What’s an Apprenticeship?
- Developing character as a leader and learning new skills.
- Being given the space and flexibility to work in a role which suits you and fits in with your strengths.
- Being mentored and discipled by more experienced leaders and by learning together with others through community life.
- Engaging in real mission-oriented work with children, young people and communities.
Why do an Apprenticeship?
If you feel called to some form of church leadership or mission.
A Lab Apprenticeship will give you the opportunity to work out your calling whilst learning skills, theology and training in community with other young adults.
If you are thinking about doing or training for youth or community work somewhere else.
An apprenticeship will give you the chance to experience the practice of youth and community work, to get useful nationally accredited training, and to be a part of an innovative and pioneering project.
If you want to explore what it means to lead a missional lifestyle.
An apprenticeship will help you to learn the spiritual disciplines of living in community and leading a life which is focused on partnering with God in mission.
What kind of Apprenticeship is for you?
Our apprenticeship program is highly flexible, and each placement will be worked to fit your strengths and gifts. Throughout the course of the apprenticeship, accommodation will be provided in one of the Lab community houses.
There are three different apprenticeship streams with us which are available:
Community Youth & Schools Work
Join us for a year to gain experience in youth work and school work for a year. Your responsibilities will include chaplaincy/relational youth work in the local secondary school, primary and secondary school assemblies and RE lessons, as well as other projects. We will encourage and fund you to take appropriate training, which will help you to hone your skills and test your sense of calling for youth or children’s work, mission or church leadership.
CYM Student Youth Worker
Join us for three years to gain experience of leading and managing a variety of different youth work, as well as pioneering and innovating new projects. During the three years, you will study for a degree in Youth & Community Work and Practical Theology with the Centre for Youth Ministry based in Bristol.
Part-time Apprenticeship
The is the most flexible of our apprenticeships for those who are interested in exploring community living and mission, but would also like to work at the same time. We’ll work out with you what bits of work you could be involved in, and figure out a schedule that fits. We’ll figure out a rent package based on what you can afford to pay.
What next?
If you’re interested in joining us for an Apprenticeship, we’d love for you pay us a visit as a way of getting to know us. If you have any questions or queries, please feel free to contact us. If you are ready to apply to join us, you can begin by filling out our application form.