UK Sports Ministries

Training/Gap Years

Ambassadors in Sport: www.ais-uk.org In 1990, 3 overseas amateur footballers who had relocated to the northern England town of Bolton started a football team by placing an advert in a local newspaper. From these humble beginnings a movement started that is ‘Ambassadors in Sport’ which has grown not only nationally across the UK (offices in Bolton and London) but to over 15 countries globally. The ambitions of these founders have always extended beyond the field itself; their Christian faith, ethos and values drove them to go beyond the game and actually seek to ‘bring hope through football’. Since becoming a UK registered charity (No 1055422) and a limited company (No 3172553) in 1997; AIS has aimed to be facilitators in mobilizing people and churches to participate in the vision to bring holistic transformation in individuals and communities through football. AIS want to serve the football community with excellence which means that Ambassadors want to support, help, encourage, include, partner, resource, focus on others and be big hearted towards the people involved at home and abroad in the football culture and community. AIS especially want to stand alongside those (particularly children/young people) who are poor, marginalized or vulnerable. Generally the Christian beliefs and foundations of AIS will be demonstrated in the character (e.g. integrity, trust, grace, Christ-like etc) of AIS workers and the way they connect (e.g. inclusiveness, respect for individuals, family etc) with others within the UK and overseas. Distinctively AIS seek to value Innovation, Team, Football and Church. Therefore in approach and attitude; AIS want to value Church by putting it at the heart of its tactics to be agents of transformation in the football community. The primary way in which this tactic will be worked out is to envision, equip and enable churches to engage effectively with the football culture. AIS wants to be intentional about tying in as much of its work (e.g. in schools, prisons, youth offenders, detached youth work, churches, youth clubs, teams, leagues, tours, tournaments, soccer schools, soccer weekends, football in the community and amongst the marginalised e.g. ‘Kids at Risk and homeless football projects) into local expressions of community i.e. church and football clubs. AIS Website (currently under reconstruction) www.aisint.org .

Ambassadors In Sport Inturnship

Ambassadors Internships are one aspect of the training programme of AIS. Our desire is to position young people who love Jesus and love football in an environment where they can learn about and participate in football mission in the local community through the local church. AIS internships offer participants a great opportunity for cross-culture ministry and experience as each office delivers a similar curriculum but with a wide variety of practical experience.

By joining Ambassadors in Sport through the internship, there are many mission opportunities such as

• football camps and clinics,
• prison ministry
• schools ministry
• player ministry (as part of men’s/women’s football team)
• international playing and coaching tours.
• Christian Festivals.

For 2012, AIS is running a special Internship to focus on the Olympic Games and outreach around this world event.

The Games Internship

With the eyes of the world focused on London in July/August 2012 sportsmen and women from many nations will be profiled, their achievements mourned or celebrated with great national pride at stake. The city of London will be awash with a colourful mix of flags, languages, fashion and cultures. At this moment London is in the final preparation phase with the last-minute touches being added to the various venues and trial events take place to test equipment and procedures.

While not preparing venues AIS are taking very seriously our responsibility to help prepare Churches to make the most of this global sporting event.  The opportunity to train and equip churches to run and coordinate their own sporting outreaches during the games is an opportunity we don’t want to pass up. The whole goal of the 2012 ‘Games Internship’ therefore will be for interns to learn about sports mission to a greater depth than most church laypeople, and thus be a resource to serve a number of London Churches in specific outreaches during the Games ….. and beyond!

Dates: January 9^th – August 17^th, 2012.

Cost: £3000.00 (price includes room and board, training costs, coaching/playing kit and local travel expenses).

Training: The AIS internship involves both practical training and classroom training. The practical training involves working with our experienced staff in the various sports mission projects through churches. Some of this experience might include

• Ministry in schools and youth clubs
• Leading after-school football and games clubs
• Running tournaments and leagues in MUGA facilities
• Working on the AIS Hope Academies with the homeless and needy.

Classroom training takes place every Friday and involves such topics as

• AIS Vision, Mission and Values
• Personal and Spiritual development
• Models of Sports Ministry
• Biblical Studies
  • What does the Bible say about sport
  • Sport and Ethics
  • Sport and Evangelism
  • Understanding Mission
• Coaching Principles

In addition, all interns will gain the FA Level 1 Certificate in coaching Football.

For more information on the AIS Games Internship please contact:

John Squires – AIS Director of Training

Tel:                        07790 486 480 (ext. 203)

E-mail:                 js@ais-uk.org

Or visit:              www.aisint.org

Ambassadors in Sport was established in Bolton, England in 1990 and now has offices throughout Africa, Asia, North and South America and Europe.  The vision of AIS is ‘transformation through football outreach’ – transforming individual  lives, communities and football culture itself with a Good News message.  Our mission is to envision, train and mobilise the Church in serving the local community through a variety of strategic programmes (Football Academies, Teams and Tournaments, Schools work, Tours and more). Using a curriculum of ‘Football, Faith, Future’ the opportunity to engage footballers of all levels in a non-threatening environment is immense.

‘God and Sport’ Conference, St Mellitus College, London, 28th April 2012

(see: http://www.htb.org.uk/whats-on/events/god-and-sport-conference)

Recent publication:

Wood, S. (2011), Keeping Faith in the Team: The Chaplain’s Story, London, LDT.

On behalf of the Centre for Sport, Spirituality and Religion (CSSR), University of Gloucestershire, UK
http://www.glos.ac.uk/research/dse/cssr/Pages/default.aspx

Mission Statement -

90+ is a Sports Ministry that exists to see people transformed through knowing Jesus Christ

Aims -

- To identify those who are called to full time ministry that uses sport as a tool to share the Gospel

- To teach a biblical basis for Sports Ministry for mission in the church and community

- To equip Sports Ministers with practical skills for mission in their church and community

- To send out experienced Sports Ministers who are trained and equipped for mission

- To disciple Christian leaders as a resource for church ministry

Ninety Plus Ministries is a Christian Sports Ministry. We Disciple sports men and women through Identifying, Teaching, Equipping and encourage to use their gifts and passion of sport for Gods Glory. We are also a resource for the Church to show how to use sport as a tool to share the Gospel. Through creating a network and community of Sports Ministers on our website and through our Player Ministry Academy, we pray we will fuel those who know Jesus to impact those who are yet to hear the Good News.

W: www.ninetyplusministries.com

M:07850540295

T: 0151 200 0836

E: info@ninetyplusministries.com

University of Gloucestershire

Postgraduate Awards in Sport and Christian Outreach

MA in Sport and Christian Outreach (Sports Ministry)

MA in Sport and Christian Outreach (Sports Chaplaincy)

Led by specialist teams of staff from the University of Gloucestershire and associates from Redcliffe College, these courses seek to provide postgraduate level accreditation for those wishing to pursue (or already pursuing) careers in sports ministry or sports chaplaincy settings.

Drawing upon key aspects of applied theology, sports studies, and community development, both courses are specifically designed to provide candidates with an academic and professional grounding in their respective fields whilst considering more broadly how Christian sports practitioners might connect with the wider sporting world. Three levels of qualification are on offer: Postgraduate Certificate (three taught modules), Postgraduate Diploma (six taught modules), and/or full MA (six taught modules plus dissertation).

To accommodate the specific needs of those who work full-time in their occupational roles, these awards are delivered predominantly via intensive 4-5 day blocks over the course of the academic year.

If you are a graduate from a related discipline, or have a particular interest in the relationship between sport and faith, you are strongly encouraged to apply. Part-time or full-time study options are available. (Please note that although course provision is at postgraduate level, entry is not dependent upon the prior acquisition of an undergraduate degree).

If you would like to learn more about our courses, then please click the following links:

http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/scm/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/scc/Pages/default.aspx

Alternatively, if you would like to chat further about the courses that we have on offer, then please contact:

Professor Andrew Parker

Faculty of Sport, Health and Social Care

University of Gloucestershire

Oxstalls Campus

Oxstalls Lane

Gloucester, UK

GL2 9HW

Tel:

Fax: +44 (0) 1242 715222

Mobile: 07920 210333

Email: aparker@glos.ac.uk

ROCK UK is a long established Christian charity who provide exciting outdoor adventure at its UK based adventure centres and through its adventure travel company Trailblazers. We are passionate about developing young people using the outdoors to transform their lives through our residential offer and our adventurous activities. We are however accessible to all ages!!  Our adventure centres are in Kent (Carroty Wood & Halls Green), Northants (Frontier Centre), South Wales (Summit Centre) and The Scottish Borders (Whithaugh Park). Schools, Youth Groups, Sports Clubs, Christian Unions, Corporate Groups and Community Groups – the variety of groups that visit is endless. Catered or self-catered, large groups or small, instructed activities or your own programme.

Many of our instructors joined us as gap year trainees where they became inspired to pursue careers developing young people. If you would like to receive high quality training in adventurous activities and gain National Governing Body Awards in Canoeing, Kayaking, Climbing, Archery, Biking and many others, as well as experiencing a fantastic year at one of our centres, then please contact job.enquiry@rockuk.org, call 0844 8000 222 or visit our website www.rockuk.org.

Sport, Spirituality and Social Identity: Day Conference

Sports Ministries UK, in association with the Centre for Sport, Spirituality
and Religion (CSSR) at the University of Gloucestershire, is pleased to
announce the second annual gathering of the Sports Ministries Think Tank
(SMiTT) which will take place on Wednesday 2nd May 2012.

The event will be hosted by the CSSR at the University’s Oxstalls Campus in
Gloucester and will take the form of a day conference entitled: ‘Sport,
Spirituality and Social Identity’. Guest speakers will be Dominic Erdozain
(Kings College London) and Nick Watson (York St John University).

If you wish to attend the conference then please complete and return the
attached booking form or register by contacting Andrew Parker:

Professor Andrew Parker, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Gloucestershire
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 715387    E-mail: aparker@glos.ac.uk

Booking Form below

Sport, Spirituality and Social Identity [Booking Form May 2012]

Sports Chaplaincy Conference run by Sports Chaplaincy UK (funny that!)

Thursday 24th May, 2012

At the Oxstall Campus, University of Gloucester.

See the attachment or call 0800 181 4051 for more details

www.sportschaplaincy.org.uk