Formation

Arts & Professional Studies, Bible & Theology, Counselling, Teacher Education

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Course Description

Formation focuses on the personal, spiritual, and professional development of the youth worker. Students explore practices of self-awareness, spiritual formation, boundaries, and wellbeing, recognising the importance of sustainability in youth work. The course integrates theological reflection with practical tools for resilience and self-care, supporting students to reflect on vocation, character, and the way their own story shapes their relationships with young people.

About this course

The course begins with the foundations of spiritual formation by attending to our relationship with God and the formation of the self as both a person in community and as an individual. The formation of the whole person, including embodiment and emotions is considered. The course then turns to consider the practices, disciplines and habits that form the life of the person. Students are introduced to the concept of a “rule of life” and a range of practices that may compose this and aid spiritual formation. These include:

prayer

worship

forgiving

blessing

serving

meditation

contemplation

sabbath

slowing

creative practice

celebration

In addition, the particular challenges that the contemporary context poses to spiritual formation are considered.