They are expecting 150 people aged between 18 and 30 to join the Ministry Experience Scheme this year, compared to 47 in 2015.
Chair of the scheme and Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev Philip North told Premier: “The chance to give a year for Christ, exploring where he might be calling them and doing that in the context of service – often among some of our poorest communities – is an attractive one to young people.”
Often sent to an urban parish, participants assist on church visits to schools and hospitals, help with administration and get involved in church events.
Other roles include skills training, theological education, volunteering in community projects and joining clergy prayer teams.
Bishop Philip added: “The people who participate often live in community; they’re well-supported, well-supervised and cared for by congregations, and so they’re able to serve and explore vocation in the context of loving community.”
More than two-thirds of the Church of England’s dioceses have joined the Ministry Experience Scheme, which is a major part of the Church’s bid to attract more young adults, woman and black and ethnic minority people into both lay and ordained roles.
Click here to listen to Premier’s Rosie Wright speaking with Bishop Philip:
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