BACK PAGE: And this is what I do - John Baxter-Brown, executiveofficer, Churches Together in England

What do you do? My main task is to encourage greater collaboration between Christian denominations and Christian youth work agencies and training organisations. With that aim in mind, I facilitate the Churches Together in England Coordinating Group for Youth Work, which is currently the only forum that enables all national Christian-based organisations to meet.

If the Christian youth work community is among the largest deliverers of youth work in the country, then we certainly should be more strategic in the whats, whys, hows, whos and wheres of our youth work provision.

At the moment, I am trying to promote more research into the Christian youth work scene, particularly in relation to the growing number of full-time Church or agency-based youth workers. I also facilitate a youth forum.

What is your organisation? The ecumenical body set up by the Churches in England to foster greater collaboration and communication.

What's the best thing about your job?

I enjoy travelling and meeting lots of people in all sorts of contexts.

In particular, I hear stories of very exciting and innovative faith-based youth work projects.

What's the biggest headache? Two things: those people who think they work collaboratively but actually simply push their own agenda, and I wish I was much more wise than I am.

Who do you have meetings with?

Mainly with national and regional denominational and agency youth officers, and colleagues in the voluntary and statutory sectors. I also meet regularly with young people, youth workers, trainers, ecumenical workers, church leaders and youth ministry academics.