Hey do I know how to enjoy weekends or what? I've just been reading "Young People in Britian: The Attitude and Experiences of 12-19 year olds" Report from the National Centre for Social Research. Well, having incurred the collective wrath of my communal office colleagues by printing off all 129 pages of it, I thought I'd better read it!
There's a load of stuff I could bore you with but this are the Stats that I thought were bloggable: In 1994 55% of 12-19's said they had no religious allegence while these 2004 figures are now showing 65%. In 1994, 36% described themselves, however loosely, as Christian, that figure is now 27%.
Higher than I would have expected but not encouraging eh ... particularly that drop in 10 years.
Thankfully I come across Churches a lot more rarely now that believe that people will wander back to Church eventually. In that context the iGeneration survey from the Times of 18-30 year olds is interesting. It found that well over 50% of this group had not been to a religious Service, outside of Hatch, Match and Dispatch, since Childhood.
Now there's a mission imperative!
hi there
came across your blog via a link on Jonny B's blog. Really interested in what you're saying. I'm a youthworker and found some of your stuff really helpful. LOVE the session where you got your group to plan a secret meeting. fantastic idea.
Yaz