Tag: ABCD

Confessions of a young youth minister (1) Community prayer walking

On By JamesIn Discipleship, Youth ministry, Youthwork Methods1 Comment

So , there I was, armed with 5 years of lived in youth ministry from a middle class, midlands based evangelical church, and a weeks worth of ‘training’ , with a group of three other gap year students, landed in a ‘tough’ estate in the north east of England for a year, the year 1996. A year to ‘do mission’ a year to ‘do youth ministry’ a year to ‘redeem Hartlepool’ , a year to support the local church.

Or so I thought.

So what did we do? What did I do as the ‘team leader’ ?

There are probably many more confessions of a young youth minister that could be just ‘confessions of an Oasis Frontliner’ but most of them created the rule changes internally, rather than cause too much angst and shame. There probably are other stories to tell, but this one is the first, and involves something known as prayer walking..

The first month, of an 8 month gap year that I was on, was shaped as being a time to ‘get to know’ the neighbourhood – it would be what I would suggest takes a year to do in a 3-5 year plan, but we had a month in a gap year of 8 months, and if I remember rightly we did have some kind of community profile task to do, which meant in the days before the internet, a trip to the library and looking at local history, and trying to talk to a few people.

One of the ways we thought we would do this was to do some ‘prayer walking’ around the community. So, as team, we figured out routes, maps and pairs, and armed with 4 versions of evangelical faith (from prophetic, to charismatic to anglican) we set out on a prayer walk, not just ‘a’ walk – but a prayer walk.

Our aims for it were complex and ambitious, they were either to get to know the estate/ remove the estate of demons/ pray for those who looked like they needed it/ lay hands on difficult areas/ and to publicly pray out loud in places so that people might just ‘see the love of God’ in action.

Yes we were going for all of these.

At least, those where all the rhetoric in the prayers before all the walking starting, as we energised ourselves by praying louder and more enthusiastic before we left the house. Not only that but probably add a small dose of revival, blessing and long term generational change by our obedient walking actions, were all reverently called down to the Lord above for.

So we walked.

And oh my, do I cringe now.

I confess to standing and laying hands on the graffiti on a toilet block in the recreation ground, and feeling a ‘spirit’ of oppression in the parks and football pitches and going full jugular, crying before the Lord in angst at the lack of Godliness in the place. As we walked, in mournful prayerful attitude I remember how we would look for all the signs of where God wasnt in the place, where there was so obvious needs, like half naked 6 yr old boys on bike with no shoes on, like the graffiti, and any item that we could interpret as being not godly. The tattoo shop was one, as was the betting shop, we made assertions about some houses, that were probably not merited.

Strange that the middle class, privately owned houses seemed to have less demons around them.

Then we discovered the loose cassette tape.

We started to find cassette tape around the estate, and equated this, after much careful research and ‘amateur demonic prayer insight’ that the cassette tape was laid down by local witches who were marking their evilness around by use of loose cassette tape. From then on, for the next 7 months , any walking around the estate involved picking up cassette tape, that we ‘knew’ had demonic music on it (it wasnt video tape), and then the more we picked up, the more that got left. We saw it everywhere.

We became cassette tape warriors for the estate.

As I look back, over 20 years, with a mixture of shame and embarrassment at being the first month into a voluntary gap year with a large evangelical organisation in the mid 1990’s, I confess that it wasnt the organisation that encouraged us to do this specific thing, it wasnt its values, it was us, it was me.

Saving others and fixing others was what I thought I had to do, and part of the prayer walking, I realise, was to identify all the areas in the community where I, we, or God could fix, solve or redeem. Also, that I, and our team were the called people to help God identify the right areas to start this.

I imagine God laughing at us going, ‘it was just a play park’ whilst I was praying the demons out of an abandoned slide or swings that had been broken. At the time, I thought I was seeing like God was seeing, brokenness, hurt and evil – what I ignored was how things could be seen as good, hopeful and already a place where God was at work. I was only seeing the community in a way that gave me more work to do to fix it.

Also I was, and as a team we were, doing our best to justify our existence in a place, and my word we must have looked so odd, so out of place, and despite a few young people we did get to know, because none of our high aims were met, it was easy to go about judging the estate as a hard one, a tough one, and one in which the witches with the cassette tape had claimed as their own. Better to do that than think that we might have been wrong.

So yeah, confessions of a very young ‘Oasis Frontliner’ or volunteer youth minister, a tale from the mid nineties, a tale of ‘community profiling’ that was all sorts of weird, coupled with a mess of mid nineties post ‘toronto blessing, midst of vineyard power evangelism’ state in the UK, and one fresh faced me, wanting to save the world.

There might be more to follow….actually…I think its fairly likely….

What happens when the ‘free gifts’ (during the pandemic) disappear?

On By JamesIn Mission, Youthwork MethodsLeave a comment

Imagine if you will the distant tropical island, remote, isolated, some might say disengaging with society, think of its green trees, natural resources, and the civilisation that has lived there for centuries. The civilisation that does what it does already to survive, labours in the land, uses resources for shelter and warmth, and knows how to maintain the island, because by doing so knows that they survive on an island which thrives.

Imagine the cultures, the festivals, the rhythms of the island. The patterns of life per day, per week, per month. The way it orders itself around the weather, the moon and the seasons, should it have them.

It might not feel like paradise to you as you read this on a screen, with technology, but normal life for that island habitant is likely to feel a kind of authenticity and paradise.

It would be easy to describe what it might be like for this perfect idyllic nation to be destroyed by invaders and have narratives about that invasion become pervasive to the point of nationalism and narcissism. But that story is too well known, and is too explicit for this Island.

What if instead an invasion doesnt happen, but that the island is passively used instead?

On a corner of its land, is a beach, a harbour, where boats leave to catch fish, and that harbour is mid way between two warring nations, and so, one nation uses that harbour as a stop off.

The boats from one of these nations land. Its aeroplanes drop cargo from a newly laid runway.

Its Soldiers and crew become familiar in the place.

The natives wonder what all the equipment is, it was nothing they have ever seen.

They wonder where all the food arrives from that seems to come for free

The natives even wonder if these people in uniform had a religious or sacred affinity, given that their goods arrived with little or no work attached to it.

The Soldiers were respectful and shared their goods to the natives, in abundance at times, food, clothing, tools, materials

Until that is

When the war between the nations ended.

The troops went home. In Jubilant celebration, returning as war heroes to their land. And took all their equipment back.

Leaving the Island paradise bereft of its new found resources.

What might the Island community then do?

To invoke the Gods that they attributed who gave these goods, via the troops, they initiated the same religious sacred militaristic rituals, with devastating effect. The Island Paradise was lost forever.

I wonder.

Who are the Island community, and who do they represent?

Who are the troops? and what is the effect?

In his book ‘Rekindling Democracy’ Cormac Russell writes:

When we reflect on the language that is often used around communities in the face of austerity, they are not too dissimilar to that raised by the story of the US troops and the inhabitants of Tanna Island.

It is not uncommon to hear such partisan and bigoted statements against economically marginalised people such as:

1. They have learned an unhealthy dependence on outside aid, they need to learn to stand on their own two feet and stop looking for handouts

2. They are fundamentally orientated towards materialism and have lost touch with wholesome traditions and values that have helped people get out of poverty for generations

3. Their lack of sophistication and education has caused them to misread the situation and place unrealistic expectations on the benevolence of outsiders – they are now passing this dependency on to their children

4. They are being guided by local leaders who are abusing the situation for their own selfish ends; knowing the cargo will never come, they still use their charismatic leadership style to convince their followers otherwise

5. They are feckless; while they wait for cargo, they could at least engage in constructive activity, they do not proving that they are lazy.

In short it is all their fault

Cormac Russell, Rekindling Democracy (2020)

Cormac wonders whether we have all been subjects of a ‘Cargo Cult’ at some point in our lives, and the extent to which in western materialistic society the marches of materialism are the same as what are seen in shopping centres. What I would add, is the level of projection that the statements above often carry too.

Looking at the troops? Were they in the wrong?

Maybe it’s what they saw, and didnt see. They viewed their goods as riches to share, amongst people they thought had none, but didn’t see a community that had riches that weren’t goods. By being not of the industrialist world, the islanders had perfectly survived and more than so. The islanders had organised and had abundance.

The troops saw only deficits in the society and they sought to address this with ‘goods’ from the cargo, and it made them feel good to do so. ‘We have the cargo, you have deficits and ignorance, we can help you’. The Troops mapped the terrain, based on their own prejudgments and values and acted accordingly.

The islanders then saw themselves not as rich and resourceful, but insufficient and in need of more cargo, they lost sight of what they once had. What they turned to was an expectation that another large grey metal ship would save them in the future. They became in need of rescue from the outsider.

But could the islanders have refused the cargo? Could you?

I ask myself, Have I ever been the Soldier arriving with cargo? – what did I see when I first went to a community? Have I fallen into the trap of seeing young people in need of my rescue? What of a community or an estate? Am I in it to bless it with cargo from the outside? What might that do to it? What resources in a community have I not seen?

What do I need to see differently? And…what about you?

What about now, its not the paradise of an island – but 18 months down the line of a pandemic? When food distribution is at an all time high, and universal credit payments about to be reduced again…what has dependency looked like and felt like- and what happens next?

What does the story of the Cargo Cult do for you? Does it prompt? provoke? And why? Do share below

Ill include some of Cormac further reflections in my next piece…

From Isolation to Community; 5 questions with Author Jenni Osborn

On By JamesIn Context, Youthwork, Youthwork management, Youthwork Methods, Youthwork StoriesLeave a comment

From Isolation to Community: Youth Work in the Covid Era and Beyond by [Jenni Osborn]

 

 

In the month of the release of her new book, From Isolation to Community: Youthwork in the Covid era and beyond, I caught up with my friend Jenni Osborn to ask her about what the book is about, and what readers of it can expect, here are my 5 questions with Jenni I hope you enjoy!

So Jenni, What’s It About?

The book is about youth work during covid, it tells the story of what youth workers up and down the country have been doing during the pandemic to keep in contact with and sustain relationships with the young people they have been working with. I spoke to a lot of those working with young people in different contexts, some of whom were friends and others who responded to the various cries for help on social media! All of whom were inspiring in some way or other. I reflect on the work, and also begin to talk about what needs to happen next. It’s really hard to see where this pandemic might end, or at least how we might learn to live with it as we do for flu or other highly infectious diseases. But we can begin to consider what sort of a world we want to rebuild and hopefully I’ve begun this conversation.

What prompted you to write it?

It was actually because I began a podcast in the summer of 2020, with the theme of supporting those who support young people and so was talking to many amazing youth workers who were telling me their stories about the work they had carried on doing all through the pandemic. I began to think that someone should try and capture the stories. I had been considering writing another book, after the Grove Booklet on Mental Health and Young People which was published in 2019, and this felt like the right time to do that. It all came together very quickly in the end.

and what did you discover?

One of the things that really stood out to me was just how fascinating it is to hear the stories of what has been happening. My aim was to gather these but I hope that being given the opportunity to tell the story was encouraging for each of the people I spoke to, and I hope that reading about what others have been doing is inspiring. Some of my favourite stories have included hearing a real life ‘School of Rock’ story of how a youth worker new in post at the start of the pandemic inadvertently ended up taking on the youth band and this has broken down all sorts of barriers; then also the groups running in Cardiff who were given seeds to begin growing in their own gardens or window boxes and who have ended up growing food that the young people never thought they would do, this organisation have been given a ‘secret garden’ in the grounds of Cardiff Castle to create an allotment/garden and I would love to go and see what they’re doing!

Was it all just food deliveries and zoom? 

Of course, across the different organisations there were both similarities and differences. The provision of food in one form or another was a strong theme, as were doorstep deliveries of packages, as was the ubiquitous Zoom. There was a surprising mix of response to using Zoom – some groups had found it almost impossible to engage any of their young people through video conferencing whereas others found that it broke down some of the barriers around accessibility for young people to join in with something they might otherwise have struggled to attend.

I talk in the book about the different ‘ways’ of doing online youth work. I think it’s important to note that online does not always mean video conferencing calls in small groups but can also mean streaming content via Instagram or YouTube, it might mean producing Reels or TikTok videos, Facebook Lives or interaction through any number of gaming platforms or indeed using Discord, which is a 3rd party chat app, to call friends whilst gaming. There is no question that ‘online’ youth work is now an essential part of our youth work practice and I don’t think we should drop this entirely in favour of face to face, unmediated by screens and servers. A balance is required however, because there is no doubt that human beings were created for eye to eye contact, physical interaction and the warmth of in close proximity community, much of which is impossible with online interaction.

What about outdoor youthwork, wasn’t it safer than inside? 

I also talk about outdoor education or youth work – ostensibly this has been the preserve of the Scouts, Guides plus the myriad of other uniformed organisations and adventure organisations like The Outward Bound Trust. I think this is something we all need to consider, not just because it’ll be the most ‘covid secure’ way of getting together for some time to come, but also because of what someone else recently described to me as the ‘magical idea of young people going for a walk with a trusted adult’. Being outdoors in the natural world is good for us, on so many levels, we’ve been broadly discouraged from being outdoors and seeing other people for the past year and that will have taken its toll on us all, including young people whose residual fitness levels might have dropped through the floor, whose anxiety levels about being outside and possibly ‘bumping into’ other people have gone the other way, right through the ceiling. As a long-time champion of young people’s sense of wellbeing, these things trouble me and while we have the opportunity to begin to think about what our youth work might look like in the immediate future, we ought to be considering these things.

and where can we find your book?

It’s available in Kindle format on Amazon here soon to be available in paperback format too!

 

Thank you for sharing this Jenni, do buy her book and enjoy reading the experiences of other youth workers in the UK in the last year, in a way its a historical snapshot of youthwoork at this time. From Isolation to Community , how youth workers responded during this time. If Covid has prompted and urged a development of community, in a time when youth work had started to revolve around individuals, case working and certification, then a push to community and awareness of this importance may just be a good thing.

A Theology of Human Kind-ness (Part 2)

On By JamesIn Context, Discipleship, MissionLeave a comment

This is the second part in a series on reflecting on Human kind by Rutger Bregman, and taking note of what it might mean theologically to consider the Human condition in a more realistic way. The first part is here.  In this second part, I want to look at the final chapters of Bregmans book, as if to complete a theological survey of his key themes, and develop maybe in this part, or the next will reflect on the nature of humanity as described biblically, and wonder how we got here.

Continuing the story from part one. ..

The Gods that were once needed to control large populations into acting a certain way, build temples, moral behaviour – changed since the enlightenment, according to Bregman (p245-246) as the principle controlling force in most peoples lives become the growth of the state, post enlightenment. As a result, Business was more inclusive, trade was universal. Belief in a vengeful God diminished. As Christian leaders, we might do very well to reflect on power in those leadership positions, especially where structures are manipulated to maintain power in an unhealthy way.

Few counties, says Bregman, still defer to the ruling eye of God, and The pope instead espouses  ‘a revolution of tenderness’.  God lost his job to baureocrats. Enlightenment was not the cosy end game however, as Bregman argues, wealth and money became de facto, and thinking within it espoused not only a sense that people were to be not trusted; Hume believing that we should act as though people have a selfish nature. It also gave rise to racsim. Something that probably only this week we are starting to reflect and dismantle in any serious way. Hopefully.

Moving on, as this isn’t a sociological essay…

Bregman pulls on significant religious metaphor in his final section. Beyond thinking about a new realism, where people are kinder that we think.

‘Turn the other cheek’ could not be a closer theological reference if it tried. Albeit, this is a concept found in most religions, like the golden rule.

If you want a number of sermon illustrations for this, then look no further.  What Bregman does in these chapters is describe the pre conceived judgements organisations have on people, and then outlines other organisations who have taken a different path. To treat the worst prisoner with respect, and surprisingly it reduces reoffending rates. Schools that encourage play, creativity and individuality that have better results, and less ADHD… Its about how we believe in people.

To be kinder. We have to have contact with people.  Distance breeds prejudice and fear. This has been proved with countless studies. From a theological view point, its interesting that the incarnation is about human contact with God, and vice versa… God was one of us. It’s fascinating. At a time when civilisations we’re on the verge of a new way of being, humanity needed a new way of relating to God. One that befit their new settled status. One that reviewed the old laws. One that was different. There is more to say.

There are a few more references with the book in which Bregman draws on principles from Christianity, and using them in a way which constructs a new way of thinking and being, one that befits the kind of humans we actually are.

He doesnt duck the question about what about bad people, and what causes these things, from German fighters in the wars, to terrorists and racists.. as well as those who vote in ways that might seem at odds with common sense.. most people, he says, have to believe that what they are doing is for good, even if it is in fact an evil act. No one objectively steals, but if its a loaf of bread to feed their family. And this is in the book of proverbs.

It is a compelling argument.

What surprises me is that this seems so alien. So unreal to anything that been taught. But that doesnt make it wrong.  The actual real evidence is all around us, its that we’ve have been trained or blinded not to look. Kids and families play with their dogs on the beach and its fabulous and they make rainbows and have got on with homeschooling, people volunteer, support each other, people are friends and help each other through personal challenges, we do all these things, quite naturally, because actually we’re good people.  but people being good doesnt make good TV, unless its framed by a charity telethon, or its DIY SOS and it makes people cry. But DIY SOS happens all the time. We are more communal than we think. Its only the one story of crime that makes us rethink. Because…. it’s so unusual, and it’s newsworthy.

So. What about the Human Condition and Faith?

That’s for part 3.

This is the filling part two of the trilogy. Its the journey from Ravendell to the two towers where nothing much happens.

Maybe its time to think about – How much of the activities of our churches, how much is geared around a negative view of humanity?

and where does this come from, and what is lost if this changes?

One where – ‘we have to save them’ – that ‘they’ are ‘all’ _________

And think, as I said in part 1, about Sin, and also Shame, and how this is used to manipulate, engender behaviour, that is codependant and humiliates in the face of damaging and unhealthy leaders. Some of what is written, especially to young people, is so damaging, and permeates such an unhealthy view of them as a person, that is harmful.  Its so bad that when anyone actually talks to and with a young person and gives them respect, then they’re surprised. Because that’s closer the reality.

Theres as many, if not more rainbows and banners supporting the NHS in the ‘so called’ poor estates of the north east. No one has the monotony on goodness and kindness. The challenge is that Bregman places the finger at the rich, the aloof, the distant, the leaders, and suggests that its from this place of privilege and powerful entitlement (whether media or politician) that irresponsibility, sociopathy and narcissism lay. Where they couldn’t believe that people can be good. How much in the church, is then geared around a ‘them’ and ‘us’ where we expect so little of others, and treat people as a number or a project.

You don’t need me to repeat what I’ve said before. And even if we think we are treating people well, Bregmans examples highlight ways that we can do even better.

But as Bregman encourages. Its actually the reality. Its time to believe in actually what we see with our eyes, when our eyes aren’t on a TV screen.

His book is about ‘A Hopeful History’ and, whilst it expands a look at humanity that might not be perpetuated in the Bible, it probably is there if we look for it. And, if nothing else, it means that we can be hopeful in our humanity, less cynical, and be more assured. As christians we can be doubly hopeful. It’s both. Hopeful that Humans are better than we think, and it takes work continually trying to convince ourselves that we’re not, or act like that, and also that Hope, Love, Charity, Goodness and kindness are closer to our core. Closer to the real us, closer to the people we are made to be.

People are better that we think, people are good, and decent most of the time, Crisis times confirm it, and the poorest are in crisis all the time.

I remember as a detached youthworker going to the local skatepark. The oldest young person there saw us, checked us out, and then gave us a tour, who was who, who did what, and how they all self regulated and looked after the place, how they carried each other to ambulances and went to hospitals after accidents. Its amazing what communities of people do. Supporting each other after being treated appallingly by the police who had no contact with them. Why was I surprised at the depth of cooperation of this groups of young peopler?  had I read Lord of the flies? no, but its easier to be convinced that other people aren’t good to make us feel better, and yet in reality.. And this story is everywhere.

So, that’s it for a short ish part two.

Part 3 next week:

Guest Post: Has the Coronavirus revealed kindness? (or is it the norm?)

On By JamesIn Context, Youthwork1 Comment

After I had been reading Human kind (2020) , and talking about it alot, I invited Teresa Driver from the Annexe and Dyke House Big Local in Hartlepool, to share some of her experiences of what life and work has been like as a community worker in the Dyke House area of Hartlepool, the north east of England.

I was keen to find out from her, what had been revealed about the kindness of people during the last few months:

Here in Dyke House the people are great, they look out for each other.  During this pandemic I have witnessed and heard of so, so many acts of kindness.  I am not surprised though, people around here did not need a pandemic to express their kindness, they demonstrate it everyday.

In a community like ours people are used to handling a crisis as they experience them on a weekly basis.  But, they get on with it.  They look out for each other.   People share their food, go to the shops for their neighbours, support local events and organise day trips.

When the bingo hall closed for lockdown 2020 we organised an online bingo session.  The 2nd bingo session was led by a resident and it went from strength to strength.  We do not occupy the space anymore, we don’t need to, residents have organised

Image may contain: plant, outdoor and nature, text that says "PARDON THE WEEDS WE ARE FEEDING #MakeDykeHouseBeautiful #MakeDykeHouseBeautiful THE BEES"

We’ve all sewn 900 sunflower plants out there!   People will have them in their gardens and they will look beautiful.  This community will shine.   Lots of children and young adults have been growing vegetables for the first time and we have had some lovely images sent to us.

Image may contain: flower, plant and outdoor

We get food donated that is destined for landfill.  We have been putting it outside on tables so people can choose what they take.  We said to them,   if you touch it take it, be kind and stay the journey.  You always will get one or two people who appear to be taking too much, too often, but a conversation with these people or a light challenge from a resident normally resolves this. But it’s one or two out of hundreds per week.

Image may contain: food and outdoor

One resident in a vulnerable group rang as they had a rash but did not have the digital equipment needed to do what the GP was asking.  I called on a resident, who at a safe distance, over the garden fence, held her breath and took a photo.  The photo was sent to me and I forwarded it to the GP.  The rash was treated!

Adam Garrinton and Callum Atter rode 32 miles from Newcastle Football ground to Victoria Park, Hartlepool to raise funds for a local group Minds for Men, a new project in Hartlepool.  Adam wanted so much to do this after losing his dad back in 2012.  Total raised of a £350 target is £1,680.

 

I think that where we have seen new acts of kindness in communities we sustain it by celebrating it.  We talk about what was good and what is what it feels like to be good to others.  People love helping people.  Kindness will win over this virus.

Be kind.  Always.

I am so grateful to Teresa for sharing these stories. Because, the best thing about these examples?  They’re repeated all over the place, or at least they can be, and the many 1000 that occur often go unnoticed. But they happen.

They happen because being kind is more close to what most people are actually like.

Yet, it’s as if there’s a kindness fatigue, or amnesia. So normal they’re not newsworthy, its easier to focus on the absurdly awful. When it comes down to it, were more normally kind than we think we are.

Kindness has been revealed in the virus, its far easier to be kind, how might it catch on and become contagious?  But kindness and human cooperation and goodness is already there… maybe we just haven’t seen it as well until now.

What do you think?

Why not spread and share the love and tell your story of kindness below in the comments?  I’d love to share them in another piece next week.

 

Many Thanks to Teresa from the Annexe and Dyke House Big Local,  you can see more of the work of the Wharton Trust at This link  and her details are there.

For more on Human Kind, by Rutger Bregman (2020) do view my previous pieces, and part 2 of my series on The Theology of Human-kind ness will be published on Monday. 

How might churches continue the human goodness project- beyond the virus?

On By JamesIn Book Reviews, Discipleship, Mission1 Comment
Rainbows painted, Care for neighbours, food bank distributing, too many volunteers, council support hubs, NHS clapping, other people giving 2m distance, business giving away freebies, homemade PPE..
Coronavirus: Rainbows in windows to spread joy - CBBC Newsround

and the fury of good people when leaders acted hypocritically..(the Cummings story that cut through..)

Tell you something.

Its going to be difficult for churches to ignore the goodness and kindness of the fellow humans in the community from now. Call its the Blitz spirit, or the Corona spirit for 2020.

Nothing worse for esteemed leaders, unaware of human endeavour, than people being good, people showing their actual true colours.

How many friends have you gained since lockdown? How many neighbours have you spoken to? How many strangers are less strangers than before?

There was no breakdown of society. There was no looting or riots, there was a better reaction to lockdown than aloof leaders expected.

People underneath were good. It wasn’t a veneer.

What if this is what we have learned in the crisis?  That people are good?

All people.

There is a question around the future of the church at the moment, there has been a question about the future of the church for as long as there are people wondering about the future of the church. But, I wonder, if there are things that have been reflected on in the midst of this profound time, this collective human experience, it is that the awakening of the goodness of people.

And as I said in my previous blog, this isn’t new. Its more that it surprises us because we gave up on that idea because its too naive. Or that we give too much credence to those who promote negative news about humanity in our lives, the media. For every 1 profile man who broke his own rules, there’s 15,000 rainbows in the windows. But they arent news any more. Its the norm.

Why did we stop believing in it? Maybe as a church we hid away. Inside houses and buildings. For too much of the time. Ask a community worker what they learned in their first year is that ‘people surprised them’ because they didn’t expect them to serve, to give, to be generous. Yeah. When we’re in the midst of people, when we have contact with them, we’re surprised that they’re good. they are better than we expected. Closer contact revealed behaviour. Not expected because often a negative view is rife for funding, ministry and so that people can maintain a saviour complex by pre narrating negativity human views.

So, in the future of the church – what if its a place to realise that people are already and inherently good?

How might the goodness project, revealed during the collective crisis continue?

What might the church do to be for the good, to be more fully human, to promote human dignity?

And , if churches are places where the good is recovered, and this is closer to the core of our Human nature, then this becomes a personal and collective redeeming act.

And yes.

Agreed.

There are already places of human goodness. Of course there are, and churches are already facilitators and empowers of this. From the list above, and so much more.

But if we believed that people are good first, and wanting to be good, then how might this be part of the new world. How might this experience be maintained.  And its not the media view, the distrustful politics, the ‘glad its all over and we can go to macdonalds’ view of this.

At the end of Rutger Bregmans bestselling book Humankind (2020), he says the following.

Kindness is catching. And its so contagious that even infects people who merely see it from afar (2020, p396)

For so long shame has filled the corridors of the church. A view of humanity plagued by things like Sin and evil and corruption. When most of this is already in the church, less outside. Maybe its time to love the world as Jesus said in John 3:17.

Believing in the world. Believing in Humanity, after all, Jesus was one once.

Might a question that shapes the future of the church be the following?

If the coronavirus revealed human kindness (like every tragedy does) – How might wee believe this to be really what Humans are all about?

and

What might it be for church in the future to promote and celebrate the human dignity, courage, goodness and kindness that has been revealed?

Maybe the first thing is host a local gallery of every single rainbow that’s been drawn in the local community.  Communities are already full of hope.

The poorest communities have as many rainbow banners. Ive cycled past them.  Nothing less good whether you have money.

Something that united people might be worth keeping.

If churches counter prevailing narratives about humanity, then theyre more truer to the view of humanity that God might have.

And if we’re just not sure… then maybe if we hope for the best and act as if its the best, then people will be and act better, because they are believed in. Including challenging the negative voices that don’t.

How might churches respond to the challenges presented by coronavirus? its a valid thing- what if revelling in the human goodness that’s been revealed. Harness the spirit of human kindness that’s overflowed, naturally.

Yeah, human kindness that has been natural.

Love is winning.

‘We love others, we love ourselves, we love our enemies, because he first loved us’ (Paulo Coelho)

 

 

 

References

Rutger Bregman 2020, Humankind, Bloomsbury – which honestly its a must must read. 6 million people have bought it already in a week.

Paulo Coelho, 1993, The supreme Gift

Mission: Developing gifts on our doorstep

On By JamesIn Mission, TheologyLeave a comment

Notes from todays sermon, at Headland Baptist Church, Hartlepool..

Todays subject is on Fruitfulness on the frontline, and based around the subject of mission, and about mission, about fruitfulness on the frontline. 22 year ago I took part in a gap year called Oasis Frontline, and they sent me to Hartlepool back then, so talking about mission on the frontline seems to have come full circle. Today is the first of them. It got me thinking, back to those days in 1996. What was unique or special about Hartlepool? Why would I a fairly middle class boy from the midlands not stick around and do mission in my own hometown? What was the attraction of going somewhere new? In another way, did moving away make mission any more possible, any more real? Granted, for the life experience and experience of culture granted.  But doesn’t it seem a bit weird – that we might often have an elevated view of people who leave somewhere and go and do mission somewhere else.

Its as if a real missionary goes elsewhere. Or a real missionary is someone who is sent to us. In my own experience, ‘the gap year team has come to do the youthwork’ ‘the frontline team has come to enable young people to come to church’ – somehow the experts are from afar. Some how someone else is the one who knows what to do.

But thinking about it – what do they know? Or more to the point – what is that we know that we negate by defaulting mission to someone else. What might we do, to be fruitful, on our own front door step.

Jesus said, love your neighbour as yourself. Love your neighbour – who is our neighbour – well maybe it genuinely is our next door neighbour and street. Not just the work colleague, interest group – but actually the family next door, the lady who is one their own.  Fruitfulness on the frontline, love our neighbour. Thats love. Not just hope they come to church and to an event, or even alpha. But love.

We are all missionaries. It is the principle purpose of the church. Of us. Forget everything else. It is to love the world, to love our neighbour and to witness to Christ in the context that we are in. So – that doesn’t matter where we are, does it, location becomes slightly irrelevant.

If we are to be true to the intentions of Jesus today we must put in the centre of our vision not the church, but the kingdom (Lesslie Newbigin) ,

‘the church can only exist as the church of Jesus Christ when it understands itself as part of Gods mission and lives out that understanding’ (David Bosch)

‘The church is missionary by nature’  mission is its essence, not just the outcome.

Because this is the first in the series, it kind of gives me an opportunity to ask and propose a number of questions, that may require further reflection, but that I think are useful, in all we do, and all the church does is about mission.

The first thing to think about – is if the church is to do Gods mission – what is the Mission of God?

The second is – Is Gods Mission is an extention of his character (and we’re not going to do a significant theological study here) – What is God like?

And how might these two things be our starting point for thinking about the mission of the church? For this church.

It would be much easier to just respond, react and do stuff wouldn’t it.

Do the things that the church down the road say, or the next great initiative from the Baptist union, or do something that we used to do, because it worked there, or then, or with them. But is this an appropriate starting point?

What instead might it be to understand that God is ___________________, and then try and act in this way in to our neighbours, to this community.

What if we held on to this, resisting all other temptations, but genuinely loved, genuinely forgave, genuinely acted with mercy, to the extent that we were doing Gods mission, being Gods ambassadors. To that extent…

It is important, not to start with a book on mission, but to start with the God of Mission.

If we start with theology – our understanding of God – and have this be the key motivation, ethic for mission – rather than our needs, or the need of the church – then what might that be like..

To start with God who is missionary in character and nature.

God who loves, God who listens, God who forgives, God who gives.. God who is… God who is community, God indeed who communicates, the God who speaks…

 

And I wonder if we don’t think of God as a speaking God very often, and for the rest of this time together I feel that as we think about Fruitfulness on the frontline, that we contemplate the communication of God, the conversation of God and how these might help us in developing Gods mission in the local community, doing so as an extension of Gods own character and actions.

Lets think about ourselves for a moment – have a think about the last or a recent conversation that you had with someone. Over a coffee, at the workplace, walking the dog, at home in the lounge.. 

For – you what made it a good conversation?

 

Now; A  question for us all to think about…. I would like you to think about a conversation that you know of that occurs in the Bible, one that exists between God (and in the new testament Jesus) and a human person.

So, it could be an old testament character, Moses, Esther, Joseph, Elijah, Jonah, or Jesus talking to a person, a disciple.. ill give you a minute to think about one such example… pick one well known..

  1. What is it you like about the conversation? Was it a good conversation – do you think?
  2. What does this conversation reveal about God?
  3. Are conversations important.. why?

I would hazard a fairly strong guess, that the conversations that we thought of, were long in nature, were ones that we know quite well, Jesus and peter on the beach, Elijah moaning after the battle with the prophets of Baal.

Yet in 2 Kings 5 there is space for a very small conversation, a very small moment, a significant conversation.

Read 2 kings 5  1-8…

The huge effect of this one girl and what she says, wasn’t a long conversation at all

What does the Girl, the servant girl say…

The essence of what is being said – I take a risk in caring about my master, enough to give him advice

I want him to get well..

I see the effect of his illness on her mistress and want that to be alleviated. In short, it is a sentence that conveys a sense of healing, a sense of risk, a sense of wanting better for someone else.

It is a sentence that from which the commander of the army, Naaman, listened to. She might well have pushed a nerve, triggered an emotion, he may have had a soft spot for her… and we don’t know this… but it carried enough for Naaman to act. And for Naaman to go to the king and for the king to commend a letter.  The voice of the servant Girl…. i mean, could that be the voice of God..?

Yet Naaman, when given the instructions by the prophet, didn’t initially take his advice.. that was a bit too weird… 

Having travelled all that way, Naaman had to take another new risk.  However, that is for another story.

To focus on mission on the frontline we must focus on the girl.

2. Another example, recently a few weeks ago we heard a sermon on Sauls conversion,  Yet, how many conversations did God need to have with Humans that day for Saul to become Paul and then to become a follower… yes 2..

Ananias – the forgotten man – let look at this one  Acts 9:10 –  disciple who has a vision

The Lord spoke to him in a vision..

‘Brother Saul… ‘’  This is meant as a symbol of Sauls healing, of the laying on of hands, but also note the risk that Ananias had to make in doing this, and the message God gave him of Saul, saying that Paul will how much he must suffer’ – suffering is part of faith. Being a witness is a sacrificial task. Paul the zealot now has suffering as part of his commission, in effect. But the conversation Ananias has with him, and with God is interesting.

What does God promise Ananias.. ?

He gives him knowledge of the situation, he calls him by name. Maybe more importantly, God gives Ananias the opportunity to talk back – But Lord – But Lord- thats Saul….

God doesn’t seem to be adverse to the push back- have you noticed this? But God…. But God… But God…

Maybe thats for another sermon.

Ananias the hearer and doer.

And addressed Saul as brother.. you are part of us.. you are with us now. Participation, risk and belonging. Healing.

 

3. The third conversation i thought we would look at it is one involving Jesus- actually, a quick question – which conversation does Jesus have is is the longest? – who does he speak to the longest in one specific conversation?

Give you a clue, Peter Hart preached on this a few weeks ago….

Yes, its the woman from samaria.

John Chapter 4.

And We wont look at it at depth, but we will look at a few of the questions and statements that Jesus uses:

Whats the first thing that Jesus says?

‘Woman please will you give me a drink’?

What is Jesus doing here? – Stating the flipping obvious – thats what… though we know that on one hand this isn’t obvious at all. This was the kind of act that wasn’t supposed to happen, yet it was a simple act. Woman – would you serve me?

Woman, this well is here, you have a bucket – could you use what you have to serve me?

Woman – you do this every day, any chance you could share your skill with me?

Woman – you have already been brave enough, to gather water in the heat of the day – would you take a risk and serve me, a man, too…

Woman – would you give?

Woman, you are standing, i am sitting, I am tired, i am exhausted, will you give me a drink..

We might get the significance easier because we know more about the situation, but thats nearly always the case after the event isn’t it.

Yes there are resonances with Elisha and asking the woman for oil. As importantly it might be a template for the conversations we could have. Jesus tired and weary asked the vulnerable to serve him.

The church tired, weary and exhausted, might need to do the same. Shift the power, sit by the well and receive from others. Sit on the wall and wait, watch and learn, and be in a place where the most vulnerable have gifts to give, and gifts to share- if only we might ask the right kind of question – or be in the right place where their offering is available..

Jesus gave space in the conversation for participaton, for the persons action, and for people to have left speaking to him in a better place than they were before.  And he used what they had. There is alot of using what they had in the New testament, from homes, to resources, to sharing of money, gifts and talent.

We can at time focus on peoples needs, but this doesn’t seem to be what Jesus does, that often, yes peoples needs are fulfilled, and a generous God gives. But I wonder if we can focus on peoples needs too much, and our conversations might reflect this, we have a desire to fix, to repair, to save what was lost, and to be the hero.

That doesn’t seem to be how Jesus operates. Remember, God is love… God is … and we are made in the image of God. So, maybe we need a different starting point. Maybe we focus not on needs, and solving these, and think about how a person might participate, might contribute, might do something that they are good at, how they are gifted.

Our neighbourhoods are full of people, young and old, who are bakers, creators, bicycle lovers, entrepreneurs and artists and more. Our streets are not dark and dangerous, they’re bright and imaginative’ (Mike Mather)

 

One of my Jobs is with Communities together Durham..(https://communitiestogetherdurham.org.uk/) 

And part of this role is to help churches to create spaces in which people gather, have conversation and develop opportunities to use their gifts, use their talents. Not a group of people who share a love for an interest like a knitting group, but a group of people who discover that they can learn a skill together and use it.

Mike Mather in his book talks about the story of Lucy and her flowers. This story can be found in this book: 

a copy of which you can buy here 

Read the story of getting out of the way

Amazing the significance of a conversation, of a question.

What might mission, conversation look like if we were prepared to ask the gift questions. To sit amongst the vulnerable, and ask

what skills do you have, what would you do if money was no object, and who will help you?

Moment to reflect on these questions… How might these be used by us in our everyday – what gifts do we have that we might share… – baking- artistry, what can we give each other, that we can also give to others…

Gods mission is to love the world, it is ours too.

Love so much that we see people for who they are, love so much that we build them up, we get out of the way, we sit tired by the well and let them use their gifts to serve us, we forget having the answer and be open to the wisdom of other, the person with the surprises who heals. Every conversation we have is a moment of theatre, every conversation is a moment where the ongoing drama of Gods redemption is carried onwards, is acted out. We are all missionaries, all conversationalists, even on social media, conversation is big business, everyone wants to hear from us. Sometimes the best conversation is the silent calm one. To think that we need to be ready to do the Mission of God, or professional, is not correct, we do the mission of God, from the place of our own normality, maybe our own desert place, our own reality, and have you noticed, that even in your desert place there is still energy to be generous, energy to give, energy to be used by God to love others. We are always on the frontline, discipleship and mission is a full on task of us all.

Our conversations that focus on the gifts of others might in reality be the most healing ones, our healing conversations might be those who help people to discover who they are, what they can do, and how they might contribute, not just to the functionality of the church, but the purposes of Gods mission in the bigger created world, the fixers, makers, artists and creators, the restorers, welcomers and the generous.

Reflect on the persons who don’t feel they have purpose who you meet, why not discover their passions, their interests. How might this be how we create the possibility of fruitfulness on the frontline. Its Gods world that we are all part of.  Might our fruitfulness not depend on us, but on how we encourage other to use theirs.

 

Can detached youthwork be ‘asset based’ and develop young peoples gifts?

On By JamesIn Detached youthwork, Youthwork, Youthwork MethodsLeave a comment

We’ll not speak to those young people – they’ve not got alcohol on them

They appear to be ok, we’ll leave them alone

I doubt if its them who are causing the anti social behaviour calls

These are all phrases I have used on detached youthwork. Its that thing where you go out, of an evening, to try and talk with young people on the streets, develop contact and relationship, and all of sudden in the heat of the moment, a whole load of baggage arises to the surface that kind of stops me from doing what i might be meant to be doing.

In a busy environment like a city centre where i did detached youth work a few years ago, it may have been possible to make those filter judgements because it was always busy. On a smaller community estate where there might only be a few groups of young people having this in built filter might mean it could be a quiet evening.  At least quiet because all the young people we see are being normal decent young people, playing in parks, kicking a ball around, and not really need us. More importantly, that we in those moments dont see that they are worth working with.

Because they dont display needs

Because they dont show us in their actions that they fulfil funding criteria

Because they seem sorted

Because we might not be able to tick boxes in working with them

Because its not what we’re about.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of delivering detached youthwork training to a group of sessional staff just north of Inverness. The feedback from them was really positive and it was a great 2 days. One of things that shaped the planning of these sessions for me was how focussed on ‘needs’ the teams, and communities were in relation to developing detached youthwork. There were kids playing near railways (single track lines with one train per 2 hours- not intercity lines, ((and even the intercity line has 2 trains per hour, hardly busy.. however) , young people starting to gather near to some town centres, vandalism and stone throwing. Whilst none of these issues are in any way pleasant, positive and they cause significant harm, and fear and isues about safety, of course. Often detached youthwork starts off from a perspective of need. Though to be fair also, much reactionary youthwork in buildings has done the same .

Conversations about moving from needs to gifts have occured in community development practice, and in youth work generally.  Peter Harts article in Youth and Policy 117  does identify that asset and needs based approaches do run concurrently in youthwork at times, he argues that

However, I would argue that as a general framework in which to understand the differences in
approach to out-of-hours work with young people between secular and Christian organisations is
through their occupational paradigm, model of youth work and assumptions about young people,
approach to risk, and dominant philosophy of ethics. (Hart, 2015, Youth and Policy 115)

Saying that needs and gifts are both part of the equation.

One of the recent new books I have been given for free from the North East Resources centre  is the following one : ‘Dont Shoot I’m a detached youthworker’ by Inez and Mike Burgess. Im reading the first few pages and see the following:

  • The service we provide is ‘needs‘ led (page 8)
  • identify groups of young people in patch and record any relevant dialogue linked toissues and needs…….(page 10)
  • listen carefully to young peoples thoughts allows a good detached youthworker to develop a while range of dialogue, as well as gaining information about the basic picture of young persons needs (page 12)

Now,  this is one of the few recent detached youthwork books that i hadnt read, and its why i lapped up a free copy. However, I am acutely aware of how influential this book is. I am also aware that issues and needs get youth workers to the streets  (i feel its like fascists bring citizens with milkshakes to the high streets) . And Peter Hart may be on to something, and my experiences, not just in Inverness but with FYT are that detached youthwork that is not primarily funding or community police set up can have a more positive footing.  It meant that to talk about young people and their gifts, their assets and use detached youthwork to focus on their was refreshing and powerful to the group of workers in Inverness.

Yet, I wouldnt be sticking my neck out too far to say that developing detached youthwork on the basis of the gifts of young people might be rare. To start with viewing young people with more dignity and humanity. To start by enabling young people to be part of the decision making process about any youthwork provision, to have conversations with them about their passions, their dreams, their abilities and how they might contribute to enable these to occur. And that could be all young people.

Somehow sadly, detached youthwork may be stuck in a needs orientated paradigm, created by those who need it a soft way of addressing community fears ( by the police) and this, as Peter says above, will shape the approach, or at least be the guiding lenses within which to develop practice into. Have predetermined issues, discover needs and then bam!, problem solved. But it isnt is it.

It is almost as if detached youthwork really isnt caught between the two stools of assets and needs, more that it is caught between a rock of funding and reaction – or none at all. Because of this, the many young people who are just being around, who are still victims in a society which has cut services to them by a staggering amount, are even likely to be given opportunities to thrive, to participate and to be decision makers in their own provision.

I wonder if it is more difficult to do ‘asset based’ detached youthwork out on the streets, because the setting is already so politicised and deemed ‘anti-social’, ‘frightening’ – that its difficult to see past all of this when trying to talk with young people. This may be different to when young people are in buildings that are youth orientated, its only a guess or a thought. Can young people show their gifts on the streets – of course they can – it is just up to us to look and maybe intentially look and find them.

Maybe any detached youthwork in the UK is better than none, and it wouldnt take a university study to reveal how decimated detached youth work has been in the last 10 years. But, if detached youthwork is to come back – and there are signs it might do – can those of us who develop it do their level best to shape it in a way that is about not identifying groups and problems, but discovering the gifts, abilities and good things about young people, and enabling them to explore their dreams, potential and how they want to make a difference. In this case, we have to sort out our langauge, our questions, and how we start from scratch. What if detached youthwork could enable young people to develop their gifts?  What might asset based detached youthwork look like?  (and im sure its happening, please if you do this, share details below)

Are youth ministry books all saying the same thing?

On By JamesIn Discipleship, Mission, Theology, Youth ministryLeave a comment

The last 4 books I have read on youth ministry have started sounding like a bit of a

Image result for broken record

or reading them, has been like

Image result for groundhog day

its as if there is nothing new under the sun, or maybe with a twist that:

Image result for nothing new under the sun

Now, it could be that I read the same kind of youth ministry books, and to a large extent that might be true. However, I have also benefited from receiving a number for free, so that i can write reviews of them on this very site. So Nick Shepherd, Naomi Thompson and Chap Clark I am looking at you. But I will also add in this conversation Andy Root as well.

Heres what I mean. The only conversation in town is how to keep young people in churches. It is second to the fact there isnt any in church at all. But lets kind of go with the flow.  See what you think from the quotations below:

Naomi Thompson in her 2018 book ‘Young People and church since 1900’ writes

“Young people today view their engagement with organised Christianity as a two-way transaction. They do not wish merely to serve church needs, nor do they expect to be passive consumers in accessing the youth provision on offer.” 

Nick Shepherd in his 2016 book ‘Faith generation; retaining young people and growing the church’ writes

‘The first area we might consider is the way i which young people move in churches from learners to deciders‘ (p156)

Chap Clark insists that: ‘Sometimes it is not a question of whether students and young people have the ability to serve, but a question of power. Adults have the power. Empowerment is a theological and sociophychological one. We need to transcend participation, and go all out for contribution. A participant is allowed to be with us, a contributor is with us on equal terms, a coworker who is taken seriously‘ (Chap Clark, Adoptive Church, 2018, p146-7)

And from a different angle, Andrew Root suggests that:

Andrew Root in ‘Faith Formation in a Secular age’ (2017) writes that faith in a secular world requires that : “study after study in youth ministry seems to define faith primarily through institutional participation. The youth with faith are those conforming to the youth group through affiliation‘ (p30)  The issue is that faith=conformity.

What all say is that participation is both essential, and yet it is not enough. All four writers identify young peoples decision making, creativity and desire to be part of the proceedings, not just a token gesture. Root and Shepherd also suggest that participating in the church structures really isn’t enough.

Young people want the church to be the place where they can be ministers in the world, and be agents of change in it. Institutional participation isn’t enough, but if this in itself isnt there well.. . Faith is to be Plausible (Shepherd), it is to involve ministry (Root) and it is about developing gifts (Root) in a place where faith can flourish (Clark).

But ultimately. I think they all say the same thing.

Its about identifying young peoples gifting, and created supportive places where young people can use these and decide how they want to minister using them. Its about moving from consumerism to contribution, and giving, or allowing young people to shape the roles they can rise to in the church, and develop faith that is risky, loving, generous and transforming.

Its great when four books say the same. Dont you think…. I mean its not as if youthwork hasnt been about participation for many a decade, has it…

It might be worth checking out this piece, on Youth participation, I wrote in in January last year, and includes Harts ladder on youth participation. ‘What role do young people have in church?’  given that this was a question posed by Danny Breirley in 2003, the same question is still being answered. We know that evidence and research is proving it, so why not any change?

Youth participation – the broken record – well it might be until its fixed…

10 tips on starting and developing conversations with young people in the youth club

On By JamesIn Context, Detached youthwork, Youthwork, Youthwork MethodsLeave a comment

In my recent piece I wrote about how good conversations with young people turn an activity venue into a space of youthwork. Maybe this is a stark claim to a degree, and usually one of the more difficult aspects of working with young people, and frequently asked questions to me is ‘How to developing the conversations?’ , and often that issue resides in us, ie it is our fault young people dont talk to us. Especially if we fear young people or believe the negativity around them.

Whenever I do detached youthwork training for groups and organisations, ‘starting conversations’ in the cold contact moment on the streets is something that we spend ages on. If we’re just setting up activities for young people to do, whilst we stay to one side, or in the kitchen cooking for them, then its no wonder young people leave. On one hand conversations on the streets could be seen as one of the more scary aspects of that type of youthwork, on the other it makes it easy. Why? because Good Conversations happen in an environment where young people feel at home. It is a space that they trust, and we are people they can trust. Young people choose the streets, therefore they’re more likely to feel at home, the youth club or group.. thats a different matter … 

So – in the youth club environment – How do you start conversations with young people?

  1. Good conversations happen when young people feel at home, this includes safety, but it also includes participation, can they treat the place like home, can they make themselves a drink of coffee? Do they trust leaders who stick around (for longer than 6 months)  The environment is key. Giving conversation space is important. How many times do young people ‘just want a space to chat’ whilst we want to make it a space of activity programme and distractions?  What if we heeded this request… what are young people saying..? Image result for conversation
  2. Rely on the context. Starting a conversation with whats in the room and what a young person has brought to the room is a good place. So, What is already happening, what are the young people talking about? Whats the local news, gossip, whats the craze? But also – what might be different about the young person, have they changed their hair? try and notice. The context in the moment is a good key starting point.
  3. Get them involved in a task (not just an activity) and spend time doing that with them, helping set up, deciding on the food, setting out the games, in a club environment the resources themselves can be the setting for the conversation, it helps as it does make it too intrusive or personal.
  4. Opinion Questions;  Try and get an opinion on something – recently this has been easy ‘who do you think will win the world cup’ is an opinion creating question, generating answers and also detailed analysis or a ‘dont care’ – but ‘who do you think’ or ‘what do you think’ type questions are great at getting a response, and giving young people space to share their thoughts and ideas about whatever topic – whether its a local community issue, about an ethical issue, about faith, about future, about something topical. Finding out their opinion and listening to it and using it to reflect on is crucial. Image result for conversation
  5. Dream questions. These are the ‘If you could……..’ type questions. so ‘If you could run the country – what flavour ice cream would be banned’  or ‘if you could have a special power what would you do with it’ or ‘if you could only have cheese or chocolate in the future, which would you keep?’  yes some more open than others, but you see what i mean – questions that pose a possible scenario, or captivate a dream, such as rule making, money spending, world changing – are all positive ways of developing conversations. And hearing about young peoples ideas through these dreams.
  6. Resources can help. The FYT starter cards with pictures and quotations on them might help – used in a way that create conversation and develop thinking. Pip Wilsons blob trees  also work well.
  7. On the Nuture Development site, they have uploaded 25 questions that could be used in a community setting to help develop conversations, these include:

What do you do to have fun?

What would you like to teach others?

if you could start a business what would it be?

Some of these might be more appropriate than others in settings with young people, but I would recommend you have a look at the whole list at this link The good life conversation , there are some good ones like ‘ if you and three friends could do something to improve the lives of others in this area, what would it be’ – and from these types of opinion/dream scenarios the group could develop and make plans.

8. The activities help, of course they do, board games, table tennis and craft are what solid youth clubs have orientated around for decades, all with the triple aims of helping develop competance and achievement, develop skills and social development and also to be a space of conversation in the process.

9. Follow dont lead. Let the tangent happen if thats where the young person has taken it, they might have taken it to that tangent for a reason. Follow it through. If its heading personal and personal for them then thats ok, its being directed by them. If its avoiding issues, then again thats where young people want to go with it. Young people in other settings get used to directed conversations, this may be a space where they can develop their own with adults and be more in control. Let it happen, and then see where it takes. Prepare to improvise, and prepare to listen and hold back. Image result for conversation

10. Phrases like ‘tell me more’ , or ‘describe what that was like’ or ‘you must have been ______ (excited/scared/worried) when that happened’ and other similar ones can be helpful as they take us out of questions, and into listening and trying to give more opportunity for the young person to use the space to talk about something and recognise their feelings in it.

 

So, there we go, much of this stuff is interchangeable from the streets to the clubs, with resources easier in a club setting. Id say that there are a number of things that we may be should try and avoid like, talking about school (if its out of context) , or even talking about ourselves ‘when i was 15 this kind of technology didnt exist’ type of thing as usually young people dont want to talk about school (unless they mention it) or are that bothered about us as adults at all. It takes a bit of guts to really do this conversation thing, because sometimes natural instincts get in the way like ‘how was school today?’ or interrupting or trying to control the conversation, yes maybe avoid subjects unsuitable, but on other occasions following and not leading will help no end.

So, 10 tips to help conversations in youthwork practice- anyone else out there want to add their own for others to share and develop practice? – use the comments below… thank you

 

Other Resources to help:

TED talks on conversation: https://www.ted.com/playlists/211/the_art_of_meaningful_conversa

Valuing conversation in Youthwork; http://www.infed.org

Developing Cold Contact conversations is in two chapters of ‘Here be Dragons’ – Link above.