one another. There are also HSC Lockdowns in October which are for students studying for the HSC (equivalent of A Levels), these are week long non-residential camps which allow young people time to do studying as well as time to relax. For both of these you will be involved in the planning, preparation and delivery of these programmes.
There will also be an opportunity to travel across the state to visit Scripture Union's regional schools workers.
Vanuatu
A definite highlight of the schools work you will be involved with will be your trip to Vanuatu which is a beautiful island in the South Pacific. Scripture Union New South Wales supports the work of Scripture Union Vanuatu, which has included helping them to build a holiday site. In November at the end of the school year there is an Australian tradition of Schoolies week, where the 18 year old school leavers go away on trips. Scripture Union arranges for some of the students that have been attending their ISCF groups to go to Vanuatu for a week of mission in their local schools and churches. It is the responsibility of the Schools Ministry team, of which will be a part, to organise and lead this week of activities.
Family Mission
Alongside schools work Scripture Union New South Wales' other main stream of ministry is their mission programme, which in 2008 consisted of over 50 mission events. These happen after Christmas and January which is of course the Australian summer. You will be able to join one of these mission teams, getting to know other team members during the months before as they meet to plan and then actually being part of the activities during the mission. The majority of the missions are based around New South Wales' beautiful coastline.
Time to explore
As well as doing all this there will be a week in October and 2 weeks in January for you to travel around the state or further afield in Australia to see even more of what the country has to offer.
Duration and Arrangements
The preference would be for you to start in the middle of September as this allows you to be there at the start of their school term and be involved in the preparation of events that will be happening in October. (The school year in Australia runs from February till December, with the summer holidays starting at Christmas and including all of January). The placement would preferably finish in April at the end of the school term. This allows you to be in Sydney for 2 school terms and the summer holidays which will enable you to build solid relationships and gain a variety of experience.
Scripture Union will organise for you to live with a family, hopefully with young people of a similar age to you in the household. The family will also attend a church that has an active young adults ministry.
Minimum Age: 18
Cost: approx. £3,200
Start: September
Duration: 7 months (mid September till April)