Youth Work in the Otley Deanery
Like many other deaneries the size, scale and style of youth work in the different churches varies enormously. Only a handful of the churches sustain a specific group or activity for young people whilst others integrate their teenagers into all-age events and worship. Some have few or no youth at all.
All Saints, Ilkley, St John’s Ben Rhydding and St Mary’s, Burley-in-Wharfedale run youth groups on a weekly basis, meeting mainly on a Sunday evening. St John the Divine Menston, St John’s Yeadon and All Saints Otley sustain regular activities for all-ages involving numbers of young teenagers who have been nurtured in Sunday club/group activities. St Oswald’s Guiseley , St Peter’s Rawdon and St Peter’s Addigham also enjoy a small number of teenagers within the life of the wider church family through choir and other worship centred activities. St Peter’s, Addingham also work closely with the village Methodist Church is supporting older teenagers.
Just one of the churches (All Saints, Ilkley) employs a full-time youth worker. All other youth leaders are volunteers many of whom hold down demanding full-time jobs during the week and give up part of their weekend to youth work.
Deanery Youth Network
The deanery youth network attempts to bring together groups of young people and individuals from the different churches across the deanery on a regular basis. After two years of combining a wide age range of young people the network divided into two age groups and currently sustains two networks:
Each network plans to meet twice a term with a joint event each summer. Both age groups have the opportunity to take part in a residential experience each year.
Click on the 10-13’s & 14-18’s links (above left) for further information about events and activities.
Further Information
Follow the links below to read details of the networks