COURSES CLOSING
Some of the decline can be attributed to courses closing across the country. The Christian youth work course at Chester University closed recently as a result of internal decisions and this last year saw the closure of the International Christian College (ICC) in Glasgow as a result of finance decisions for higher education (HE) taken by the Scottish government. Both were running courses that provided professional recognition. Moorlands College closed its Masters JNC qualifying course due to lack of demand, but its undergraduate course is still recruiting strongly and they now have new campuses in the South West and the Midlands.
COURSES OPENING
There have also been new courses opening including the degree in theology and youth ministry at St Mellitus College and the foundation degree in youth ministry and school chaplaincy at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. ICC has reopened as the Scottish School of Christian Mission and is working with the Nazarene College in Manchester on new HE courses.
DECLINE
The reasons for decline are complex. The impact of austerity measures on local authorities in England has meant the decimation of many council-run youth services. Many voluntary and community sector youth work agencies are also struggling financially. Anecdotally, churches have been affected by the general financial pressures and have cut back expenditure accordingly. The balance between those on JNC qualifying courses and those not continues to show a decline in JNC numbers (448 in 2011-12, 283 in 2015-16).
TURNAROUND
We may be seeing a turnaround in the numbers of people on Christian youth work courses; this year (548) shows a slight increase on the previous year (541).
The London School of Theology (LST) also saw an increase in student numbers this year. President Dr. Krish Kandiah says: ‘While the overall picture regarding theological study does not look like one of growth, I believe it is more important than ever that theology is championed by those colleges like LST who continue to resource the next generation of Christian leaders.’
DECLINE IN COURSES LEADING TO THE JNC (PROFESSIONAL GRADE)
The decline in students on HE Christian youth work courses has not been as steep as those applying to study professional youth work courses generally. In England, the number of students on JNC Professional Grade qualifying courses has fallen from 1470 in September 2008 to 701 in September 2013: a 52 per cent drop in six years. Between September 2011 and September 2013, the overall decline was 26 per cent. For JNC HE Christian youth work courses, that fall was 15.6 per cent.
Currently, there are eight validated courses offering the JNC qualifying route linked to a theology degree, being delivered by just four institutions. The Institute for Children, Youth and Mission (CYM) is the only organisation currently providing a postgraduate route to professional recognition which includes theology in the teaching as well as the practice.
