FAQ

Is School for Disciples another gap year programme?

School for Disciples lasts for a year, but we don’t think it’s a gap year – it’s about developing a way of life, a heart of compassion and a thought-through faith that will stay with you long after you’ve left the year-long programme. Many people who have undertaken similar programmes stay living and serving in the inner city long after they have finished. What’s more, you can come on School for Disciples whilst still working – you don’t have to take a year “out” to do it.

Is there a fee to pay for the year?

Course fees are £650 per year for full-time, £450 per year part-time – you can pay this all at once, or in smaller monthly amounts over the year. This money will cover the cost of paying for visiting speakers and our two weekends away.

What’s the difference between the Volunteer stream and the Employment Stream?

Volunteer Stream – majority of the week dedicated to service and mission in Sneinton and Nottingham both community and church based. There will be teaching input one day a week and part time work to cover basic living expenses. You may contribute proportionally more in terms of time given to service and learning.

Employment Stream – majority of the week in paid employment with the option of joining in the one day a week teaching input, and a commitment to a minimum 4 hours volunteering in the community as mission. You may contribute proportionally more in terms of money.

Can you explain more about how the community house works?

You will be placed in a house with 3-4 other School for Disciples students. As a house you will commit to eating some meals together each week and to spending some time praying together. The idea of a community house is that you seek to live as a ‘family’ unit. Each house will need to work out exactly how they run their finances, but most houses will have a central ‘pot’ of money that each person pays into according to their means, from which food, rent and bills are paid. So someone earning a high salary in the house might help to support someone who was less well paid, or serving through School for Disciple as a full or part time volunteer. As a house you will also be encouraged to practice hospitality and to think together about how you can serve the community around you.

How do I finance my living costs?

Houses will usually have a central pot of money. This doesn’t mean all your salary has to be paid into it, but house members will support each other in order to cover rent, bills and food costs etc. Employment stream participants will be encouraged to help finance the cost of those who are on School for Disciples in the volunteer stream. However, volunteer stream participants will hopefully be working part-time employment in order to help support their needs as well as put what you are learning into practice in the workplace! We are also exploring ways to raise additional funds to help towards the cost of the course. We will help you work out how best to run their finances and support each other.

There’s a group of us at uni/ work/ church who want to live as a community. Can we do it via School for Disciples?

Yes definitely possible, we will do some talking with you about how this will work, but if we are all happy this would be a great idea!

Is all the training compulsory?

if you are in full time work, you may be able to negotiate with your employers to come in for the teaching day during the week, but that is not obligatory. We would expect you to be at the two weekends away as they will be key times in setting up and then reflecting upon how the year is going.

Will I be safe where I am living?

As with lots of urban areas of Nottingham, Sneinton has a mixed reputation, however things have been steadily improving over the last few years and you could be part of seeing that redemptive work continue! We don’t take your safety lightly we won’t expect you to place yourself at any unnecessary risk. Living in a community house, with others, is an excellent way to help you stay safe. Naomi Hill the Leader of the course lives in Sneinton, so you aren’t being asked to do something we wouldn’t!

What happens if I want to drop out during the year?

Obviously we hope that you will stay for the whole year. We will work with you to try and ensure the School is meeting your needs, but if you still want to drop out, or need to for other reasons (such as a change in job) we will work with you to accommodate this. However, your fee will be non-refundable if you drop out once the year has started, and you will have to negotiate with your community how you fulfil your contribution to the living costs.

What kind of support will I get?

A key part of School for Disciples is having a mentor who as well as holding you accountable to the goals you set yourself, will be your first port of call for pastoral support. In addition to this we hope each participant will be linked up with a ‘host family’ for you to hang out with, be fed by and generally get some moral support!

How many hours will I be expected to work?

We want to make sure you don’t burn out over the year! Each participant will have a full day off a week scheduled into their timetable and some free evenings. If you are in the employment stream, you will be expected to give some time to volunteering in the community and to partake in house activities. While commitment to church will be really important, we are happy for you to miss 1-2 Sundays a term so that you can go away for the weekend.

Can married couples do School for Disciples?

Yes, of course, we will need to talk to you about how you ‘do’ community life and work out what would work well for you, but being married is no bar to doing the School. We recommend you have been married for at least a year before considering participating in the School, but if you’d be interested in signing up as a couple please get in touch with us to discuss it further.