Gap year volunteering

Many students taking a gap-year focus on the opportunities for international travel, often linked to some sort of voluntary work, particularly in developing countries.  There is a natural and understandable focus on giving service in the developing world, with little recognition of the very real needs closer to home.  SPEC provides an opportunity for Christian (particularly Catholic) young people to live, work and learn in a dynamic Catholic community, providing an important service to children and young people in our own society.

What?
Volunteers all live as part of the SPEC community but work in one of three different teams, each undertaking a different but vital part of our ministry.

The SPEC Centre team
Peer ministry is a central characteristic of SPEC Centre’s ministry and as such, our volunteers are aged between 18 – 25 years of age. Through peer ministry we are able to tap into the culture of young people and make their faith relevant. It is about young people talking and ministering to young people.

The Loft team
The Loft ministers to children and young people aged 7-14, aiming to encourage their spiritual and personal development.  Loving God and loving neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40) is probably the most consistent theme running through all Loft programmes.  We aim to give children the opportunity to practice loving their neighbour by showing friendship, caring for each other and learning respect for each other.  We also try to help them love themselves by developing self confidence and self esteem and by experiencing love from their neighbour.

Catering team
‘Man cannot live by bread alone’, but we do need physical sustenance.  The catering team plays an essential role in making sure that the community and our guests are well fed.  A clever guy called Abraham Maslow devised a ‘hierarchy of needs’ which, to cut a long story short, tells us that we can’t achieve personal growth and fulfilment (what SPEC Centre and The Loft are trying to encourage) without more basic needs (e.g. food, shelter, warmth) being met first.  So, don’t underestimate the importance of those who prepare the food!

Who?
Our community is an eclectic mix of different personalities: there is no ‘standard’ volunteer.  If you can answer ‘yes’ to the following then a year at SPEC might be for you.

• Are you 18-25 years of age?
• Are you a committed Christian (ideally Catholic – we’re a Catholic community), happy to share your faith and wanting to deepen it?
• Are you able to commit to join the community from the beginning of September to mid-July?
• Are you a UK resident, or do you have the right to stay in the UK, or are you able to obtain the relevant visa to volunteer full-time?
• Are you inspired by our mission and the way we fulfil it?

When?
Our ‘volunteer year’ runs from the beginning of September until Mid July (exact dates vary slightly from year to year).

What do I live on?
We will provide board and lodging during term time and £210 per month pocket money to cover your necessary expenses (e.g. travel, toiletries).  Some international volunteers can apply for EVS (European Voluntary Service) in which case your pocket money is provided through the scheme and not by us.

What opportunities are there?

Training: Skills that you will learn and develop include, a knowledge of group dynamics and facilitation, presentation and public speaking, multi-media development, basic administration, communication, outdoor activities (e.g. archery, confidence course, mountain biking), resource and content development, drama and dance

Qualifications!
Possibilities include, especially for second-year volunteers:

• Youth and Community Work Degree (Luton University)
• Evangelisation and Youth Ministry Certificate (Maryvale Centre)
• Catholic Approaches to Youth Ministry MA or Certificate (Ushaw college)
• Foundation Degree (St Mary’s College, Strawberry Hill)

Travel! See the World!
Possibilities include:

• World Youth Day Sydney Australia 2008
• Walk across Spain to Santiago de Compostella on pilgrimage
• Go on Mission to New Zealand
• Vallechiara, Italy on PilgrimageSnowdonia
• Wales for team building

Social
You will live, work, eat and pray with 25 other young adults from around the world.

Spiritual
We spend much of our time giving, but we also have to attend to our own spiritual needs.  The community prays together twice a day and regularly celebrates Mass together.  There is the opportunity for spiritual direction from our chaplains.  Community members often go to Christian events in London and elsewhere.  And then there are all those discussions over supper, a coffee (or even a beer!)

Want to know more?
Contact us and ask a question! You can phone, fax, write (snail-mail or email): click on the ‘contacts’ link at the bottom of the page
Alternatively you can use the on-line question form opposite.

How?
Here is a summary of the process:

Apply: Contact us and ask for an application form.  Alternatively, download the PDF version opposite or fill in the online application form.

Visit: If, having looked at your application form, we may invite you to come and visit us. Ideally this will be for several days so that you get the chance to observe and assist on some of the programmes.  Your visit will also include an interview.

And then….?  If your visit has assured us that joining the SPEC community for a year will be good for you and good for the community and our mission, and if we have places left, we will formally offer you a place.  We will ask you to acknowledge your placement and we will start the process of applying for a Criminal Records Bureau check (and essential part of child protection policy in the UK).