Tag: Clergy Management

Stories of Youth Worker Burnout #ycwchat (*doesn’t just apply to youth workers)

On By JamesIn Context, Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork, Youthwork management, Youthwork MethodsLeave a comment

 

On Monday 1st March , the theme of the twitter chat (#ycwchat) was ‘Burnout’ .

It was by one of the most contributed to chats, and it was suggested that I write up the responses to the questions that were given. I have tried to include every response, as it was said in the chat and I’ve included all the contributors at the end of this piece.

Many will sadly relate. Many will relate in many forms of ministry. Many are not in roles because of it.

 

Responses to this included:

  • I think I now see it as when I am unable to function at a healthy level. When I notice lots of unhealthy tendencies creeping in I know I’m close to burn out. The enneagram has been helpful in understanding when that is better.

  • Burnout is a state of overwhelm that leaves me unable to function other than to do the absolute minimum. It is usually a result of overwork, or an inability to distinguish where work should stop and rest should begin, over an extended period of time

  • Unhealthy levels of work, stress and bad habits. Busy doing stuff without achieving anything. Not going tadks full attention

 

  • Yes, i only recognised it after the event, it was a state of constant adrenaline, caffeine dependency and brain fog. Felt constantly under pressure.

    • (which was replied with) : I think often we don’t see it (esp 1st time around) until afterwards… So hard to spot it for ourselves until we know what it feels like – 

  • Yes. So many signs. But I remember coming home from a totally positive, normal pastoral chat with a young person and just sitting on my hall floor and crying for two hours. Then found that was happening most days.

  • Yes, 1st time 8 years ago when I was doing too much (understatement, really!). I had a distinct moment of ‘Oh shit, I am not OK’ in my local shopping centre, I felt utterly overwhelmed & unable to think straight. My brain was catastrophising & in full on panic mode

  • I didn’t realise it at first. I understood ‘burn out’ as not able to do anything at all, took me a while to realise you can have a slow burn out. Really wish I’d understood what to look out for, I’m really keen to read about it.

  • Never officially told it was burnout, but in retrospect makes situational sense. constant anxiety, insomnia, chest pains (A&E multiple times), brain fog, panic attacks etc.

 

  • Too many expectations on youthworkers, and not a culture of being able to say ‘No’ and create boundaries, also very little awareness on emotional health, eg codependency.. these are also things that I might add

  • Not having strong relationships with other organisations to support your work with young people. Being able to discuss, share and meaningfully connect young people to a network of resources and opportunities gives you as a worker a sense of community and connection too

  • Overwork, poor supervision and for me constantly justifying my role as I was on a 1 year contract    (think that’s another thing about the setting up of a role, needs to have some security as well as good supervision and decent salary etc… )

  • Lack of ability to solve systemic problems that you are seeing or affect structural change. Lack of control over working conditions. (and, poor management and supervision). And related: trying to be young people’s functional savior.

  • It’s going to be diff for diff people bc what’s overwhelming for some isn’t for others. In my case it was an inability to say no along with the approach of ‘if you want something done, ask a busy person’. I had also had a run of life changing events medically, Which I hadn’t given time to process properly & consider their impact before plunging back into ‘normal’.

  • Mine was not having clinical supervision. had supervision, but it was no at the level needed for working with YP with multiple needs and Mental Health stuff going on

  • Workaholic ministry culture. Often I’ve seen this modelled by clergy, and expected of them by their workers, without understanding that workers lack the autonomy and positional power of the clergy person, so gets more toxic as a lifestyle as it’s passed down….

    • We are FAR too quick to idolise ‘being busy’, but I’ve also seen books written, by men, on how 2b not busy. One I started but had to put it down as it was SO obvious that his ‘not being busy’ was supported by others around him (likely a woman/wife) doing all the things he wasn’t
    • poor management and supervision practice and relationships also play into this. And, frankly, gender/race/age dynamics can too
    • I’ve sat and chatted with curates who are struggling desperately with the exact same dynamic, desperately waiting until they’re free and get to BE the incumbent. I’ve tried to help them see that for youthworkers, they never have the hope of that way out.
    • So exploring power dynamics and agency on both counts is critical. There is a lot of ‘unboundaried’ practices and conversations.
    • Yes. And by the times curates get around to be the incumbents, they have quite possibly internalised unhealthy ways of functioning – if not for themselves, in what they expect from others.

 

  • Having very rigid structures that don’t allow for things to change when they need to change
    • Oh goodness me YES! Managing change is another thing, like conflict management, that should be part of a manager or supervisor’s toolkit but too often it isn’t there..

  • Poor Management and Supervision

  • *so* many insightful answers to A3 (thanks all). For me, it is often a mix of ‘white knight’ complexes, poor resources, lack of positive role models and a complete inability to say ‘no’.

  • Lack of care and dignity in the support offered to workers through difficult or intense situations

  • An inability to say no! Taking on too much responsibility. Thinking that everything depends on you. Trying to be the saviour and not the midwife

  • YES all of this for me too… There’s definitely all the stuff about poor supervision & management but there’s also this feeling of all the responsibility, it’s unhealthy but I think I might have been quite difficult to manage/supervise!!…..I was a dream for most line management in that I could not say ‘no I don’t think that fits with my role’ but if anyone had tried 2 say ‘you’re very busy, are you sure you want to add this?’ I would prob have ignored it. Now learned 2 ask that qu of myself & loved ones

    • Supervisors have responsibility and cannot opt out. What we did 1,5,10,20 year’s ago is different. Experience can teach wisdom.

 

  • Developing sustainable rhythms. This has been a gamechanger (til COVID ruined it). Scheduling rest and downtime regularly for before we really feel the need for it. Resisting the busyness culture that sometimes feels like it judges a refusal to negotiate about rest

  • Setting up proactive relationships with people able to speak into the doing/resting dynamic, and who have permission to (gently) rebuke me if I am taking too much on.

  • YES and YES… I really struggle to hold the work/rest boundaries but I know that if I don’t I crash quickly (bc of a combo of previous burnout & medical issues that have reduced my capacity). I love my work so stopping it is hard

  • After burning out for the first time i reflected (eventually, when I finally admitted I’d burnt out) on why it had happened and what had triggered it. Also (not wanting to mention it again) deepening my understanding of self through the enneagram

  • Running and being ruthlessly attuned to early warning signals in my body. Proactively setting boundaries (boundaries are kind!) and trying to work on not fixing situations out of an overblown sense of responsibility.

  • I’ve recognised it’s not all on me to be resilient & so have become much more discerning about who I work for, ensuring they have robust trauma informed systems of care in place & a culture that promotes wellbeing. A luxury many don’t have I know.

 

  • I took a full break from everything for a short time, then went back to work but carried on a break from volunteer youth role, eventually a yr later left the church where I had been volunteering……longer term I have the phrase ‘you are not indispensible’ written in as many places as I can think of, & although I’ve not completely avoided it again (in another volunteer position!), I am able to spot the signs and am more able to step away

  • Counselling, mentoring, left the role after it became clear that the external factors couldn’t change to a workable level, got a different and WAY more healthy job (actually worked only 4days a week for a year or so after, with really good line management and support)

  • I think I was saved by virtue of being forced to take 3 months paternity leave half a year in. It was enough of an emergency brake for my brain to kick back into gear. Then longer term: actively seeking out people who ask awkward questions, also more broadly, I found reading around the area of Family Systems Theory helped me understand how I was functioning within an organisation.

  • I am struck by how many variations of ‘kind of forced to stop for a while’ there are in the answers (would be mine too). Putting everything down and then carefully choosing what to pick up again can be real wisdom.

  • spoke to people, became more honest with myself, created a little more space, started spiritual direction (one of the best ministry decisions I’ve ever made)

  • being kinder to self. Realising my limitations. Connecting.

  • Offering spaces for soul and physical card like retreats.

  • I learned that while I can DO ANYTHING, I can’t do ALL THE THINGS ALL THE TIME, or even some of the time… I learned that I am not, nor at any point should I be, indispensible. And I learned to say NO, some of the time at least..

  • Share the load, both work load and talk about the burdens.

  • All those non-sexy things that people say you should learn (conflict management, time management, self-reflection)…you should probably make time to learn!

  • One final thing, and I am very cautious about saying this as I know some people are in really horrible work conditions and I don’t want to minimise that, but…a lot of the time when I am frustrated at conditions ‘out there’, it is a sign that something is not right within me.

  • yup – I think I have more empathy with others who are struggling and/or not showing themselves in their best light.

  • That I’m human! Also the need to take time out for self-care and soul-carespend more time reflecting.

  • Put a team together carefully and prayerfully. Realise my limitations

This summary comment appeared. It kind of sums it all up doesn’t it?

First time I’ve joined #ycwchat and really both saddened and encouraged by so many knowledgable responses on Youth Worker Burnout. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you to all who responded to this conversation, including Jenni Osborn, Sally Nash, Mike Rutt, Dean Pusey, Sarah Long, James Yates, David Bunce, Melanie, CrommWhitt, Jen Johnson, Andy Campbell, Nicky Hill.

We need to talk about Clergy/Youth worker line management (Part 4) – what to do when it goes wrong

On By JamesIn Context, Discipleship, Youthwork, Youthwork managementLeave a comment

It is easier to talk about the reasons why a line management relationship goes wrong – its more difficult to suggest ways to rectify it!

In parts 1-3 of this management series (links below) I identified a number of these factors. Most of them come down to expectations, and these are widely talked about . However, there are other reasons why the relationship may start to break down, it could be personality, it could be a change in management style – from laissez faire (damaging in itself) to more directive (ok, but the change can be challenging). There can be other complications. Without going over old ground, the breakdown in this relationship is one of the key reasons a youthworker leaves a post. (outside of funding)

So, If its established that there can be issues within your relationship with your line manager (and if you’re a clergy reading this, with your youth worker who you are managing) what can be done to rectify, and reconcile when things start to go wrong… I realise it depends what the situation is.. but these are some of the things that can be put in place to help create a structure that can help before the event of any issues: 

  1. For both Church and Youthworker to establish that a known 3rd person will be given the responsibility of stepping in if needed, but prior to that point they can be the essential professional supervision for the youth worker for them to receive external critical reflective supervision on their practice throughout. If a youthworker tends not to request, ask or suggest this, then they’re turning down opportunities for further learning and reflection, yes as a church you may/will need to pay this, but it will pay off in the long run. This person may not need then be imported in for a crisis, but has been hopefully part of the ongoing conversation and may have been able to suggest, critique, questions and guide the worker through any issues in the ongoing. external supervision is critical!   (If I can be of help to supervise a worker, click the link above and it might be arranged )
  2. Spend time negotiating aspects of the structure of your line management relationship, including venue, frequency, agenda, management style ( directive/coaching/support) , and expectations. All in the first few weeks. In addition decide how feedback will be given, and what the process will be in receiving both positive and challenging criticism (there will be some) and how this will be handled.  Clergy, it is your responsibility to prioritise line managing your youthworker, the more they keep nagging you to meet them, the less committed it feels to them that you are about them, their ministry in your church. Forgive the directness. It needs to be said.
  3.  Have a discussion about time, and what time off, time in lieu, annual leave, working days will all look like, and what ‘time off’ activities are ok. Nothing worse that great youthwork on a sunday evening being overshadowed because the congregation have expectations that the youthworker shouldnt be visiting local pubs, or that their day off it is ok to help at the church fete. This is important.
  4. Can the two of you spend any social time together, that isnt church, or to do with work/ministry- it might be helpful… just a thought?

So, get some of this sorted – what to do when things start to go wrong? 

At the risk of sounding like an amateur relationship counsellor, and I am really not. I am also aware that I have not done these things, when i should have, or done them when i shouldnt. It is worth recognising, if the situation is appropriate to do so, that conflict can be a good thing if it is handled properly. Sometimes conflict can be the ‘storm’ before a new negotiated relationship which can flourish, and I know this is especially thought of in Tuckmans Group stages, sometimes it could be applicable to a one to one relationship, it is widely appropriated in mentoring relationships, so a line management one might not be too different, albeit some of the dynamics might be very different. Just worth trying to find resources and theories from elsewhere or group/mentor processes & changes.

  1. Arrange to talk directly with the person. Where this is possible. Yes each party might have a trusted 3rd person, so the practice supervisor, partner, area minister type person. But subsequent to this, each of you has to take responsibility for the care, nuture and attention to the relationship. What i would suggest is after talking through with someone, then write down on paper your personal reflections of the situation, including what you have felt, and how you would like it to be different. Pray through your reflections, give them a day or so to untangle a bit, and then arrange to meet up and talk about the relationship with the person. This is not going to be easy.  The few days space might help. writing things down will also. Through this kind of conversation, which might be on both sides, then renegotiate the relationship, expectations, guidelines, style of management, and revisit the ‘trigger’ points every few weeks.
  2. Avoid bottling things up, so that the list is very long. Keep short accounts, meet often.
  3. Dont gossip. So dont moan to the rest of the church. Gossip is speaking about the issue to anyone who you have duty of care over, or who is in a lower hierarchical structure to you in the church. With the exception of your spouse/partner.  Dont even gossip like this: Image result for gossip
  4. Avoid demonising the other person, its no excuse for bad practice, or pastoral, personality inadequacies, but its very likely that your line manager hasnt been trained to know what to do. However, if they as a clergy are unable to give you what might be pastoral, educative or spiritual direction (almost the absolute minimum or ‘default’ for a Minister, surely..?) , because of personal rudeness – then this is a more significant issue.  They might not know ‘how to manage you’ . Regardless, demonising them really doesnt help. They are a fallen child of God like you, and you could be two people collaborating on the ongoing task of Gods redemption.
  5. Call in the third party, someone who has been around all throughout, or someone new and independent. That third party might also be able to ask questions, and help solve some of the issues. Though personality clashes, serious breakdowns might be harder to fix.
  6. Dont Compare. There is no such thing as a perfect line manager/clergy relationship. Someone else down the road might be in a bigger church with great resources, but that doesnt mean that their management relationship is anything to write home about.
  7. Try and get a bit of perspective, this is on both sides. There are some issues that require a huge reaction- these are when on either side our personal/vocational dreams and goals havent been met or we’ve been let down. But even then, there is perspective, and will the reaction we give to something cause more damage than what the original issue caused?  Sometimes yes. Sometimes we are right to fly off the handle. We feel injustice, pain or annoyance by being unfairly treated, maligned or how young people are. Image result for fumingThis happens often, very often and its painful. There are ways to pay it forward, to show wisdom, and realise that other people have been socialised in churches to act and speak in such a way, and have got away with it.. no excuses, but often other people wont realise it. none of us are perfect. no not even the youthworker.
  8. You might need to make an official complaint to their boss. So the moderator, Bishop or someone equivalent. Bad luck if you’re in a church where all the power resides with the minister and theres no higher structure that has any influence. It is ok to complain. This is better than gossip, moaning or demonising. Complaining gives it to someone else to act, and shows that you are serious about wanting things to work out with the person. It is a cry for help, and one that shows some maturity. But most of us have no idea who to complain to….

There are no easy suggestions here, because the line management relationship can be frought at times. Both people have expectations, dreams, personalities, might like to manage/be managed in a certain way, have skills, gifts, vision that might all be different to each other, or not find resonance in the space of the church. It is tempting to just forget the line management relationship, given that our relationships with parents, young people and school teachers might be deemed more important. But none of those relationships will be the cause of you leaving a post (unless there is inappropriate behaviour) the relationship with your line manager is likely to cause you to lose more sleep over. For some reason and maybe because of its structural and spiritual importance in the life of the church, it causes more difficulty.

None of any of this is intended to sound as If i have done all this correctly, in similar situations, i really havent. I have been able to help others by being a supervisor to them and discovered that there are so many issues that can be the cause of issues in this relationship. If there isnt a solution, then one of the parties might have to leave. It happens. If the situation causes oppression, damage, pain and degrees of emotional, spiritual, psychological abuse & manipulation, then do seek counselling, do make a complaint and protect yourself, you are more important than your ministry. If this is you reading this, in such a painful situation, then seek help, you are not alone, find a youthworker on social media to talk to, if you dont know anyone, or even send me an email. But seek help, professional help and counselling also. Now for the majority, hopefully it isnt such a difficult situation, but for one or two of you it might be.

Please do share any other ways that the issues in line management relationships can be resolved, and what you have found to be helpful.

 

The Previous three articles in this series are here:

Part 1- Lets start this discussion

Part 2- What to negotiate

Part 3 – Managing expectations

Please do get in touch via the menus above, if I can be of help as a professional supervisor for you.

We need to talk about Clergy to Youthworker Line-Management (Part 1)

On By JamesIn Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork, Youthwork management, Youthwork Methods2 Comments
Does a Youthworker need to be Managed?

Reflect on that question just for a moment. As you do, think about why they need to be managed, what about them needs to be managed – and what is ‘management’ at all?  Because one of the most pressing issues, that just does not go away is that of managing youthworkers, and in particularly the role of the line manager as taken by a member of the clergy in a church setting. Simon Davies, writes the following:

One of the key factors to youth workers prematurely leaving church posts is the relationship between themselves and clergy. Clergy whom in the main are their line manager. (Davies in Jon Ord, 2012, Critical issues in Youthwork Management)

This issue does not seem to go away, and possibly does not seem to have a straightforward set of answers either. Yet it might be worth reflecting on further.

Solution 1, Increase training on Management for Clergy. 

This puts the responsibility of the issue with the lack of training on Management for Clergy. After all, from anecdotal evidence, many Clergy do not receive training in ‘how to be a manager’ during their ordination processes, education and formation. They may discover their leadership style, their personality traits and even a million and one other things, but often management, let alone community & youth work management is unlikely to be included. If it did something else would have to give in the formation process, and does every future clergy need to know about management – after all its only those who need to be line managing a staff member who needs it, isnt it, the rest of the processes, resources, structures, time, finances and vision neednt be ‘managed’ appropriately either need they?Image result for line manager

Even on this site, in the Menu above, theres opportunities to develop further knowledge or receive training on Management should this be a requirement. In a way any training is going to help. But this is only one of a few solutions. If you’re interested click the menu page and fill in the form, 1 or 2 days on this might be really helpful.  (heres a link to more info: http://wp.me/P2Az40-Cx)

Solution 2; Decrease Youth worker expectations! 

Your line manager is going to be a leader of a church… so – Professionally accredited, JNC qualified, Theologically and practically knowledgeable youth worker – reflect on what the expectations might be that the youth worker has in the management relationship.  In a way this does apply to the ‘newly or academically’ qualifieds amongst the Christian youth ministry fraternal, especially the ‘hoping for the ideal setting, ideal practice and perfect line management relationship’ type ones. Because, it could be a reality that experienced and voluntary youthworkers might have lower expectations ( they might also be paid less) of the relationship, or might be more tolerant if the relationship has occured as a natural progression in the persons home church setting. So, for the ‘professionally qualified’ youth minister – maybe they have to lower their expectations. However – how low should they lower their expectations of the line management relationship with a member of the clergy?  So low that they expect nothing and get something?  What it isnt going to be is perfect so this can be chucked out of the window. What it isnt going to be is particularly hands on – though on other occasions the vicar could be ‘too’ hands on. So, one issue might not be expectation, but an awareness that in different places within the church the vicar might have to act with different interests and this isnt always deliberate, or a personal thing, just that in the PCC meeting and in your line management meeting he/she might have to say and represent different things. I guess ‘because’ they’re the vicar and consistency might be an expectation, this can be a more difficult pill to swallow, than in a purely statutory hierarchy of youth work.

Solution 3: Create a negotiated line management relationship

I think something might just have to give on both sides of the discussion. Yes there might be some Clergy who are atrocious line managers and no amount of training is going to help them, theyre control freaks, inconsistent, aloof or display all the pastoral support of a juggernaut hurtling down an icy incline towards a wooden cabin. But at the same time there’s youthworkers who consider themselves to be as perfect as Mary Poppins, and have the expectations that being managed by a clergy might be like akin to being managed by a combination of Jurgen Klopp, Florence Nightingale and Charles Spurgeon. motivational, pastoral and theologically inspirational. (depending on your view of football team or evangelical theology) . No help might solve these extremes, but fortunately these extremes arent often in existence….

What a Qualified youthworker might bring to the relationship might be, especially if they have had good training on it, knowledge of management & leadership – given that any 1/2 decent academic course is preparing a youthworker to manage others and lead future projects, organisations or dare i say it government departments. So the youthworker might be a step ahead knowledge wise on management,, but is subordinate in the power dynamic of line-manager to youthworker relationship, and have less experience.

The opposite might also be the case. A Panicking clergy is flustering trying to manage an over qualified and knowledgeable youthworker and yet is expected to be able to and have legitimate power over them.

Obviously on one hand it depends, and this does depend, on either the strength of the youthworker to suggest it, or the empowering and adaptive style of the clergy – to create between them a negotiated Management relationship.

In my next post, I am going to put together a list of aspects of a line management relationship that should be negotiated from its inception, in this way it becomes something owned by both parties, agreed by both, and also can be created in a way that can be adapted over time, depending on where tension or pinch points or changes occur.

For now though, it has got to be said though that the Issues about line management havent really gone away. Whilst theres been a few books written to help churches and their employment of youthworkers. Very few aspects of Management make it into the psyche of theological texts or practical theology case studies and examples, its almost ignored, feared and belittled – when ‘leadership’ and ‘visionary’ might be preferred. So, the issue of management, it isnt sexy, it feels ‘secular’ and boring is sidelines, and so its a blind spot for clergy – but neednt be.  After all , no one really thinks that ‘Great Managers , Grow great churches into new waves of church growth’ do they – its about transformational leadership – but thats another story. 

Yet, recently I heard of a youth work colleague who was having to address management issues with a member of the clergy. I also heard of someone who had been a youthworker with limited formal training trying to find out about Management as ‘it felt as though they were winging it’. There are gaps in Management education & training, within christian organisations to churches and probably at senior level in affiliations.

On the flip side. What Clergy can offer in the role, potentially, is the pastoral, theological and even local knowledge, all of which is going to aid in the relationship, it might inspire and inform within the relationship. Theres a good case for viewing the relationship as a kind of discipleship, that at times might need direction, support and coaching – as well as inspiring through faith exploring, all of which i would make an assumption that clergy could be well versed in. I could imagine that a faith based youthworker might want a member of the clergy as their line manager to push them in their thinking theologically, provide tasks, reading or questions, it could be a fruitful part of a relationship – definitely an aspect that could be negotiated anyway. Davies also identified that an ‘unnourished’ soul is another reason for a youthworker leaving a ‘church’ post (Ord, as above, p153). Thats fascinating, surely Clergy might be ideally placed to offer spiritual challenges, for long term youth worker nourishment.

So, to coin a slightly well worn recent phrase, we need to have a ‘grown up’ conversation about Line Management. The mustard might probably be cut on both sides and whilst training and expectations might be issues, as no doubt power, consistency and conflicts of interest could also be – they way forward is negotiation. For that – see the next post.

Part 2 of this 4 part series is here- https://wp.me/p2Az40-SP  on developing the relationship and negotiation.

Clergy Shouldnt Line-Manage Youthworkers

On By JamesIn Theology, Youthwork management1 Comment

In the Film Heat (1995) two characters, played by Al Pacino and Robert de Niro, lead two organisations and are hell bent on the destruction of each other, one the FBI, the other an organised crime gang. They both see themselves as principle leaders in a City wide game of violence, picking off the pawns and the weak links, and all the while their marriages, relationships and children suffer. In a pivotal and tense scene, the two characters meet over a coffee. The scene is thick with tension. The two men converse, giving little away, but also they realise that they have one thing in common. Their profession has destroyed their home lives, it is the only thing in common, aside from they want to destroy each other, which does eventually happen, but not in this scene. There is no ‘love’ between the two, they are objects in a wider game and only for a split second do they recognise each others humanity, but they dont trust each other, cameras are located around the cafe, as are representatives of each organisation. We may want to believe that they share humanity in this conversation but it is only a facade.

It is at the extreme end of what Freire regards the difference between an I-It relationship one where persons regard each other as objects, and I-thou- where persons regard each other as persons, accept dialogue, conversation and work towards common flourishing.

The situation in Heat  might remind youthworkers reading this of bad experiences being managed by members of the Clergy, for some even the thought of having the shared coffee in a neutral space would have been a luxury or oddity. I wouldn’t suggest ever that Clergy and a youthworker would be hell-bent on destroying each other, but i wonder if the clergy-line manager relationship itself is as oddly fraught, tense, or oddly separate from the real action of the organisation to make it seem like a false role. I mean, how many clergy signed up to be line managers? or see it as a role as part of their vocational calling.

Maybe its time to call time on the line manager relationship, and look for something less, well, businessy or outside the church.

Maybe its time for Clergy to look above the base level of ‘manager’ and attain for a role with an employee, a youthworker, more fitting for the calling that they both share.

Maybe its time that the church doesnt just take a lead from the world of professional youth work management to inherit policies, procedures and code of conduct – but it transcends them, betters them and acts towards the flourishing, not just the survival of the youthworker in the role and dealing with issues when they arise (grievance procedure etc)

Maybe its time to intentionally disciple the youthworker, (or the admin person)

Disciple them in the way that Jesus discipled Peter. Gave him challenges, accepted his foot in mouth moments, chose him because of his challenges to power ( ‘Jesus are you sure you’re going to die in 3 days.’.) , his enthusiasm to try things, volunteer and lead, as well as be invigorated to lead after making a mistake. The relationship was constructed by the promised covenant, of long-term calling, of being the church. Jesus ultimately let Peter go, to be guided by the Spirit to form the faith community that was promised.

Discipling the youth worker might mean a different approach to managing, controlling or guiding them, it is to use them in collaboration, to believe in them, trust them and provide settings for them and you to flourish. Unlike the two characters in Heat, it could be covenanted in a way over and above the basic Job description/contract, or the longevity of funding, but promises made to value and respect each other and the discipling and learning relationship between them.

The church can do better than the business world, though it might only be catching up in regard to some employment situations, it should do better in its practical and prophetic role as employer, in discipling not just young people (who will benefit immensely if their youthworker is discipled effectively too) but also the youthworker and all staff.

Sadly the situation i seem to hear is that clergy, lead pastors and ministers are too busy to manage their staff, or they don’t know how to. Would they be too busy if the role was to disciple them, and this was given more importance, in terms of time, vocation and theological imperative? Would they know how to model the relationship they have with them as a metaphor of Jesus and Peter?

Maybe its time to transcend line management.

Faithful line management for Clergy might not be line management at all

On By JamesIn Theodrama, Theology, Youthwork, Youthwork management2 Comments

This is the fourth blog ive written on the subject of the management of youthworkers by Clergy in a church setting, or the management of youthworkers at all. Usually its easier to point out the problem, rather than propose solutions ( which is what my other blogs have done). So, this one is an attempt to start a discussion on what might faithful management of a youthworker look like?

Why Faithful? well, for one reason really. Paul Ricouer talks about role identity, and suggests that “Humans come to know themselves by attesting their power to say, their power to do, and their power to recognise themselves in a character in a narrative, and in the power to respond to a call” (Ricoeur, Oneself and another p22),

Faithfulness is a theme that runs through Vanhoozers work since 2005, in Drama of Doctrine,  as, in considering the whole grand theodrammatic actions of God, that Humanity is currently situated between Acts 4 and Act 5 (the emergence of the church, and the consumation) – with a responsibility to be faithful to the eternal insights of the whole drama, the prompting of God (as also performer), and crucially the context of the world around us, in the very immediate of performance in the present. Being faithful in following the way is what we’re called to do, and be.

One of the key reflections of Line Management from the perspective of youthworkers is that they feel as though the role of manager for clergy is secondary to the responsibilities of being a clergy- the stuff that clergy are trained to do – such as funerals, or school assemblies, wedding prep, PCC meetings – and maybe because line management isnt even conceptualised in personal leadership identity training, or advised upon, it seems to be left to be improvised by individual clergy at individual times.

What the problem with this?  well- three things – firstly that where might be influences that clergy seek for examples of management to learn how to be a manager, secondly there might be limited shared practice of it across clergy, thirdly the person who may be employed in a church by the PCC might not be being treated as well as they could be.

  1. If the cues for being a good line manager come from the WHSmith bookshelf, Sir Alex Ferguson, or Bill Gates – what comparison is there between Ltd Companies management ethics & values, and the ethics, and values, mission & organisation of the church. Is the best way to manage people the same as coaching or sports anyway?  As Foucault suggests, there is a power in normalistion, and so, even thought the weight of common sense might indicate that learning and adopting from successful managers would be deemed appropriate – is it appropriate in the church? Does actively rejecting methodoloies of business for management because of the ideologies of business  which includes capatalism, money (and as we have also seen tax avoidance) – feel like a more appropriate thing for the church to do as it seeks appropriate management methods?
  2. Ok, so i’m not privy to alot when it comes to Clergy on a personal level, however, I would wonder quite how many conversations happen between them in regard to the methods, approaches and learning experienced – not of having a youthworker, but of managing one. – over and opposed to funerals, PCC’s, diocese politics.  If Clergy aren’t talking about it, its probably likely that learning isn’t shared around diocese – or where clergy have the space to reflect on management within their practice – that’s assuming that they as clergy have opportunity to reflect on practice anyway.
  3. If Management is something you as clergy might not have any guidance on, or shared practice, then are you able to act with that new employee in a way that is appropriate for them? But what is it that you might have?

Power dynamics are at play, in any supervisory, management relationship ( Kogler 1999 in Ord , J 2012) – they might be at play in any relationship, given what Foucault regards as power (being everywhere, between the structures)

Assuming that Power is more prevalent in Hierarchical relationships, especially in organisations – what might be the examples of where a line management between Clergy and Youthworker are issues of power?

Well – 1. where does line management happen? – ive never had a line management meeting by clergy that isnt in their house/office/church or study.

2. Who sets the agenda, decides on topics of conversation

3. who makes the final say

4. how might decisions be made

5. who might be asked to do what – has a youthworker ever asked Clergy to do ‘something on a Sunday’ – usually its the other way around..

These are just a few examples, and, in a hierarchical line manager type relationship, the hierarchy and sense of subordination sets the tone, the clergy os both the line manager, and clergy- thus as Giddens argues disposing to have two roles both of which carry with them echelons of historical power ( in the hieracrchy, and default by role).

And for many a clergy – holding both positions of power humanly speaking, whilst also wanting to embody a theological model of christlikeness which could be said to be sacrifical, empowering and kenotic – could be somewhat of a conflict, especially if the role of line manager is not one that they understand or have theological or appropriate theological cues for.

The question is – does the Youthworker need to have a line manager? what is the stipulation?  employment law? policies?

Would it not be better to decide upon on what functions a youthworker needs around them to flourish in a church setting, and if one person, such as clergy have to fulfil that take on that role- does that role itself need to be known as ‘line manager’?

Clergy – think about it, you have the opportunity to help educate, spiritually supervise, guide, equip and resource someone to also help you in the mission of God in the church/parish – what kind of person might they want you to be, what kind of actions should you take? and is line manager (by title) the appropriate name for the role that you want to ideally take?

If suitable performing is an enabler to feeling like being part of the ongoing narrative (Ricouer, above) – then would replacing ‘line manager’ with ‘Discipler’ be a better term – both spiritually and theologically?

Discipler/ learner might enable a ongoing learning, working together, collaborative intention – over and above the silo streams of youth ministry in one area, that intertangles with clergy work one Sunday a year, or the odd confirmation group. Discipler might also enable a reduction in the power dynamic. Its also more Frieran, in terms of ongoing learning, as you might learn process and practices from the youth worker and vice versa. Arent you more likely to want to disciple someone than line manage them?

So, maybe for Clergy – line management shouldn’t be line management at all. If its a word from a world that doesn’t fit the church- then Learner/discipler might be  better for the ongoing values, principles and actions of performing the ongoing redemptive drama on the stage – where all are performing.