Primate appoints co-ordinator for youth initiatives

Judy Steers, program director of Ask and Imagine, a leadership course for youth, has been named co-ordinator of youth initiatives at the national Anglican church office in Toronto, effective March 1. The part-time position, which Ms. Steers will fulfill mainly by working from home in St. Catharines, Ont., is part of Archbishop Andrew Hutchison’s emphasis on reaching out to young people, a priority he articulated when he was elected primate of the Canadian church in 2004. The church’s governing body, General Synod, at its 2004 meeting also identified reaching out to youth as a top priority. Ms. Steers said that she will be working on a national Web site for Anglican youth that will both stand alone and be linked to the national church’s site. The site will be more interactive than the national site, she said, with “blogs, question of the week, discussions.” Ms. Steers, who has built contacts with diocesan youth co-ordinators in connection with the seven-year-old Ask and Imagine program, will also consult with other church departments, such as the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, on youth initiatives. The one-year contract position will be funded partially by a £10,000 ($20,372) grant from Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, based in the United Kingdom, proceeds from a fundraising dinner Archbishop Hutchison hosted in Toronto and donations.