Making a Difference

In the Blackhill/Provanmill area of north east Glasgow, which is 47th on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation list, youth crime has dropped from 116 reported crimes in 2006 to two in 2016.

Much of the credit for this lies with St Paul's Youth Forum, an arm's-length charity which grew out of the youth club of St Paul's Church.

Neil Young, who manages the project, says that its impact is based on ‘listening to young people, saying that we realise this is a problem, and asking what we can do to help'.

"There were a lot of problems with gang violence, and alcohol and drug abuse was rife, so a lot of our energy was directed towards working alongside the community, to create alternative ideas and outlooks."

From a youth night for teenagers once a week, the Youth Forum has mushroomed into a seven-day-a-week operation with clubs for all ages, community youth radio station Bolt FM, residential trips, a food growing and cooking project and more.

All of this, Neil says, is driven by the young people themselves.

"All these bits and pieces stem from the young people's ideas, and we support and nurture them. They are the ones with the power and control, and our staff are there to support the young people's dreams."

"There is a real sense of belonging. Some of the young people are here just about every day."

"We don't bar anyone. We have worked with young people who have caused thousands and thousands of pounds of damage, but we have a message of grace. No matter what they do, we'll say ‘see you tomorrow' – and that's really challenged a number of young people because they are expecting to be excluded."

Source: Thomas Baldwin, Life and Work, written June 2017

Action

• Celebrate young people's role in innovation, entrepreneurship and the Scottish economy as well as making Scotland a greener and more pleasant place to live.
• How can your children and young people contribute ideas to ‘regenerate' your church? What ideas do they have? How can they be involved?
• Is your church an eco-church? How are, or could, young people get involved in this initiative?
• What contribution can your church and young people have to ‘greening' your local community? Campaign for climate change
• How can we celebrate where young people are innovative or showing entrepreneurship?
• Encourage and celebrate youth involvement in community councils and leadership roles at school etc.
• Intergenerational clean up teams to remove litter from surrounding neighbourhood/beauty spots
• Create a social enterprise to meet a need and be self-funding/generate money for another area of ministry
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Action

• What forms of discrimination do your young people face?
• What areas do your young people want to discuss and think more about?
• Are there peace and justice initiatives or campaigns to get involved with?
• With the terrible events that have happened in the world over the past few years, how can we support young people to challenge all forms of prejudice and discrimination and engage with others in peace building?
• The National Youth Assembly in 2017 explored interfaith work. How might your young people explore this?
• Lock-ins or sleeping rough to raise awareness about homelessness and refugees
• Examine the Church's work with those with additional support needs
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Prayer

Dear God,
We pray for all those in our world suffering from racism, sexism and religious discrimination.
For the individuals who are silenced for expressing their beliefs.
For the people who feel marginalized within society.
Please help them remain positive despite physical and psychological strife.
Help them to forgive those who persecute them
or who fail to treat them with respect.

Forgive us, Lord, if we consciously or
unconsciously share in the conditions
or in a system that perpetuates injustice.

Please enlighten all Your disciples
that discrimination does not only come in the form of lowering others
but it demonstrates itself in the process of granting of privileges
to select groups of people as well.
Guide lawmakers and those at the head of government make decisions that
grant all individuals equal status under the law.

Amen.

Source: Kira Kowalczyk, 2015

Deficit vs. Abundance

Starting from a place of deficit we find ourselves succumbing to a survival mentality, trying to do the best we can to ensure we have enough children left to ensure the future of our institution. We begin to focus on what children and young people can bring to the church in the future rather than what they can bring now.

All our efforts go on ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to do the things that we will need them to do when they are adults. We easily forget to see the bigger picture, finding ourselves competing with other congregations in our communities for the few children we do have, thinking there will never be enough to go around.

We start to chase after the magic resource that will change our fortunes, copying what we perceive to be success elsewhere, believing it to be the answer to our problems.

I don't think this is a healthy place to be and it is certainly not helping to bring about the sort of change that I believe God is desiring in our churches

The God I believe in is a God of abundance not of deficit. A God with whom there is always more, a God of hope, a God who desires to see us grow and have life in all its fullness. When we recognise all that God has done and is doing for us we begin to join in, following the Spirits leading, willingly sharing such abundance with others, regardless of age.

Starting from a place of abundance helps us to notice the stories of children who have found love within our church communities, the stories of young people being released from pain and given hope, the stories of adults whose faith has been inspired by the questions and thoughts of children.

Hearing these stories leads us to yearn for more and to being more willing to change what we are doing so that we are in step with the Spirit, leading others to join the party too.

Source: Suzi Farrant, Suzi's blog, written March 2017

Action

• Give young people the chance to influence decisions that affect their lives
• How are young people involved in decisions in the church? How can this be developed?
• How can young people be more involved in the Kirk Session?
• Ask children and young people what they want to do in the groups they attend
• How are young people involved in decisions at Presbytery and national level – can they attend National Youth Assembly or become a General Assembly Youth Rep?
• Can young people share a video of something they are proud of or some challenges they want to share with the wider church?
• To further develop your relationship with your children and young people, find out if any young people or children participate in the decision-making within their school. Are they members of the Pupil Council? Eco Committee? Or any equivalent? Celebrate these achievements with your young people.
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Explore Further

• Watch Suzi Farrant's keynote talk on falling numbers and how to involve young people in church life

Youth Workers Play Vital Role in Church

"I believe children's and youth work, whether paid or voluntary is a vital part of the Church today, because children and young people are a vital part of the life of the Church.

A lot of people say they are the future of our Church - while that is one way of putting it, I believe they, along with the rest of our congregations, are the intergenerational present of our church who all grow in faith together.

I feel the quote by Frank.A.Clark is very accurate, in which he said: ‘There's nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain them to an inquisitive child'."

Source: Gigha Lennox, Children's and Youth Worker at St David's Broomhouse Parish Church

Prayer

Nurturing God,
We pray for all those who work with
and support children and young people
- for those of all ages who give their time, talents and love
to create a place in churches and communities
that can be the foundation of growth,
confidence and a relationship with you.
Amen

Source: Year of Young People Prayer

Action

• The first week of June is National Volunteer Week – can you do something special to celebrate?
• Give thanks and pray for your volunteers during a special service
• Give your volunteers a certificate to recognise their work and contribution
• Show a powerpoint or short video of the youth group's activities throughout the year
• Show photos or videos of all the volunteers involved in your church
• Share stories and examples of what volunteers have done
• Find a creative way to thank the youth leaders and workers
• Project idea: Calculate the approximate number of hours people volunteer within your church
• Don't forget the many volunteers involved through Brigade and other groups using church premises
• Celebrate non-church volunteering e.g. befriending; scouts/guides as also out-working of faith
• Help young people who volunteer to gain recognition through Duke of Edinburgh uniform groups or saltire awards
• Encourage young people to take up leadership roles within their churches
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Action

• What involvement and support can your church give local schools – both staff and pupils?
• How can you further develop and strengthen your relationship with local schools?
• Explore ideas from Serve Your Local School
• How can young people you work with support others in their schools?
• Project idea: anti-bullying campaign in partnership with schools
• Activity idea: online safety discussion
• How can you best support the young people within your church at exam time?
• How can you support young people in transitions from primary to secondary schools or secondary to work/university?
• Get involved in mentorship/reading programmes at local primary schools
• Organise for a school visit to the church as part of their Religious and Moral Education
• Set up Prayer Spaces in a local school
• Help start a Scripture Union in a local school
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Help us to remember that we are all different
in our understanding and their learning.
But we share a common bond with one another,
we are loved by You for our uniqueness and individuality.
We pray for all the children who do not have the privilege
of a free education or a school to go to
due to war or due to poverty.

May we all walk in God's light of compassion and understanding
so that one day we can teach the next generation
the very nature of God himself.
Help our children to use the knowledge and guidance they receive at school
to have the ability to show patience and kindness
to those slower to learn than themselves
and give them the understanding to realise
that God entrusted us all with different talents and abilities.

Amen

Action

• How can young people contribute to plans for a harvest celebration at your church?
• Use Weekly Worship ideas to develop an intergenerational service
• Use Christian Aid or Tearfund ideas for services and plans of action
• Project idea: Discover where food comes from and who produces it
• Explore Fairtrade initiatives
• Project idea: Explore what we can do to combat climate change
• Invite people to have a simple lunch and give money to a charity like Mary's Meals
• Support a local foodbank
• Have a competition to show what people can do to help prevent climate change
• Throw a harvest festival – invite families outwith the Church
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Prayer

Creator God,
We thank You for the mystery of growth
seeds sprouting, trees budding, plants bearing all sorts of fruit
birds nesting, young hatching, taking to flight for the first time
children born, youngsters discovering, maturity honoured.

Living God, we thank You for the mystery of life
hope renewed, purpose realised, progress made.
Redeemer God, we thank You for the mystery of faith
fear overcome, insight unearthed, trust rewarded
commitment expressed, belief put into practice.
God of growth, grace and grain
we gladly offer our thanks in the name of Christ.

Amen

Source: Rev Grant Barclay

Action

Year of Young People 2018 is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing young personalities, talents, and achievers that make up Scotland. It's all about inspiring our nation through its young people's ideas, attitudes and ambitions.

• Share stories and celebrate the great gifts and contributions of your young people yoyp@churchofscotland.org.uk
• What can you celebrate you have done with children and young people during the Year of Young People?
• What changes will last from the Year of Young People?
• Create a celebration board. Encourage people of all ages to add things they are grateful for to the board
• Do your children and young people have other ideas?

Prayer

I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. In Jesus' name,

Amen