Came across this fascinating blog by a priest in Kent I follow on GoogleReader. I usually disagree with him, and this time is no different!

St Barnabas Blog:

While on the one hand, I agree that there is a lot of unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy in the Church of England, there have also been a lot of mistakes, unprofessional attitudes and working practices at play in recent years which have gained us a reputation of not being entirely upfront or transparent in the way we do things.

I know only too well that damage that can be caused in working relationships when clear expectations of a line manager are not laid out - from my own experience and through that of youthworkers I have come to know in this role.

This is why we (The Diocesan Youth Team) are offering Employment Management and Supervisor training in March in partnership with Amaze (contact me for more details).

Equally, while I don't like endless forms any more than Father Ed does, we do need to recognise that accounting for what we do, both financially and in terms of our learning and development will only do us good. Much of the money available to youthworkers for example in the form of grants requires a report on what has been done with the money. CME money is the same. There will be people out there who will use it inappropriately - and unfortunately, that's probably why these systems are in place. Why shouldn't the CME department ask what we got out of personal development or training opportunities that they paid for on our behalf?

Father Ed - my advice? come to the training we're hosting in March about Line Management, Employment and Good Practice  and if you're not prepared to fill in the paperwork, don't ask for the money...

Comments

[Paul]

Yes, I am broadly with you, Alice. I am still mulling over resistance at our recent Team meeting to BOTH adopting models from Biblical figures for our ministry AND talking about resource posts as consultancy and therefore a business model...
Makes one wonder what models are left, other than making it up as you go along and being accountable to no one?!?....

[Alice Smith]

You are right Paul - I hadnt actually yet connected that meeting in with this topic...I dont necessarily agree with the model of Youth Advising Consultancy but I can see that as needs develop and we continue to cut posts, it is more and more likely and will be less and less relationship focused. However, can Paul, in his itinerant ministry have known everyone he supported, resourced and ministered to?? Increasingly not I would guess and maybe thats a model we need to acknowledge?
Thanks for your comment!

[Paul]

Festival day, today, for SS. Timothy & Titus, Companions to St Paul. VERY interesting exemplars of missionaries for our times!...

[Alice Smith]

Paul - I did a youth group session on Sunday night about Paul and Timothy and the encouragements to persevere despite hardship and to press on. Very pertinent and a lesson for me...thanks for the reminder today!