Workshop Description
As a parent when I am bringing my family or members of my family to be part of a group or activity I expect it to be safe. I will do everything I can to ensure it is safe. As a Youth Worker and volunteer in my community I want myself and all those involved to be safe and confident in our roles and responsibilities, and it is our moral and legal imperative to ensure this is the case. In this workshop James will be giving you a short taster of the basics of creating health and safety structures and culture in our youth ministry and parish communities.
Speaker Bio
For the past four years James has been the Manager for the Catholic Youth Team for the Diocese of Christchurch (CYT). He holds a graduate certificate in Youth Ministry from BBI in Australia. James is married to Melissa and they have three awesome teenage boys who live with them in Christchurch and a lovely daughter who is on mission with NET ministries in Sydney. Originally from Queensland, James grew up with a passion for nature and completed a Bachelor of Environmental Science and worked and studied in retail management in Brisbane, Qld. James felt called to dedicate his life to ministry with young people after experiencing a life changing faith conversion through a local youth and young adult ministry. James has now served the church in Youth Ministry for over 21 years, in both Parish and Diocesan organisations and is committed to assisting Catholic parishes to create effective and sustainable ministries with young people in their local communities so that young people have the opportunity for the life changing encounter with Jesus and the church that he experienced as a young man.