Vocational Courses

Diploma in Youth Mission and Ministry

Working with Young People? Got a heart for Christian mission to young people and want to learn more? Want to reflect on your ministry? Whether you are in full-time youth ministry, or one of the many volunteers who work with young people inside and outside the church week by week, then the YMM diploma is just for you! The YMM diploma is a two year, part time undergraduate course which is aiming to further the training of youth workers to think theologically about their own practice, to offer insights into cultural issues, and to explore relevant church models and leadership roles to the adolescent world. This is offered through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, group tutorials and individual learning.

Using your current youth work experience as your placement, and assessed by assignments and research project, the course covers such unit areas as:

The Youth work context: Biblical and Contemporary
Reaching Young People: Mission Theology
The Youth Worker: Personal and Professional Development
Youth Culture: Issues facing Adolescents
Young People: Spirituality and Church

The teaching is offered through five week long residential teaching units spread over the 2 years (3 in year 1, 2 in year 2), supported by supervised distance learning. In addition to the research project of 6,000-8,000 words, a variety of assignments are set for completion between each teaching block.

The Course Director is Ian White; a Cliff College Tutor (previously Social Worker NCH Action for Children, 10 years Methodist District Youth Evangelist, Author of 'In His Footsteps: Young People on Pilgrimage') supported by the Course Leader, Paul Wilcox (SU, Covies and YFC) and with lecturers drawn from the Cliff College academic staff and various Christian youth work agencies.

Numbers are limited to 15 students per year. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, then contact Rosie Bourne, Undergraduate Administrator, Cliff College, Calver, Hope Valley, S32 3XG (01246 584202), undergrad@cliffcollege.org for a hard copy prospectus and application form.

Click here to download a Prospectus

Qualifications required for all Part-Time Diploma courses

Admission to any of the part-time diploma courses is based on appraisal of qualities of character, perceived potential and Christian conviction. Evidence of academic potential and ability to profit from study is essential. Potential is assessed through references (including academic references for those recently in education) and interview at the College or by a course tutor.

Prospective students will either:

have completed the Cliff College Certificate in Biblical and Evangelistic Ministry (validated by the University of Sheffield at Level 1) OR the Cliff College Certificate in Theology (validated by the University of Manchester)
have undertaken equivalent courses of study (Level One) OR
have evidence of post-sixteen study and significant experience in the relevant field and focus of the diploma course

Successful completion of either the CEN or YMM courses allows progression to the BA in Children’s and Youth Ministry.