Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
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be connexionally accountable to
the Methodist Council
coordinate the work of the
Training Officers.
69 Each English Regional Training
Network received funding for two fulltime
Training Officers, whose role was
“to assist the network in the delivery
of connexional needs for the whole
people of God.” It was assumed that
Training Officers would be regional
officers, working collaboratively
across the network, but the
underlying District structure made this
difficult, and most officers were based
in one or two Districts. Eighteen
Training Officers were appointed in
England, seven of whom had been
TDOs, and separate arrangements
were again made for Scotland, Wales
and the Island Districts.
70 The outcome of discussions in
Scotland and Wales was the
appointment in each case of three
officers to cover both the role of the
District Development Enabler and
the role of the Training Officer, one
of whom was to be the director or
manager, coordinating the work of the
other two officers. The Island Districts
responded in different ways, some
utilising staff and others funding more
localised input.
Participation Project Managers
71 One of the integral parts of the Youth
Participation Strategy, as identified
by a report to the 2007 Conference,
was that each of the Regional Training
Networks would also have at least
one youth participation worker, whose
role would be:
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supporting youth enablers,
now known as One Programme
Participants (OPPs)
delivering training at Local
Church, Circuit, District and
connexional levels
project development and
networking with external and
ecumenical bodies and agencies
providing additional support to
Training Officers and institutions,
colleges and centres for
children’s and youth work training
and coordination.
72 These posts were entitled
Participation Project Managers
(PPMs). Each English Regional
Training Network has a full-time PPM;
however, funding was not available for
the envisaged roles in Scotland and
Wales in the wake of reductions made
to the overall budget of the Youth
Participation Strategy.
73 The PPM posts are funded as a fixedterm
project, finishing at the end of
2012/2013.
Other District posts
74 It should be noted that, over recent
years, most Districts have moved to
employ administrators, and some
have created salaried posts for other
specialities (eg youth, safeguarding,
property and finance).
666 Conference Agenda 2012