Click here to find Anglican services nearest to you!
Click here to contact the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
If you have a complaint please click here.
Read about our safe ministry requirements.
Advocate – an important part of our work is to advocate for children and young people in all layers of diocesan life. We do this in lots of ways, both directly and indirectly.
Develop – Providing leadership development is a key way to help grow ministry with children and young people – so don’t be surprised if you see us running a bunch of training events for clergy, lay staff and volunteers around the place. We love spending time equipping and training leaders who love children and young people.
Resource – A helpful way we can support parishes is by providing resources – this might be through creating new resources, or pointing people in the direction of things that already exist. It might even be the resource of our time. There’s so many great resources out there – we’d love to connect you with them.
Rev Karen Winsemius – Lead Consultant
Karen has been working with kids and youth in various churches around Melbourne for 20 years (give or take!). She started life as a primary school teacher, but decided that teaching kids about Jesus was more important than long division, although long division is pretty cool too. Training leaders in ministry to, with and through children and young people is the best job going around, so being the lead consultant of the CYMP team is one of Karen’s favourite things to do.
Karen loves hanging out with people, drinking tea, making kids birthday cakes, and forcing hugs on her cats.
Rev Kristina Kettleton – Consultant
Growing up in a small church where her only peer was her sister, Kristina developed a deep awareness of the importance of meaningful ministry for children and young people. This early experience started her ministry with young people – and it hasn’t stopped since!
Ordained with a focus on children and youth ministry, Kristina has served in both urban and rural churches—large congregations and small communities alike—bringing creativity, fun, and a deep commitment to intergenerational faith development. Kristina also has experience at the organisational level consulting with the Anglican diocese of Tasmania as well as City to City Australia. She’s married to Joel who is also a minister, and together they navigate ministry and family life with their three excellent children and one chaotic goldador.
Email: childrenandyoungpeople@melbourneanglican.org.au
What: The Children’s and Youth Ministry Training Day is a day of practical training and biblical encouragement to energise and equip anyone doing ministry with children and young people.
Who: For anyone doing ministry with children or youth – whether paid, unpaid, experienced, or first day in the role
When: Saturday, 14th March, at Ridley College
What: Scratch gives practical steps to creating a confident vision and plan for a new or renewed ministry with children and young people in your church.
Who: For church teams, including the vicar and volunteers, who are invested in growing new, or refreshing existing ministry with, to and alongside children, youth or young adults. This program is ideal for any sized church, and it does not matter how many children or youth you currently have attending your church.
When: Thursdays 12-2pm beginning 30th April for 5 weeks.
What: LiT is a 4-day camp for year 9-12 students, to encourage, build up and equip young Christian leaders to love and serve Christ in His church and the world.
Who: for year 9-12 students
When: 6-9 July at Belgrave Heights Convention Centre
What: RoadTrip is a training event for vocational children and youth ministers to be developed and encourage each other in ministry. RoadTrip 2026 is a 1-day training in Melbourne with guest speaker Chris Curtis from Youthscape UK
Who: for vocational children and youth ministers (paid or unpaid)
When: 11 June (date to be confirmed)
Mustard Seeds (UK) – https://www.mustard-seeds.net
Based on books of the bible
Can purchase individual units, or yearly subscription.
KidsWise – https://kidswise.com.au
Similar to Mustard Seeds, but from Sydney Anglicans.
The Biggest Story Bible Curriculum – https://www.crossway.org/books/the-biggest-story-curriculum-pdf-download-ebook/
Over 104 weeks, teaches an overview of the whole bible. 52 weeks in the OT, and 52 weeks in the NT.
The Gospel Project – https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/bible-studies/sunday-school
SU UK – scriptureunion.org.uk
lots of extra church ministry resources/curriculum– Christmas, light party, mental health, holiday programs etc.
Intergen – https://intergen.org.au
Written by a variety of Australians for those churches following the lectionary
Orange – https://thinkorange.com/curriculum/
The Lost Sheep – https://www.lostsheep.com.au/churches/
Youth Alpha
https://www.alphayouth.io/series/alpha-youth-series
XP Film Series – https://xpfilmseries.com
Australian, pre-evangelism, good lead into alpha.
Start to Stir (UK) – https://www.starttostir.com
Conversation starters for youth
Doesn’t assume knowledge of Jesus in first series, but jumps to that in series 2.
Nua Film Series – SU Global – https://scriptureunion.global/what-we-offer/nua-film-series/
explore questions of faith and spirituality
Chris Morphew books – https://koorong.com/search?authors=Chris%20Morphew&q=%2A
Tom French books – https://koorong.com/search?q=*&authors=Tom%20French
Check out the Children and Young People Ministry Page for events that we run.
Other events in Melbourne:
CMS Youth Camp – https://cms.org.au/event/suts-youth/
the annual Church Missionary Society’s camp for all high school students, in the 3rd week of January, at Philip Island.
CMS SUTS for Adults and Kids – https://www.summerundertheson.org
Church Missionary Society summer conference has dedicated teaching spaces for kids to be discipled and learn about mission.
VCYC – Victorian Christian Youth Convention – https://www.bhc.org.au/vcyc
have a youth camp in May – this is great for any sized youth group to join in. Plus 2 One Night Events for youth groups to join in.
24/7 Prayer Event – https://24-7prayer.au
Hosted at St Paul’s Cathedral, 6-12 September
Alma Autism – https://www.almaautism.uk
sensory bible story telling
Christian Playgroup Network – https://cpn.org.au
Support to set up and run a playgroup
Prayer Spaces in Schools – https://prayerspacesinschools.au
set up prayer spaces for children and young people
Ridley Certificate – https://certificate.ridley.edu.au
get some great training in Kids and Youth ministry, as well as a bunch of other great teaching!
Ridley Centre for Children and Youth Ministry – https://www.ridley.edu.au/formation/centres-of-excellence/centre-childrens-youth-ministry/
connect to all things Ridley College and Kids & Youth Ministry here.
Ridley Children’s Ministry Futures Report – https://www.ridley.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CMF-Research-Report-2024.pdf
Ridley Youth Ministry Futures Report – https://www.ridley.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Youth-Ministry-Futures-Research-Report-2024.pdf
Strandz – https://www.strandz.org.nz
children and family resources from NZ Anglican Diocese
SU Australia – https://equip.su.org.au
this website has a bunch of helpful resources and training modules
Youthscape UK – https://www.youthscape.co.uk
Youthscape have awesome resources for ministry with youth, no matter what size group you have