PC(USA) Young Adult
Volunteers - Northern Ireland Program
This is the tenth year for the PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer
Program in Northern Ireland. PC(USA) mission co-worker, the Rev.
Doug Baker is the program coordinator. Forty-nine volunteers have
served previously with sixteen different congregations or projects.
Some of the projects where young adults have been placed recently
are listed below.
The Bridge
Located in a low-income inner city Protestant / Loyalist district
of East Belfast, the Bridge Community Trust (BCT) was established
to be a link between "church" and community. BCT seeks
to be a presence and support in the area, through a community
café and involvement in after-schools and youth work provision.
The volunteer helps develop the café / drop-in center,
works with children in a homework club, and with youth at a local
community center.
Cooke Presbyterian Church
Volunteers here work with children and youth from the congregation
and the surrounding community. The volunteer also shares some
responsibility in preaching, worship leadership, and pastoral
visiting.
The LINK Family and Community Centre
Situated ten miles east of Belfast in Newtownards, the LINK was
set up to connect the church and the local community. This inter-denominational
project offers a drop-in center, group work sessions, and some
training opportunities to young people coming largely from low-income
areas of the town. There is a deliberate effort to engage young
people and local volunteers in peace-building and reconciliation
projects as and when possible.
Stormont Presbyterian Church
Located in East Belfast near Northern Ireland’s center
of government, the Stormont Presbyterian Church helps to develop
the youth ministry through Sunday morning gatherings, youth fellowships,
and "The Zone," a youth club. The volunteer also shares
in some worship leadership and special programmes.
Lisburn YMCA
Youth and community work under the supervision of the YMCA through
a downtown center in Lisburn (10 miles from Belfast) and youth
work two days each week with Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church
and other churches in Lambeg wishing to improve outreach to youth
and young adults in the area and cross-community programmes. The
time at the YMCA includes supervision of a drop-in center, tutoring
with youth who have been excluded from school, and various group-work
sessions.
Fitzroy Presbyterian Church
This church is in a mixed area of South Belfast. Along with occasional
worship leadership and pastoral visiting, the volunteer here is
primarily involved in youth work with children from the congregation
and surrounding community. The latter includes some tutoring and
numeracy, literacy, and basic computer training at Mornington
Community Project in a Catholic/Nationalist inner-city district
of South Belfast.
Eglinton Presbyterian Church
Located in North Belfast on the edge of a ‘Loyalist’
housing estate, the volunteer at Eglinton supports existing youth
organizations and leaders within the congregation in seeking to
serve the local community through relational outreach. There are
also opportunities to share in worship leadership and preaching.
ECONI: Evangelical Contribution On Northern Ireland
When a volunteer is placed with ECONI, he or she does administration
for and support of ECONI's training programme, which equips people
for biblical approaches to peace-building and addresses current
political issues from a Christian perspective.
174 Trust
The 174 Trust is an inter-denominational group operating a community
project and youth center in a low-income Nationalist area of North
Belfast. The volunteer works with youth and after-school clubs,
assisting with administration and magazine production, and a PHAB
Club for physically handicapped and able-bodied. Two days each
week are spent on youth ministry and outreach with Rosemary Presbyterian
Church.
Fortwilliam Presbyterian Church
Located in part of North Belfast where there is a declining Protestant
population, this congregation is actively seeking ways to serve
all sections of the local community. The volunteer seeks to develop
youth work within the congregation and is a key link with such
local groups as Home-Start (supporting young families) and the
Kansas Avenue Community Project’s youth club.
The Vine Community and Advice Centre
Located in a low-income interface area of North Belfast, the
Vine provides a comprehensive range of community services to all
age groups. The volunteer works with after-schools tutoring /
study projects, youth clubs, women’s group and senior citizen
clubs.
Three ways to get information on opportunities through the Young
Adult Volunteer Program in the United States and worldwide:
- Call (888) 728-7228 x5296.
- Go to http://www.pcusa.org/msr/youngadult.htm.
- Write Mission Service Recruitment, 100 Witherspoon Street,
Louisville, KY 40202.
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