MSL Student Link

1. Introduction

1.1 For many years, the connexion has encouraged the support of students in Higher and Further Education in various ways, such as:

• The appointment of Chaplains to each institution of Higher Education. There are currently c120 such Chaplains. Of these, the majority are part-time, usually combined with a circuit ministerial appointment. Much of this work is undertaken ecumenically. There is also a wholly ecumenical network of chaplains in c200 Further Education colleges. Apart from around 10 full-time and a similar number of half-time appointments, this is and almost always has been part-time work.
• The facilitation of networking among students, latterly through Methodist Student Link (MSL).
• The provision of grants to enable some of the above work.
• The provision of Conferences for ongoing training and development.
• The work of connexional officers in the HE and FE fields respectively.
• Scholarships and hardship grants for students from overseas.

1.2 Since connexional restructuring in 1996, this work has been located in three main areas of the Team:

• Servicing of student societies and MSL within Youth Work (MAYC);
• Co-ordination of Chaplaincies within Public Life and Social Justice (formerly Church & Society);
• International Student Work through the World Church Office.

This has meant that the work is within the remits of three of the Coordinating Secretaries. A summary of the connexional team resources aloocated to this work is given in Appendix B.

1.3 The worlds of Higher and Further Education have seen enormous and rapid change, particularly in the past 15 years. Participation in HE/FE amongst the core age groups has expanded greatly, as has the participation of older students. The system of public funding has been transformed.

1.4 At the same time, the extent of the Church’s engagement with young people has declined drastically. Ministry with students can no longer (as perhaps it once was) be thought of chiefly as the pastoral care and Christian nurture of those who enter tertiary education with a Church background.

2. The current situation

2.1 A consultation was held in March 2004 with key representatives from the Methodist Church’s connexional engagement in HE/FE. (See Appendix A for attendees.) Each person present introduced themselves and described their present involvement and responsibilities. The following issues emerged:

2.2

• Over the past 15 years, there has been a gradual reduction in the budget and level of connexional staffing to support work in Higher Education.
• The work is hindered by being fragmented into different areas of the Connexional Team, particularly since it is a marginal responsibility for 3 different Co-ordinating Secretaries.
• For the past two years, the staffing support for MSL through the MAYC Office has been in a ‘holding capacity’ only.
• The MSL Support Group, established in 1999 following the ending of a dedicated staff post for support of MethSocs, has not been able to retain the full quota of desired members.

2.3

• MSL Conferences and social events are very poorly attended, though well received by those who do.
• There are virtually no remaining functioning ‘MethSocs’, and only a few ecumenical societies with a similar ethos. Those that do exist attract small numbers.
• By contrast, there is a burgeoning number of other students groups in colleges and universities, such as: SCM (Liberal, questioning ethos, but attracting a fairly wide range of participants); Speak (Evangelical, newish, emphasis on social justice); Fusion (Charismatic and Pentecostal. Aims to develop student-led congregations (cells) in each university); UCCF/Christian Unions (Conservative evangelical, numerically the strongest. Employs regional support workers); Friends International (formerly International Student Christian Services) (Evangelical resources for local churches working with International students. Much debate as to whether their staff are chaplains).
• All these networks offer resource materials for individuals and/or groups. Some also have local or regional staff. There are many tensions and rivalries between them and the situation varies from place to place and from one year to the next.
• In Further Education, there is no significant national network for students, although UCCF is present in some places.

2.4

• Chaplains struggle with working in a changed environment, yet often with outdated expectations placed upon them by the local churches, circuits and districts. Students also live on a much more ‘immediate’ timescale than the long-term nature typical of church life.
• Local churches vary - some regard students as ‘out there’ and self-reliant or the preserve of the chaplain; others successfully offer a ‘niche’ liberal theology, thrive on student-orientated life and retain local graduates.
• By contrast, the student group/cell can become ‘church’ for those involved. Campus can become a ‘play world’, especially for full-time residential students.

2.5

• The Methodist International Student Work Advisory Committee (MISWAC) has not met as such for several years. However its Secretary maintains our contacts with ecumenical networks, through the Churches’ Commission for International Students (CCIS)). Changes in Government policies with regard to education and immigration affect this area of work greatly. There remain a small number of ‘International Houses’ and hostels, but apart from occasional consultations, they work largely independently.

2.6

• Other issues identified included dealing with proselytism, and working in an increasingly multi-faith environment.

3. Considerations for Future Policy

3.1 Is work with students ‘core business’? We need to consider how what we do reflects ‘Priorities for the Methodist Church’ and our ecclesiology. There is a pastoral and spiritual need to be involved in student work, but similar things apply to others in the same age group or in other spheres of life beyond HE/FE. Is our primary aim to sustain the Church (particularly, to nurture its future leadership) or to be engaged in a significant sector of our society?

3.2 The present situation is not sustainable: our resources are limited and ineffective if spread too thinly. MSL will peter out if we leave it as it is: volunteer networks still rely on staff input if they are to thrive. The choice is therefore either more central resourcing (staff hours, materials, bursaries, etc.) or less. This would be regrettable, but in reality it is hard to harness energy, there is little continuity of leadership, and it is unclear whether there is value in a distinct Methodist work.

3.3 We could throw our lot in with SCM, but although this reflects the predominantly ‘liberal-leaning’ (compared with others) nature of Methodism, it would not carry the support of everyone.

3.4 We need to re-educate people in our churches to what it is to be a student today - old stereotypes are gone. Youth and student work is about exploring and making informed choices in Christian life, which may or may not find expression in ‘traditional’ church.

3.5 We have a particular motivation in respect of international students, because of the Gospel call to hospitality and our awareness of the world dimension. Some of this work must therefore be maintained.

3.6 Young people are ‘post-denominational’. Therefore we must ask whether the work is more appropriately ecumenical than Methodist.

3.7 The key policy decision is how much of this work is to be resourced connexionally, how much locally.

4. Recommendations

4.1 That the relevant groups (including the Council for Methodist Youth Work, Higher Education Committee, MSL, MISWAC, Connexional Team Staff and the Connexional Leadership Team consider the questions in section 3 above, reporting their views to the Co-ordinating Secretary for Worship and Learning by 1^st March 2005, so that a report may be written for the Methodist Council.

4.2 That the same groups also consider the recommendations to be put to the Methodist Council set out in 4.3 to 4.5 below, adding such other recommendations as they see fit.

4.3 That connexional support for MSL cease at the end of the current financial/academic year. Part of the budget saving to be made available through the HE and FE officers to provide bursaries to students attending conferences as representatives of the Methodist Church.

4.4 In future, work with students in HE/FE be regarded as part of our general youth work on the one hand, and be part of the ministry of chaplains on the other.

4.5 We continue to support ecumenical work with international students through the CCIS, including a contribution to the Hardship Fund. This work to be carried out by a volunteer, reporting to the Co-ordinating Secretary for Public Life and Social Justice and the World Church Committee.