The role of Godly Play Advocates is to help disseminate Godly Play to new local audiences and to support existing local networks of practitioners.
Advocates will provide support for, and be supported by, their region’s accredited GP trainer.
Advocates will not provide ‘training’ in Godly Play but will play an important role in encouraging people to undertake training and a role in supporting those who return from training to keep active.
What does it involve?
This volunteer role can involve 3- 6 hours a month.
Exactly what you do will depend upon your skills, your experience, and the needs of your local trainer.
For example, in one area of the country, the priority may be to demonstrate Godly Play through taster sessions to churches. In another part of the country, an advocate may run a regular storytelling circle for local practitioners.
Some advocates may lack expertise in working with children but will have a great deal of experience in working with other groups like elderly people, or those with additional needs.
Experience
Advocates need to have completed a 3-day training in Godly Play and subsequently gained further experience using Godly Play themselves.
Advocates need to demonstrate a commitment to their continuing learning and development in Godly Play through personal reading and reflection, enrichment training, and/or attending Godly Play events, conferences, or lectures.
Skills
- Advocates will have good interpersonal skills such that they are able to create a safe space where people can engage freely with Godly Play.
- Advocates need to be able to model good practice when presenting stories from the Complete Guide to Godly Play, model Godly Play with good quality resources, and understand and be able to communicate that Godly Play is more than a method of storytelling.
- Advocates will be enthusiastic and able to communicate their enthusiasm to inspire others.
- Advocates will be reliable in keeping appointments.
- It is desirable that advocates will possess sufficient organisational skills to maintain contact with those theysupport.
- If the Advocate role agreed with the local Trainer involves working with children or vulnerable adults the appropriate safeguarding checks must be carried out.