What does the Methodist Youth President do?
Please see our main Youth President page for all the information you need about what the Youth President is and does, but the main duties are:
- Visiting children and young people across the Connexion to hear their views on issues (Connexion is what we call the work of the Methodist Church across Britain)
- Encourage, enable and advocate for children and young people to be fully involved in all aspects of the life of the Church
- Ensure the voice of children and young people, their needs, issues and concerns, are considered by leaders and decision-making bodies in all levels of the Church
- Act as a spokesperson for, and a channel for the voices of, young Methodists both within and outside the Church
- To host 3Generate
- To be a member of various committees, including the Methodist Council
- Writing and presenting their report to the Methodist Conference
How long are you the Youth President for?
The Youth President is a paid full-time post within the Methodist Church's Connexional Team. They are employed from 1 August and become the Youth President for 12 months from 1 September to 31 August of the following year.
Who can be the Youth President?
The role is open to any young person aged 18-23. They have to be a member of the Methodist Church by 1 August when they take up the role. The role can either be based in our offices in Central London OR remotely from home.
Who appoints the Youth President?
Following the recruitment, interview and selection process by members of the Connexional Team, the Youth President is voted for by children and young people aged 8-18 from across the Connexion, who are registered to vote.
What's the recruitment and election process?
Stage 1: The role is advertised
The role is advertised in the summer of the year before the post is taken up. The closing date for applications is usually in late Summer/early autumn.
Stage 2: Interview
Applicants are invited to an interview in September, usually at our offices in Central London. This is the first stage of a selection process. Following this, up to three candidates will be put forward for election.
Stage 3: Preparing for the election process
The candidates going forward for election are asked to record videos and write a short paragraph of information about themselves. These are then made available on the 3Generate App and website for children and young people across the Connexion to read or watch. The information is also cascaded widely across Methodist social media channels. This is to ensure that all children and young people who are registered to vote are informed and prepared when discerning which candidate to vote for.
Stage 4: Voting
Voting takes place on the 3Gen App or website during early October. Children and young people aged 8-18, who are connected to a Methodist Church, will be allowed to vote if they have been registered by a group leader or other adult in their church. You don't have to attend 3Gen in order to vote for the Youth President. The votes are then independently counted and verified.
Stage 5: Appointment and Announcement
The successful candidate with the most votes will usually be informed within seven days of the result being known. As this is a full-time employed post, they will be offered a contract with the Connexional Team, subject to our usual HR and recruitment process. The new Youth President will not be announced until this process is satisfactorily completed, but this is usually in November.
Stage 6: Starting with the Connexional Team
Our new Methodist Youth President will start with us the following August, but in the meantime we will keep in touch with them, including a visit to meet the Connexional Team in February or March. Their employment will start on 1 August and for a month they will work alongside the current Youth President to ensure a smooth handover and transition. They will officially become our Youth President on 1 September, and shortly afterwards there will be a formal Welcome and Induction Service, held in a church of their choosing. The Youth President serves until 31 August of the following year.