Summer play worker jobs

We’re looking for a creative and entrepreneurial individual with a passion for helping children and young people across Exeter and the South West of England to explore and respond to the good news of Jesus.  

Location: ½ home-based with travel across the South West Region, ½ based in the ICE office in Exeter, with travel to schools. 

Salary: Scripture Union £27,422 - £27,600 FTE per annum,  ICE Role £24,800 FTE per annum. For part-time appointments, the salary will be calculated pro rata based on the agreed hours and subject to experience. 

Details: Full-time or Part-time options available, Flexible Working

Contract: 2-year fixed term

About the role  

We’re Scripture Union (SU), we’re one of the UK’s longest-established children and youth ministry organisations. We’re working in partnership with Exeter ICE (Initiatives in Christian Education), a schools ministry charity, to offer this unique role to reach many more young people across the South West of England. 

We’re looking for a creative and entrepreneurial individual with a passion for helping children and young people across Exeter and the South West of England to explore and respond to the good news of Jesus. To do this, we’re offering two roles; Schools Worker and Rural Revealing Jesus Pioneer, which could be filled by one person as a full-time role, or two individuals working closely together. 

These unique roles combine the benefits of direct face-to-face engagement with young people in an urban context, delivering assemblies and workshops across Exeter while also developing and mentoring others to expand ministry in more rural contexts across the South West Region. The ideal candidate(s) will have equal passion and experience in both contexts; however, in reality, we accept that candidates may have a greater preference towards one context.   

Important things to note before you apply.   

1. The role(s) will focus on Exeter and the South West of England and will require extensive regular travel across the region. The role(s) offers the opportunity for hybrid working in line with our policy.   

2. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workforce. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from people, regardless of their background.   

3. We take Safeguarding seriously. This role will require a Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service and has an occupational requirement to be filled by a committed Christian, active in church life. Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9 applies.  

A flexible role shaped around you  

These roles are being offered by Scripture Union and ICE; two organisations with a long history of partnership and collaboration. The roles could be combined into one full-time position for one candidate, or filled by two individuals who would work closely together. The positions suit a candidate who enjoys face-to-face interactions with young people locally and strategic work regionally, training others for delivery. You’ll work closely with the ICE team in Exeter and maintain weekly connections with the SU South region team.   

Both roles offer a maximum of 2.5 days per week, with the option to combine into one full-time roles.

Who we’re looking for  

You are someone who loves variety in your work and thrives on the fact that no two days are the same. You value a blend of face-to-face interaction with children and young people while also adopting a facilitating approach, equipping, training, and motivating others. You enjoy the urban city vibe but are also skilled at working in a rural setting.  

You’re a connector who relishes being in schools and the community, with experience in building and leading teams while working with diverse groups of people. Your creative mindset, combined with excellent organisational skills, enables you to spot and create opportunities for impact. You love Jesus and are filled with energy and passion for sharing the gospel. You excel with people and thrive when given a blank canvas to drive projects from conception to completion. You are a confident communicator with experience in training, coaching, and empowering others.  

If this describes you and you would like to join a like-minded organisation that offers the flexibility, provides a competitive salary, a generous pension scheme, and other valuable benefits, then read on.   

Invest in our mission, as we invest in you: Our Benefits:  

This joined-up role with ICE and Scripture Union means being part of two vibrant teams, dedicated to making a real, positive difference in the lives of children and young people. We’re proud to be employers that truly value and support our staff. This role offers the flexibility you need for a healthy work-life balance, alongside a competitive salary. If combined, the role will include a benefits package will combine the offerings of both Scripture Union and ICE regarding annual leave, pensions, life and health insurances, parental leave, bible notes and more. 

About Scripture Union   

You might have heard of us before if you're one of the 1.5 million+ who have attended one of our Christian holidays or missions over the years, or maybe you're one of the 40,000+ subscribers to have used our brilliant devotionals or been stirred by our exceptional bible resources. We've been at this for a fair few years... over 150 to be precise. Over this time, we’ve remained passionate about helping children and young people develop a vibrant faith in Jesus. As our name describes, the radical power of God's word has always been central to our approach.     

We still do all the great stuff with resources and holidays, but in the last few years, we have sharpened our vision with a renewed focus to help the 95% of young people (primary and secondary school age) across the UK who have never stepped foot inside a church, to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus. We do this through equipping and resourcing the local church, training up volunteers from local churches (we call them ‘Faith Guides’) and collaborating with local and national partners across the UK to connect with children and young people and support them on a journey of exploring faith in a way that is relevant and meaningful.   

In the last few years we’ve developed a brand new approach to how we do this, it’s simple and incredibly effective, we call it Revealing Jesus, and its making a massive difference, in the last couple of years we’ve trained up nearly 600 Faith Guides across 400+ churches in England and Wales, collectively we’re seeing over 50,000 young people on a journey of exploring the christen faith and responding to an invitation to become followers of Jesus. We have 24 staff organised into four regional teams, and alongside our local and national partners, we’re playing our part in a network of organisations that seeks to reach children and young people in every context, across every town and city across England and Wales. The journey ahead is significant, and we invite you to be a part of it!  

About ICE   

For the last 36 years, ICE has been working in the schools across Exeter bringing faith to life. We interact with young people throughout their time in school sharing God’s love through our words and actions. We tell stories of what Jesus has done, open the Bible and invite them to consider for themselves who Jesus is and what that means for them.

We work in 20 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and the sixth form college. We connect with roughly 225 children and young people every week through our lunch time and after-school clubs. And over a year will reach around 5,000 young people through assemblies sharing bible stories, biographies of Christian heroes and the good news of Jesus. 

(p.s we also give out about 9,000 biscuits every year too)

We are a charity with a small staff team, and a mighty team of over 40 volunteers who serve with us week in week out to make our work possible.

About your team  

Like many jobs, you will work with lots of different teams in different contexts. With this role, you will have the benefit of being part of both a local-focused team and a second team with a regional focus.

If you take the role as a combined full-time position, you’ll work half-time out of the office of ICE, joining an exceptional team of 3, working face-to-face with young people in Exeter primary and secondary schools and colleges across Exeter, this work is term time only. You will also be a part of the SU South Region team of 5 workers at SU who work across SU’s largest region, from Kent to Cornwall. You’ll contribute your expertise in a variety of settings, ranging from urban and suburban to coastal and rural areas. You’ll have a brilliant time getting acquainted with this rich tapestry of local and national partners. Across the south region, we currently work with 130 churches and have 150 faith guides. We’d like to see these numbers grow significantly over the next few years. And if two candidates split the roles between them, both roles will have close working relationships with the other team. 

The south region includes the south west of England brimming with distinct charm and rich cultural heritage, a tapestry of contrasts, where dramatic coastline and golden beaches seamlessly transition into ancient, brooding moors and vibrant, historic cities and rural towns. We are particularly interested in how sports, arts, and culture can be explored to further enable the mission and would be particularly interested in candidates with expertise in either of these areas. In the south region we have the highest density of Christian holidays and festivals, with events that we organise and run directly and also a variety of festival and missions that we support and partner with, you’ll have a fantastic opportunity each summer to get hands on engaged in these mission and festivals throughout the year. 

Job description  

The official title has two parts School Worker and Rural Revealing Jesus Pioneer. Here’s a brief breakdown of each:   

Schools Worker – ICE  
You will work in and around the city of Exeter as part of the schools team to plan and deliver assemblies, small group work, lunch clubs, and projects for primary and secondary schools to explain Christian faith - this will vary between working closely with colleagues, or working independently. You’ll be planning and filming short videos for occasional assembly viewing, liaising with volunteers from churches who have a connection with a school and liaising with the trustees of the charity in continuing momentum in the work.  

Rural Revealing Jesus Pioneer - SU  
You will work across the south west of England, with a particular focus on rural areas, multiplying your impact through equipping, empowering and mobilising others in outreach work. You’ll add energy, expertise, direction, and skill to the mix. You’ll recruit, motivate, train, equip and support Faith Guides; you’ll work in partnership with this group as well as leading by example, you will model excellent mission delivery to children and young people aligned with SU’s mission.   

Who We're Looking For: Our Ideal Candidate  

We're seeking someone who is not just good at what they do, but also deeply passionate about our mission. Here's what we envision in the right person:  

• A Visionary with Practical Wisdom: You'll be a thoughtful individual who can see the big picture and make smart decisions that genuinely impact our ministry.   

• A Champion for Children and Young People: You'll bring a wealth of understanding about working with young people, be a passionate advocate for their faith journey, be excellent at delivering ministry, and be someone who can clearly articulate your vision.   

• An Inspiring Leader: You'll have a natural ability to connect with people, influence discussions, gently challenge the status quo, and spark new, creative ideas within our networks.   

• Organised and Driven: You're someone who thrives on managing their own work, setting priorities effectively, and skilfully juggling multiple projects.   

• Forward-Thinking: You're able to imagine and pursue ambitious, long-term goals with determination.   

• Spiritually Open and Grounded: You'll be comfortable and accepting of various Christian traditions, worship styles, and expressions of faith. Crucially, you'll have a growing love and understanding of the Bible.   

• Deeply Committed to Faith: You'll have a strong personal commitment to God and live as an active Christian disciple.   

As with all our team members, you will also:  

• Be a committed Christian who resonates with ICE and SU's mission and values, actively participating in a local church community.   

• Strive for a strong understanding of the Bible, applying its teachings to your daily life and inspiring others to do the same.   

Practical Skills You'll Need:  

• You'll be confident and capable in using everyday digital tools like email, social media, and Microsoft Office 365 applications (Word, Excel, Teams).  

• Competent filming and using video editing. (Essential for the schools worker role)   

• Social media strategy - planning and delivery experience (Desirable)   

• Presentation/training skills, Coaching experience (Desirable)   

How to Apply  

If this describes you, and you are in agreement with the aims and beliefs of Scripture Union, then we would like to hear from you. To apply for this role, download a copy of the job profile. You will need to upload your CV (2 A4 pages max) and a covering letter (2 A4 pages max) detailing how your skills and experience reflect the person specification via Charity Jobs. All screening questions provided as part of your application, must be answered.   

 Closing date: 24th July 2025, 10am   

Interview date: 6th & 7th August, 10am – 5pm  

Interview location: ICE Office, Offices 1&2, Riverside Centre, 13-14 Okehampton St,  
Exeter, EX4 1DU  

Whilst we appreciate every application, we regret that we are only able to contact candidates who are shortlisted for an interview. If you do not hear from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful at this time.