Human and Social Studies Religious and Ethical Foundations of Society

Engaging Children In Faith Community Ministry Training

SAQA US 116755 | NQF 4 | Credits 10 | Duration 7 Days
From $1,523 per delegate

Description

This course equips faith community leaders and volunteers with practical skills to meaningfully engage children in ministry activities. Participants will learn child-appropriate communication, safety protocols, and developmental approaches to foster spiritual growth in a nurturing environment.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply child development principles to design age-appropriate faith learning experiences.
  • Implement safety and safeguarding policies to protect children in ministry settings.
  • Demonstrate effective communication techniques that engage children in faith discussions.
  • Analyze diverse family and cultural contexts to adapt ministry approaches.
  • Evaluate the impact of ministry activities on children's spiritual and social development.
  • Design inclusive programs that respect children's rights and encourage participation.

Target Audience

This course is designed for pastors, youth leaders, Sunday school teachers, and volunteers involved in children's ministry within faith communities.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, participants should have a basic understanding of their faith community's values and practices.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Faith Community Ministry with Children

Objectives:
• Define faith community ministry and its role in children's spiritual development.
• Identify key principles of child development relevant to faith formation.
• Explore the theological basis for including children in faith communities.
• Understand the ethical and legal framework for working with children in South Africa.
• Recognise the diversity of children's contexts in South African faith communities.

Topics:
• Introduction to Unit Standard 116755
• What is faith community ministry?
• Child development theories (Piaget, Erikson, Fowler)
• Theological perspectives on children in the faith community
• Children's rights and safeguarding policies (Children's Act 38 of 2005)
• Understanding children's diverse backgrounds (cultural, economic, family structures)

Day 2: Understanding Children's Spiritual Development

Objectives:
• Describe stages of faith development according to Fowler.
• Analyse how children's spirituality is expressed at different ages.
• Discuss the role of imagination and wonder in children's faith.
• Identify factors that nurture or hinder children's spiritual growth.
• Apply developmental insights to ministry planning.

Topics:
• Fowler's stages of faith development
• Spirituality in early childhood (0-6 years)
• Spirituality in middle childhood (7-12 years)
• Spirituality in adolescence (13-18 years)
• The role of play, art, and storytelling in faith formation
• Barriers to spiritual development (trauma, neglect, over-scheduling)

Day 3: Designing Child-Friendly Worship and Learning Experiences

Objectives:
• Plan age-appropriate worship elements for children.
• Design interactive learning activities that engage children biblically.
• Integrate music, drama, and creative arts into children's ministry.
• Adapt existing curriculum to suit local context.
• Evaluate resources for theological and developmental appropriateness.

Topics:
• Elements of child-friendly worship (prayer, music, story, response)
• Creative Bible teaching methods (object lessons, drama, storytelling)
• Using music and movement with children
• Arts and crafts as faith expression
• Curriculum adaptation for South African contexts
• Evaluating children's ministry resources

Day 4: Building Relationships and Community with Children

Objectives:
• Develop strategies for building trusting relationships with children.
• Facilitate peer relationships and community among children.
• Involve children in intergenerational faith community activities.
• Mentor children in leadership and service.
• Address challenging behaviours with grace and discipline.

Topics:
• Building rapport and trust with children
• Creating a safe and inclusive environment
• Facilitating small groups for children
• Intergenerational ministry models
• Children as leaders and servants
• Positive discipline and conflict resolution with children

Day 5: Partnering with Families and the Wider Community

Objectives:
• Identify ways to support families in faith formation at home.
• Develop effective communication with parents and caregivers.
• Collaborate with community organisations serving children.
• Plan family-friendly events and outreach.
• Address challenges such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, and single-parent households.

Topics:
• The role of the family in faith formation
• Parent-child faith activities for home
• Communicating with parents effectively
• Building partnerships with schools and NGOs
• Outreach to vulnerable children and families
• Supporting families in crisis

Day 6: Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Children's Ministry

Objectives:
• Develop a vision and mission for children's ministry.
• Create a strategic plan with goals and objectives.
• Implement a budget and manage resources.
• Recruit and train volunteers.
• Evaluate ministry effectiveness and make improvements.

Topics:
• Vision and mission statements for children's ministry
• Strategic planning process
• Budgeting and resource management
• Volunteer recruitment, training, and retention
• Monitoring and evaluation tools
• Continuous improvement and feedback loops

Day 7: Integration, Reflection, and Action Planning

Objectives:
• Synthesise learning from the week into a personal ministry philosophy.
• Develop a concrete action plan for implementing children's ministry.
• Reflect on personal growth and areas for further development.
• Present action plans for peer feedback.
• Commit to ongoing professional development and networking.

Topics:
• Creating a personal ministry philosophy statement
• Action planning template and goal setting
• Peer presentations and feedback
• Networking and support structures
• Continuing education opportunities
• Celebration and commissioning

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Thu 10 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Wed 30 Sep 2026 Thu 08 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Tue 20 Oct 2026 Wed 28 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Tue 08 Dec 2026 Wed 16 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,523 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Tue 19 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,523 Register
Fri 19 Feb 2027 Mon 01 Mar 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,523 Register
Thu 04 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,523 Register
Wed 10 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,523 Register
Tue 16 Mar 2027 Wed 24 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,523 Register
Mon 07 Jun 2027 Tue 15 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,523 Register
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Thu 22 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,523 Register
Wed 08 Sep 2027 Thu 16 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,523 Register
Tue 28 Sep 2027 Wed 06 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,523 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Tue 26 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,523 Register
Tue 07 Dec 2027 Wed 15 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Tue 04 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
Fri 21 Jan 2028 Mon 31 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 18 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $5,929 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Wed 19 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,607 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Wed 19 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $4,525 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Thu 20 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,769 Register
Thu 13 Aug 2026 Fri 21 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $5,929 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Fri 18 Sep 2026 Mon 28 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Thu 08 Oct 2026 Fri 16 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Wed 28 Oct 2026 Thu 05 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Wed 16 Dec 2026 Thu 24 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Tue 19 Jan 2027 Wed 27 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Mon 22 Feb 2027 Tue 02 Mar 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Fri 12 Mar 2027 Mon 22 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Thu 18 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 24 Mar 2027 Thu 01 Apr 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 15 Jun 2027 Wed 23 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 05 Jul 2027 Tue 13 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Fri 30 Jul 2027 Mon 09 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Thu 16 Sep 2027 Fri 24 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 06 Oct 2027 Thu 14 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 26 Oct 2027 Wed 03 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 15 Dec 2027 Thu 23 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 04 Jan 2028 Wed 12 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 24 Jan 2028 Tue 01 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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