Youth intern

Placement Description 

St. James is a thriving, town-centre church in the heart of Taunton, the county town of Somerset. We are a community shaped by a tradition of every-member ministry, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to prayer and service. With a well-maintained historic building, excellent on-site facilities, and sound finances, we are well-equipped to support meaningful ministry and growth.

In recent years, helped by the presence of a dedicated and passionate curate and the support of our vicar, we have made a deliberate and exciting shift to place children and families at the heart of all we do. To ensure the good work continued after his departure in 2024, we appointed a part-time Children and Families Worker, who focuses on engaging 0-11 year-olds on Sundays and supporting our regular All-Age Services. As a result, we have seen remarkable growth, with 20-30 children regularly attending Sunday worship.  

Job description: 

Now, a key priority is our growing 11+ age group. This vibrant and developing ministry needs dedicated support, and discipleship. A highly experienced couple has already begun to lay the foundations, mostly recently doing a Youth Alpha course with the group, and we are eager to see this work expand through the arrival of our first ever SWYM intern. 

We are eager to invest in your life and development, to both stretch and support you, and are excited to partner with you in the spiritual growth of our church family.  You would work under a line manager, alongside our children’s church pastor and with our team of volunteers to develop our youth group (School Year 7 and above). This group of between 8 and 14 young people currently meet every other Sunday morning with additional regular Friday night social trips/ events. 

As our intern, you would be guided and supported by experienced mentors who will help you to plan and reflect effectively.  Training would also, of course, be delivered by SWYM ie. the SWYM conferences at Lee Abbey 6 times a year as well as your weekly cluster group. We believe this to be a powerful source of your growth and will be invaluable in nurturing the

Youth ministry we build together during your time with us.

One of the beauties of this placement is the opportunity to build a fresh ministry on a strong foundation. We are excited to craft a weekly timetable based around your unique skills, interests and giftings, and we can promise to surround you with individuals who believe in you, believe in our young people and have their best interests at heart.

We expect a minimum commitment of 12 hours per week dedicated to supporting and expanding our current youth provision, growing it into a weekly Sunday group as well as a regular social/outreach group. New this year, we are developing a monthly ‘Serve Sunday’ service where our young people are playing in the worship band, helping with refreshments, getting involved with Welcome or supporting in Children’s church so this is also an area we are seeking to grow and develop over the next few years.   

The remaining 12 hours per week offer the flexibility to explore other areas of ministry that align with your skills and passions. You’ll have the opportunity to shape your role and contribute in meaningful ways, such as:

• Running an interest-based club that reflects your passions—whether in sports, music, nature, dance, or another area.
• Organizing a summer camp and community events during school holidays.
• Developing stronger links with our local Secondary schools and connecting with Chaplaincy
• Building connections with other youth events and opportunities in Taunton

This role is designed to be both structured and dynamic, allowing you to invest in youth ministry while also growing in your own strengths and calling.

Essential Criteria:

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about God, loves young people, thrives in a team environment, and is eager to learn and grow. Some experience working with young people is essential—not because you need to be an expert, but so you can be sure this is something you’re excited to commit to for up to three years. 

Preferred Criteria:

We would love to welcome a positive, enthusiastic, creative, reliable and proactive individual with great communication skills. We are all works in progress and we hope that our intern will be someone who has a humble heart alongside a growing awareness of the unique and beautiful gifts their God has given them.

Accommodation Details:

Specific details will be worked out once we know the person joining us, but suitable accommodation within walking distance of the church will be provided, and your food will be covered. 

Weekly overview

We offer a structured and dynamic environment, designed to help you thrive in your gifting and passions. While your role will be shaped around your strengths, your week will include:

• 12 hours dedicated to youth within the church (and their friends), including Sunday morning youth groups and Friday night social/outreach/discipleship events.
• 12 hours to develop in areas that spark your interests and passions, based on the opportunities outlined above.
• Regular mentorship and support, including one-on-one meetings with your mentor, occasional check-ins with your line manager and the children’s worker, and opportunities to connect with the wider church family.
• Cluster meetings as part of your training and development.
• Time off to rest and recharge—Taunton offers plenty of opportunities to meet friends, explore cafés, go shopping, enjoy leisure and sports facilities, or attend gigs. With excellent transport links, it’s also easy to explore beyond the town.

This structure offers a balanced and enriching experience, enabling you to invest deeply in ministry while also growing personally and spiritually. If you’re excited about this opportunity, we’d love to walk this journey with you!

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about God, loves young people, thrives in a
team environment, and is eager to learn and grow. Some experience working with youth is preferred—not because you need to be an expert, but so you can be sure this is
something you’re excited to commit to for up to three years.

We would love to welcome a positive, enthusiastic, creative, reliable and proactive individual
with great communication skills. We are all works in progress and we hope that our intern
will be someone who has a humble heart alongside a growing awareness of the unique and
beautiful gifts their God has given them.

Specific details will be worked out once we know the person joining us, but suitable
accommodation within walking distance of the church will be provided, and your food will
be covered.

We offer a structured and dynamic environment, designed to help you thrive in your gifting
and passions. While your role will be shaped around your strengths, your week will include:
 12 hours dedicated to youth within the church (and their friends), including Sunday
morning youth groups and Friday night social/outreach/discipleship events.
 12 hours to develop in areas that spark your interests and passions, based on the
opportunities outlined above.
 Regular mentorship and support, including one-on-one meetings with your mentor,
occasional check-ins with your line manager and the children’s worker, and
opportunities to connect with the wider church family.
 Cluster meetings as part of your training and development.
 Time off to rest and recharge—Taunton offers plenty of opportunities to meet
friends, explore cafés, go shopping, enjoy leisure and sports facilities, or attend gigs.
With excellent transport links, it’s also easy to explore beyond the town.
This structure offers a balanced and enriching experience, enabling you to invest deeply in
ministry while also growing personally and spiritually. If you’re excited about this
opportunity, we’d love to walk this journey with you!