schedule

We hope you can make Aurora work for you. Here's how to shape the course...

Aurora can fit into different timetables. The course content requires a minimum of 28 training hours, but can be extended to 31 hours to suit your preference. It could look like one of these options:

  • 14 two hour evening training sessions (28 hours total)
  • 8 two hour evenings and 3 five hour Saturday training sessions (31 hours total)
  • 6 five hour Saturday training sessions (30 hours total)

You can choose when to start the course (it fits well from September to May) and what days to run it on to suit your context. You should give students an equal amount of time between starting a module and when the deadline for the assignments is due. It's important to give students enough time to reflect, read and plan assignments throughout the course - we can help you set your dates.

We find it works well to ensure that each student has the full support of their local church, and a member of their church should act as their line manager / supervisor, whose role is:

  • To line manage the student effectively
  • To provide encouragement, practical support and pastoral support as necessary
  • To undertake one observation per term
  • To ensure that the student has relevant experiences and opportunities to complete a full portfolio over the year.

In Sheffield Diocese, we offer students who complete the Aurora course, the opportunity to be Authorised as a Youth Minister. Authorised Ministers must have a valid DBS certificate (less than 3 years old), they must have completed Leadership Safeguarding training in the last 3 years, they should complete a Lay Ministry Agreement form with their church leader / leadership team and commit to ongoing development training.  Our Authorisation lasts for 3 years before people are invited to be reauthorised by completing those steps again.

In July each year, we hold a St Peter's College Graduation event in Sheffield, where Aurora students from all over the UK and Ireland are invited to bring friends and family to celebrate together.  (Video here of 2019) You can hold your own graduation event, or join us for ours!