How You Can Make A Difference

Together we really could make 2009 the year of the child! As the 30th anniversary year of the original UN Year of the Child and the 20th anniversaries of both the Charter of Children’s Rights and the Children Act, it is an ideal opportunity for the Church to adopt 2009 as a celebration of children and childhood. The Will YOU make A difference? campaign is a collaborative venture across denominations and organisations supported by Children Matter! and the Consultative Group for Ministry among Children. The hope is that thousands of churches will take the opportunity to review, challenge and celebrate their work with children, making children a higher priority and beginning or growing this foundational ministry.

A quick overview
The DVD contains a collection of audio-visual resources, including videos and self-running PowerPoint presentations, that aim to inspire and get churches thinking. There are a number of resources accessible via a PC or Mac allowing users to produce individual copies as needed. In addition, a number of additional folders are included to be used by anyone, but available specifically for those in particular denominations.

Ideally, integrate the DVD into your other plans. Encourage your church to set aside time during the year to…
…review prayerfully existing work with children and young people,
…celebrate their contribution in the life of the church and of wider society,
…challenge the church to fresh vision and expression, inspired by the spirit of the child.

Who is it for?
The DVD is for church leaders, children and youth leaders, volunteers, parents – right through to potentially every church member. It can be used any time, but make the most of the opportunity that 2009 offers and plan ahead to see how it can be used as a means to inspire in your church.

Some ideas of how you might use it

For denominations and organisations:
¤ Utilise a mail-out to include a focus on Will YOU make A difference?, offering suitable strategies (as suggested below) to fit local churches,
¤ Collate stories on what people have found helpful, been challenged by and are beginning to plan and work towards (encourage use of the message boards at www.wymad.org.uk),
¤ Pass on ideas for follow-up later in the year that encourage long-term ministry,
¤ Prepare a special Sunday service, encouraging whole churches to celebrate and participate. Aim for a Sunday in September where possible as a launch to the school year.

For local churches:
¤ Plan a special church meeting where you can gather the whole church to view and discuss the DVD,
¤ Plan a series of training sessions with your children and youth teams to look at different sections each time, with time to review and discuss future plans,
¤ Gather key children’s leaders across your community to explore a more connected way of reaching the children outside your churches,
¤ Give it to your church leader and arrange a time to have a follow-up meeting after they have had a chance to view it,
¤ Ask your church council, PCC or governing body to set aside a whole meeting, using the DVD as a launch to their review and vision building.
¤ Prepare a special Sunday service, encouraging the whole church to celebrate and pray. Aim for a Sunday in September to begin the school year and where possible to commission your teams.

See the file Overview of the DVD contents for a list of the materials with timings and suitability of use.

Planning a session
Not sure where to begin? Uncertain about how best to make use of the various resources? Here are a few pointers to get you started…

When you only have 5 minutes:
¤ Aim Lower gives an ideal introduction to why children need greater consideration.

When you can stretch it to 20 minutes:
¤ The Vitally Important video helps set the scene for the  Will YOU make A difference? idea.
¤ Aim Lower gives an ideal introduction to why children need greater consideration.
¤ Next Generation often provokes a thoughtful response.
¤ Pray together to seek what God would have you do.

When you have a whole hour:
¤ The Vitally Important video helps set the scene for the Will YOU make A difference? idea.
¤ Aim Lower gives an ideal introduction to why children need greater consideration.
¤ Present Why Make a Difference to provide a clearer understanding of the context.
¤ Next Generation often challenges assumptions and provokes a thoughtful response.
¤ Pray together to seek what God would have you do.

Planning the year
Suggestions for making the most of 2009 as an anniversary year…

Winter: Pray and plan. Put special Will YOU make A difference? dates in the diary.
If you already have children in your church, consider using the My Say evaluation.

Spring: Take time to engage the church with resources from Will YOU make A difference?
Collate and present the My Say responses. Begin using The Journey with your team.

Summer: Take a group through the How to Make a Difference presentation and examine your church development plan. Go have a cup of coffee with some other churches. Continue with The Journey. Try something new for the children in your community.

Autumn: Prepare a special Sunday service, encouraging the whole church to celebrate and pray. Aim for a Sunday in September and commission your teams. Confirm vision and plans with the church and continue the journey into 2010…

Website contents
Check out www.wymad.org.uk for updates from the end of 2008 and through 2009. You can gain access to resources, share stories of what on the DVD has worked well, add suggestions for how others might be able to make good use of it, plus a host of useful links…