If you have been involved with children, youth or student ministry, no matter how long, you will likely already know how incredible rewarding it is. Whether you are involved in a paid or voluntary capacity, the time you spend with these young, fragile but so valuable lives is so important. Listening to theirs and their parents/carers struggles, building them up, helping them to find confidence not just in God but in themselves as well. Sorting out friendship difficulties, supporting mental health, delivering teaching and showing up consistently and so much more are all things that come with the role. But all of those things bear a weight on you, they are taxing, they are draining and even though you are probably amazing at what you do, having all of that on your shoulders is hard enough when things in your own life are going well, but when something in your life crumbles, changes or occurs which shakes you, who holds you up? Yes the right answer is God, of course! But we all also need people to guide us. Often these life situations require counselling or therapy, especially with the weight of our role on our shoulders as well. 

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We have been searching for a counselling or therapy service, or funding for children's, youth and student workers for such times. And so far we have found nothing, not unless you either want to wait for the NHS, can get fitted with a local charity (probably have a long wait there) or are able to pay £50-£80 for private sessions (which for most people in these roles is way outside their realistic affordability), then there is nothing...that we can find! 

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This really bothers us, we can find lots of things in place for ordained ministers, church leaders and people involved in adult ministry, so why not for those serving students and under 18s? The weight of the ministry is not really less, it is not less important and it is not something you simply feel you can just set down for 6 months while you crash out and work things through on your own. 

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So we have put together this survey to get a big picture of what those working in children's, youth or student ministry are doing to get the support they need at those times. And we aim to then use the data we collect to see what can be done to fix it. 

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If you are a children's, youth or student worker, within a Christian context in the UK, paid or voluntary, one hour a month or full-time,  will you fill in our survey and tell us what support you have had when you have needed it. Let us know if you have found anywhere who will give people in a similar role counselling or therapy when they need it and for either free or a very small fee. At the end of the day you spend your time being someone who helps others stand when they are struggling, but there should be a provision available for you when you need someone to help you.