About the course
The Oasis Youth Work and Ministry Degree Course aims to prepare students at Diploma and Degree levels academically, professionally and ministerially for a career in youth work and ministry, in and beyond Christian settings.
In practice, this means co-operating with local churches to create a course that combines two days a week of lectures on all matters of youth work theory with a context to put that theory into practice. Students spend a minimum of 40% of their time in churches working with young people and church youth teams. Over the duration of the course they will also work with secular, community based youth projects, and have the opportunity to work with young people in contexts such as drug rehabilitation projects or young offenders teams.
We want you to get your hands dirty, to learn on the job. Yet in the process of testing out your vocation in this practical manner, you will be gaining recognised professional and academic qualifications, including JNC recognition, the youth worker equivalent of Qualified Teacher status. Your training with Oasis will equip you to work with young people in a variety of situations, from church based youth ministry to LEA-run youth projects.
About your qualification
The course is fully endorsed by the Joint Negotiating Committee of the National Youth Agency, which means that students completing Level 5 gain JNC recognition along with a Diploma in Youth Work & Ministry. JNC recognition is the official professional qualification for youth workers, the youth work equivalent of Qualified Teacher Status, and is necessary for many youth work positions such as with the Connexions service. Oasis students qualifying from Level 5 & 6 are therefore fully equipped to work with young people in both church and secular settings.
The course delivers teaching at three levels (4, 5 and 6), each taking a year to complete full-time, leading to qualifications at CertHE, DipHE and BA (Hons) levels respectively.
Learning styles
The Oasis course comprises a large proportion of practical, placement-based learning, which means that students spend much of their time working face-to-face with young people in a church or other youth work context.
Each college week students will spend an average of:
- Two days in lectures at their course centre
- One-and-a-half days in private study, and
- One-and-a-half days practicing youth work in a church context.
- Another half a day will be spent taking part in other church activities, and
- Half a day practicing youth work in a secular context.
Hours will often vary during the term, and those quoted here are for guideline only. The important thing to note is that at least two days of every week are spent putting what has been learnt into practice.
Youth work and Ministry
Where the Oasis course is a blend of the academic with the practical, it is also a mix of theological and secular thought. All the necessary aspects of sociology, psychology and practical methodology required for the JNC are taught, but mixed with theological reflection so that students can relate what they have learnt with the underpinnings of their faith. Our aim is to pass grounded, practical theology on to students, enabling them to become 'reflective practitioners': youth workers who can prayerfully ask themselves searching questions about their professional practice and competence; who can evaluate their work and continually seek improvement.