A new campaign has been launched to encourage young people to help shape the church of the future and stand in elections, which has seen interest from a Weymouth local.

The Diocese of Salisbury has launched the Church Changemaker campaign which will look to capture the views of those who have served on the synod and features the voices of young people that wish to stand in the forthcoming diocesan synod elections.

Taking place in May and June this year, nominations for those who would like to stand in the elections is now open.

The diocesan synod is the body that shapes policies and makes decisions about the future direction of the Church of England in the region.

Recent debates have included net zero and climate justice, the vision and strategy for the next 10 years and prayers for the blessings of same sex couples.

Taizé Haine, from Weymouth, is hoping to stand in her area. She said: “I think that it is really important for young people to stand.

“The younger generation get to see what is happening now, and in the future, and provide a new perspective which needs to be heard.”

It will also seek to emphasize the valuable CV boosting skills that can be gained by standing for Synod, including debating, shaping policy, advocacy and financial scrutiny.

Rev. Leila Mather from Charminster is currently on the synod. She said: “I think we need a greater diversity of voices on synod, both younger and from different walks of life, because we can’t have decisions being made on synod that aren’t being contributed to by the people who are going to be affected by them in the long term.”

Chaplain to the deaf and hard of hearing community in the diocese, Rev Neil Robinson, from Salisbury, wants to encourage people with different experiences to stand. He said: “Our contribution is incredibly valuable. Historically, people have looked at disabled people and thought, you can’t really do anything and that is wrong.

“We should be proud to represent deaf people and the deaf community in my job as a priest.

To stand for the election, candidates must be over the age of 16 and a part of a local church in the diocese. The Diocese of Salisbury covers a wide area from the North Wessex Downs to the Channel Islands- serving one million people. Each area elects representatives to synod.

The Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Stephen Lake, said: “We need more people involved in the life of their local churches to bring their voices to Synod, to enrich our vision.

“Synod is the place where people who care about the Church and its impact on our communities and the wider world debate passionately and set our future direction. If we don’t hear from people, then we are less able to serve everybody. I hope by sharing more widely the impact that people can have on Synod, and the skills that are earned by members, will encourage more people to put themselves forward.”

You can find resources and information about the campaign on the website www.salisbury.anglican.org, including nomination forms. Nominations close by 27 May.