July 2007 Archives

Found this somewhere on the blogosphere but have completely forgotten where? Feeling bad about not including the proper link so in a catch-all attempt, ht to EVERY single Youth Ministry blogger :-)

A Franciscan Benediction

Amen

With 40,000 Scouts assembled in the UK at the moment, the BBC asks, 'Is Scouting still relevant?'

Aha, I'm back and ready for a full week of blogging and doing the 'Diocesan Youth Adviser thing!' Camp was fantastic and I have so many great memories of a fab' week with an awesome bunch of young people and a wonderful team.
It was very weird for me not being the speaker or main leader but I got a real kick out of leading a group, driving a bus and being the Lifeguard blokey.

Thankfully I only had to use my pro-active Lifeguarding and not any reactive ones. As ever I had fun creating bizarre rules alongside the usual ones,* The one that seems have been the most enjoyed was on Thursday when you weren't allowed to jump or dive into the pool without shouting "International Rescue!" whilst in the air!

As ever I'm being my usual sappy self and missing the young people enormously!

* No ducking, No Bombing**, No petting, No running!
** Apart from when we ran a bombing competition :-)

Camp is going well despite the large volume of rain (I was lifeguarding a swim session today and you couldn't tell that I hadn't been in the pool) and spending a week with a GREAT bunch of teenagers is so much fun. In between Poolside responsibilities, First Aid type repairs and minibus ferrying I have been investing a bit of time in Harry Potter's final showdown with 'he who everyone is familiar with!' I've just finished the book ...... and I enjoyed it muchly! I guess I can't write too much here in case there are those who haven't finished (or started) it, but with the 7th book done and dusted I guess it's the end of the Potter era, unless of course this spin-off film ever happens :-)

ht to Sean for the piccy

I found this via D.Scott.Miller, Genius idea that a group has come up with for fundraising with a shed load of plastic Flamingoes! Basically for $25 you can nominate someones garden to be visited in the dead of night and it to be populated with Flamingoes, BUT for $40 you can buy anti-flamingo insurance. Full story here :-)

I've had a crazy day today. Last day before camp and it's been raining cats and dogs (that's an expression for heavy rain for non UK readers) or more like hippo's and elephants. I left work at around 1pm to get stuff ready for camp tomorrow and drove south in TORRENTIAL visibility limiting rain. The A34 came to a stand still so I peeled off onto a side road and into chaos. Water was pouring down the road I was on. There were cars that had stopped due to water ingression and there were bricks been swept down the road (river) towards us in the queue of cars (the water was flowing straight through two gardens where it had demolished two high brick walls). Fortunately I managed to make it through this section and turned off onto higher ground to try and find a way back into Newbury as the main roads were actually closed due to flooding and landslides. For an hour and a half I experimented with routes from my cycle training routes, frequently driving through water that was dangerously close to the top of my wheels before having to turn round where the road was damaged, partially washed away or the water just too deep. At about 3pm I found a pub in a village called Leckhampstead and decided to weather the storm there BUT the pub insisted they closed at 3pm and although I managed to get a bag of crisps and a coke it was then closing time. I could find no way out of the village that wasn't flooded and it looked like I would just have to sit it out in the car. Two of the villagers invited me in though for a cup of tea and I waited until the rain subsided. When I set off I was still encountering large stretches of water but the level had dropped by a crucial few inches and I finally made it home at about 5:30!

I HAVE NEVER SEEN CONDITIONS LIKE IT! (Richard sent me the link to these photos)

Thoughts though are with all those who have flooded homes and water damaged cars.

With the Simpson and Harry Potter very much in the news at the moment. The former because of the film and/or the promotional Homer next to the ancient chalk carving at Cerne Abas (Hilarious) and the latter for the impending book, I thought a quick link to resources would be in order!

1. Harry Potter and the Usefulness thereof

2. The Simpsons and the usefulness thereof

3. The picture of Homer (apologies if you are offended by either the ancient carving or the recently painted accompanying figure), story here

Greetings blog buddies (that greeting was written in an ironic local radio stylee) and welcome to Youthblog. I thought I'd better get my head round the summer and work out my response to the question, "To blog or not to blog?"
I reckon blogging will be sporadic but here's the rough plan:

July 21st - 29th: Away at a Crusader camp doing some lifeguardy and First Aidy type stuff. Possibility of blog posts = 0.4%
July 30th - Aug 3rd: At the office and more than likely to be messing around online. Possibility of blog posts = 96%
Aug 4th - Aug 19th: A little West and Wewaxation with the family. Possibility of blog posts = 5.2% (falling further if I get caught blogging in family time)
Aug 20th - Aug 23rd: Around. POBP= 98%
Aug 24th - 27th: Greenbelt, Yay! May blog, may not BUT chances are I'll be talking to bloggers and blog readers (does this count?)
Aug 28th 'Normal' service resumes!

I will also need your reading schedule (LOL) to see if anyone is actually reading the blatherings of a 40 year old youth worker!

In September I want to try and experiment and have a weekly 'problem page' approach to blogging. A 'Dear Uncle Youthblog' type gig. I want to see if I can combine the absurd, the humorous and the useful in a way that's readable.
So all I need now are some Youth work questions (as meaningful or as off-the-wall as you like). Please put your creative hat on and e-mail or post some Dear Uncle Youthblog type stuff!*

Shalom

The results of the King inquiry make for interesting reading and confirm what us youth workery types tend to say. This is a significant report though involving as it does the voices of so many young people! Have consulted 16,000 teenagers it's recommendations were:

• A Youth Centre in every community providing dedicated spaces for young people to meet, as well as access to music, creative arts, sports, classes and specialist intervention and support for teenagers in difficulty. Inspirational and gifted young people’s workers would lead these centres and coordinate activity for young people in the area.
• Support for parents of teenagers including right to request flexible work and intensive involvement and support for parents of troubled teenagers.
• Mobile Intervention Teams to work in areas of high deprivation and unrest – offering teenagers specialist and positive support.
• Action on bullying and a new Victim Support scheme for young people who have been the victims of crime.
• Young Mayors elected in every area to give teenagers representation and a say in their community.
• Free public transport and leisure for all young people under 18 to ensure access for all.

The report does a good job at highlighting the limited opportunities young people have for community involvement and for opportunity for activity if they can't afford it. It also flags up how fearful young people are of crime and violence against them.

Oona King, Chair of the Review said: “Growing up can be tough and we are simply not doing enough to help the next generation to flourish. On average we spend 17p for each young person per day on youth services and this has to change. Young people need to be a part of our communities and not doing this costs us billions dealing with the consequences of anti-social behaviour, crime and violence and even more in the emotional consequences of a dispossessed generation of teenagers.”

I'm hoping this report will be a real opening in securing funding that gives young people opportunity, involvement and helps them have a meaningful place in their communities. (There is still a huge societal attitude to change though).

This Panda mum and Panda baby moment is priceless! (Absolutely nothing to do with Youth Ministry but it might ease you into the week with a grin). Enjoy:

Some issues that you might like to be aware of regarding Facebook. Useful information in general to think through Privacy issues but specifically it may have a real bearing on Pictures or media that you want to upload as they become the property of Facebook. Many thanks Richard for the research and post.

Summer is not a prime time for the blogging industry and hits have dropped below 100 a day, however as there are still some die-hard Youthblog readers out there, here's a bit of a splurge:

For those in the Diocese I've sent out the latest Youthwork Update (Download file 344k) which includes a request to talk to teenagers who have been confirmed including those who know longer engage with church. It also includes the chance for you to bring YOUR youth group to an informal afternoon with the Bishop that I'm hosting. (ask if you want more info).
Oxford has a new Children's Adviser! I'm delighted that Yvonne Morris is joining the team and will be 'personing' the desk opposite! Yvonne and I are interested in running a joint retreat for employed Youth and/or Children's ministers. Can you let me know if you'd be up for a 48 hour mid week retreat within the Diocese in March 2008?

In wider news:

Greenbelt are looking for a new Youth Co-ordinator
You may be interested to look at a 'Young Christians online' project running through Facebook. Download file
The TRAIN project in Didcot are looking for a gap year bod to be involved with the detached youth work, schools work and the Baptist Church. Download file.
Talking of Gap Years, I do know of other churches who are looking for Gap Year volunteers.

And finally:

All done and I passed, Yay! Will be in action the week after next on an Urban (and Rural) 'nee Crusaders' Saint Camp. This also means that swimming can continue for the next couple of years at Yellow Braces, although I perhaps should do the "Arctic Rescue" module first ;-)

I am currently way oop in t'north on a lifeguarding course so that I can re-qualify in order to provide the relevant cover on camps, residential weekends and of course, Yellow Braces! I've spent the day rescuing people from the pool, resuscitating dummies and absorbing vast amount of techniques, legislative framework and assorted zen of pool safety. I've made it through a LONG day one and am chilling out and revising before an even longer day 2. Tomorrow is an 08:30 start and then apart from some short breaks, full on until the exam and in pool testing which will hopefully finish by 18:30 (if we get everything done on time). Spending 3 hours a day in a pool does strange things to your mind and to your skin ..... I have a new found respect for Goldfish!

My favourite moment of the day (true story) was when we were asked to produce photo i.d to prove who we are (as part of the registration and certification process for the course). One guy dutifully produced a photo of himself!

This is a question that arrived in my in-box from a discussion forum. I'll ascribe it to Mrs Trellis of North Wales to preserve the anonymity.

"A lot of our "youth" work seems diluted by the presence of both pre-teen children and excessive numbers of adults.
I have a growing apprehension that "Youth" is being broadened to include anyone younger than 35-40.
What do you think?"

"Young people need to belong to community but also benefit from being in a peer group and having interaction with positive adult leadership. If the group is not age boundaried it will expand! It will expand from the lower age range who find the activities that they are currently linked to, too childish. It will expand at the top end as people never actually leave, the group being more 'where they are' than the 'adult' alternative.
(The effect of this widening age range that results from not having boundaries is a group that is less attractive and less attended by the age group that was originally intended ..... it becoming either a children's group or a young adults group)

There is good evidence of society being a more teenage one in it's attitude and outlook. The main issue though is that 20's and 30's (and indeed 40's) relate far more to a youth appropriate approach and environment than they do to the inherited adult model of church etc that culturally is a million miles (intentional hyperbole) from who they are."

Yellow Braces was phenomenal and we were SO blessed to have GREAT weather, in fact it was so hot that swimming in the Arctic-esque Swimming Pool was really refreshing (once you'd got in, the temerature difference being a bit of a shock). The team and the young people on the trainee leader programme worked incredibly hard to produce a worship and fun filled weekend that will live long in the memories of the young people. I'm a tired bit moment at the now BUT have to clear up all the equipment, do my lifeguarding coursework and haul myself up to Warrington (up in t'North) ready to start my lifeguarding re-qualification first thing tomorrow morning, bleeugh. Blogging may be a little sporadic this week!

The photo below really amused me! Here are two of the (hugely talented and lovely) 'Taste Band' rehearsing worship while KT is editting some photo's with the projector still on. It wasn't 'til I had a look at the photo's a moment ago that I noticed Sarah on the screen seemingly raising a mug of tea to the camera.

Mushy bit: To all of the team, you were amazing and I'm so proud of you!

Captains Log Supplemental: The Quasi-Rev Doc (Wallace smile, tea holding) Brush Nee Hamilton PhD LYM has added her thoughts on the YB experience.

Mr Rolls (I am lead to believe) joins the elite rank of serial Diocesan Youth Advisers, those that have plied their craft in more than one Diocese! Welcome back to the network :-) sign him up for conference someone

Consultation on the Future of Christian Youth Work, 10th Dec 2007. I definitely want to be there, how bout you?
Download file

This weekend is our Diocesan Camp, the cornily and historically named, YELLOW BRACES! I'm really looking forward to it .... and I'm looking forward to having finished the preparation. I am surrounded by P.A equipment, sports stuff, walkie talkies, balloons, lifeguarding and first aid gear etc etc etc. We've got 79 young people coming, a team of 24 and also a group of 17-19 year olds on a leadership training programme. We use the Hill End site in Oxfordshire which is fab, but given the rain of the last few weeks, a little soggy (note to self, pack extra cleaning equipment)
I've just completed the Risk Assessment and in a silly moment wondered if the first line should read ...

Risk: Failure to fill in risk assessment
Level of risk: Low (now I've written the first line)
Action to be taken: Ensure that risk assesment is written

So, Hi Ho, it's off to Yellow Braces I go. No postings over the weekend (obviously) and all prayer appreciated.

I really like some of the STUFF that Weird Al Yankovich does particularly The saga begins, Amish paradise, The ebay song and Smells like Nirvana. My daughter introduced me last night though to a track I didn't know, Trapped in a Drive Thru! The combination of the animation and quirkily bland sung narrative is genius ...

Grace Magazine for girls launches in August. Their tag line (which I really like) is:

"Make Friends. Have fun. Feel good. Find Passion. Be Strong. Celebrate. Be inspired. Get Creative. Enjoy life. Have hope. Be kind. Love God. Campaign. Make a difference"

My daughter has just read the pilot copy and likes it (Looks like she'll now be getting Grace alongside her usual, First News). Recent years have seen the launch of a couple of Christian teen mags such as Jam and Streetbrand, so it's either an expanding market or an increasingly crowded one. Grace I think looks good and has a well thought out brief (although trying to engage a range as wide as 11- 16 years of age is probably impossible) and I hope it will succeed.

Have a look at the web site and sign up for a free copy or encourage some of your young people to sign up as advisers.

For those who know my eldest boy, you'll be pleased to hear he is fully mobile again and a danger to the road going public!

The wonderful people at KMX have built him a Kart that's specific to him, and he is out and about registering only as a blur and a smile as he goes past. He is actually a fantastic KMX pilot and rides with a control that defies his Cerebral Palsy, it's incredible to watch. It's also fab to see him treated as an equal up at the Skateboard ramps within the mad melee of boarders, skaters and BMXers.

What's been really great is that other than riding a recumbent he'd be on a special needs tricycle which are usually heavy, no fun, produce way too much friction, have the aesthetic qualities of a power station and are less cool than white socks and sandals! I'm hoping that we'll be able to help KMX be better known in the world of special needs cycles.

This new KMX is also big enough for me to ride (just extend the boom) and I had great fun riding it to a meeting in Town the other day, it scares Motorists to see a low and fast projectile on the road .... I was given a lot of space!

Looking across the CRB checks that I have counter signed there are a Myriad of Job Titles used. We have had quite a debate in the past on the blog about Youth Ministry vs Youth Work. It would seem from the job description data that the roles for which Churches recruit, are MUCH MUCH more diverse.
Here's some examples ...............

Youth and children's worker
Student pastor
Youth worker
Families minister Youth work co-ordinator,
Youth Minister
Youth Specialist
Community children's worker
Children's and community minister
Youth and schools worker
Youth pastor
Parish Youth Worker
Youth Leader and Evangelist

Please feel free to add your job title AND as ever bonus marks for the longest (true) title and the most surreal (true) title. (Oh and feel free, as well, to make up a Job title that more accurately describes your role :-)

Shalom