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March 31, 2008
Old Football Shirts
A friend of mine is heading out to Mexico as part of a 24-7 project. He is going to a hugely needy area where the young people apparently love football, big time!
He'd really like to take them some footy shirts. If you have any that are now too small, wrong team, wrong player etc etc, e-mail me and I'll tell you where you can send them to (in the UK).
Shalom &
Ta muchly
Posted by ian at 3:54 PM | Comments (2)
St Andrews North Oxford
Recruiting for several jobs: Details below
Opportunities at St Andrew's:
Schools Worker
Youth & Community Worker
Vertigo Project Manager
Children's Worker
Schools Worker (full time, three years)
The job will include outreach through schools work and encouraging young Christians to live out their faith in at school.
You will be a committed Christian with a vision for schools work; experienced with working with young people; and an excellent communicator at all levels.
Youth and Community Worker (full time, permanent)
The job will involve detached youth work on the Cutteslowe estate, supporting young people in difficult and challenging circumstances.
You will be a committed Christian with appropriate training and experience of work in a similar setting.
Vertigo Project Manager (two days per week)
The job will include: leading the team managing the diocese-wide 'Vertigo' youth celebrations.
You will be a committed Christian with experience of event management and of working with young people.
Children's Worker (half-time)
The job will include: responsibility for children's Sunday groups and other specific children's activities.
You will be a committed Christian with experience of working with children and strong leadership and communication skills.
For application packs, see www.standrewsoxford.org or contact Jane Smith at jane.smith@standrewsoxford.org (tel. 01865 311212). Deaadlines for applications: 14 April 2008 (except for Children's Worker, the deadline for which is 21 April).
Posted by ian at 2:57 PM | Comments (2)
Making me laugh
Not that I'm necessarily thinking of buying a caravan you understand, BUT I did somehow stumble across an advert for a second hand caravan, for which this was THE ONLY photo to persuade you that it was a worthwhile proposition:
I think it could be a really good deal, I can't see any marks or scuffs at all
Posted by ian at 12:11 PM | Comments (0)
Sex, Sushi and Salvation
I recently received a free (one of my favourite words) copy of Sex, Sushi and Salvation on the condition that I wrote some sort of review. I'm a much more voracious reader than writer which has delayed any reflection BUT in addition I found it hard to compose a review in my head (which is what I tend to do) as there was one part of the book I struggled with.
Christian George is clearly an interesting guy and it would be fun to spend time with him I think. The book is an energetic serving of metaphor, reflection, Biblical exposition, honesty and challenge. At times it feels like a cross between a stream-of-consciousness and an impromptu sermon, but overall it reads as a story-fuelled, well woven together, call to Christ-centred living. I found this a fun book to read and liked the Coupland-esque layout with indented quotes and a related quote at the start of each chapter. The energy, passion and messiness (in a good sense) also drew me in. It's pitched at the kind of level that older adolescents would also enjoy engage with I think.
I did struggle however with Christian's criticism (and in my opinion mis-representation) of Brian McLaren and the Emerging Church. This to me was not in keeping with the tenure of the book and rankled in my mind with the book's pursuit of a living, questioning, engaging and real faith.
On the whole though, a good book and an engaging piece of communication for those who have ever considered the existential themes of sex, sushi or salvation, I'm glad I read it.
Posted by ian at 10:44 AM | Comments (7)
The Notices are a bit camp today
Er, the notices!
The legendary Wayne of Scripture Union asked me to mention their holidays and especially the promotional video they've put together (he also asked for a specific plug for GET REAL, a holiday for 14-16 year old), details in 'continue reading.' Talking of camps, one teen' camp that's made a a huge impact on my former youth group (so much so that some of them now lead it) is SAIL n SURF up in the lake district, if you know young people who want a water sport based venture then I'd HIGHLY recommend it. Oh and while I'm doing plugs, I could still do with a few more leaders for YELLOW BRACES (July 4th-6th) and there are still places left on the young leaders programme.
I'm not doing a summer camp this year as such but will be at GREENBELT (yay) and if you want to be Greenbelting too PLEASE note this is the LAST day for discounted tickets.
Get Real!
Come and join us in 2008 for a week to remember. You'll meet new people and make new friends. You'll get the chance to try out a number of activities where the emphasis is on FUN and PARTICIPATION. The activities will include: football, tennis, volleyball, table-tennis, golf, basketball, dance, drama and art. We have an outdoor heated swimming pool, and much more.....
We'll have a series of workshop where you choose the subjects you would like to see covered as we look at some of the hot topics affecting young people today. We'll be looking at the world's best selling and most relevant book - 'The Word' which is the Bible to see God's take on these big issues. There's the Great Team Challenges - full of fun - variety and a chance to demonstrate your skills in a variety of different areas......There's the Chill Out Zone providing alternatives at the end of the day for those who love music and want to dance, those that like to chill & chat, those that like the lounge or a combination of these. The venue is fantastic and food superb. Come on your own...make new friends - come with friends and meet others. There's time and space for your own thing and much more that we don't have space for here. You'll probably not want to go home on the final morning and you'll want to book in for 2009 before the brochures come out! We look forward to having YOU (and your friends with us).
· Location: Cirencester, Glos
· Age Range: 14 to 16
· Date: 16/08/2008 to 22/08/2008
· Cost: £150.00
· Capacity: 50
· Leaders: Clare Jones, Julia Flatley and Wayne Dixon
· Contact: Clare Jones
· Address: 10 Whinneys Road, Loudwater, Bucks HP10 9RJ
· E-mail: clarejones007@tiscali.co.uk
· Telephone: 01494 447775
Posted by ian at 8:27 AM | Comments (0)
Nostalgia eh ..... it's not what it used to be
At the weekend we manged to obtain an old record player and could thus dig out my collection of albums and singles. The children thought this was great and once they'd enjoyed the novelty of records at the wrong speed, really enjoyed the tactile experience of putting the records on and lifting the needle onto the correct track in order to listen to the music. My youngest was frustrated that he couldn't find 'side B' in the sleeve and I had to explain about it being on the other side of the disc :-)
All good fun and as I hadn't heard Fat n Frantic, 'Agressive Sunbathing' for years, a thoroughly nostalgiac outing. Fab!
Posted by ian at 7:46 AM | Comments (3)
March 27, 2008
IJT direct
Ok this may sound like another one of my money making ideas BUT that's probably because it is. However this is a win-win situation 'cos it's a good recommendation :-)
I recently discovered IJT direct who supply some electronic gadgets, printers, cartridges and memory cards .... all at EXTREMELY good prices. I have one of their 2gig MP3 players with colour display that was £17.95 including postage, and is fab!
Anyway, have a look. If you are thinking of spending over £25 e-mail me before you order, I send your name/ad as a referral, they contact you and we BOTH get a £5 Marks and Spencers or Tesco voucher! Job done!
The only weakness I can find with them is that they are not the fastest at delivery, but given the prices that seems like a worthwhile compromise.
Posted by ian at 2:11 PM | Comments (3)
New Ecclesiology, new windows
Found these via Dave, Po-mo Church windows anyone?
Posted by ian at 9:08 AM | Comments (2)
March 26, 2008
I didn't like looking after the baby
My 13 year old has difficulty with speech (he has Cerebral Palsy) and so it can take some time to gain a picture of his day. We haven't got to the bottom of who pushed him over today or why, but as he doesn't seem bothered by this, I guess it's ok. What we have learned over the course of the evening though is that over his lunch break he had to look after a baby (an electronic doll if I have understood him correctly). We managed to learn that this was part of PHSE and that he didn't drop 'her!' Any attempts though to garner what understanding, learning or reflections he had gained from the experience were unsuccessful. I was therefore delighted when, as he was going to bed, he thoughtfully stated,
"I didn't like looking after the baby"
Eager to hear his reflection on parenthood (albeit only a brief simulation) I inquired as to why. His response, "Cos' I wanted to play football!"
Posted by ian at 9:12 PM | Comments (1)
Women in Youth Ministry
Details of the Sophia network, specifically a couple of gatherings and a request for info.
If you are a woman you can click on 'continue reading' (If not, you can't ...... obviously I have no idea what it says as I averted my eyes when copying and pasting the info)
The Sophia Network for women in youth work invites you to take part in our consultation. We want to identify the key issues facing women in youth work in the UK so that we can then take action to address them. You can take part by completing our survey here:
We want to hear from as many people as possible, women and men, members and non-members.
We are also hosting two regional meetings next month which are open to all female youth workers, members and non-members. These meetings are a chance to network, share stories and experience and to contribute to our consultation.
RAYLEIGH, ESSEX
Wednesday 23rd April
11am to 1pm
Rayleigh Holy Trinity Church hall.
Arrive at 10.30am for coffee; the meeting will be from 11am to 1pm with the option to wander to a local pub or café afterwards for lunch. Hosted by Alice Smith, youth ministry advisor for Chelmsford. The event is free - but please register here: www.sophianetworkessex.eventbrite.com
WELLS, SOMERSET
Wednesday 23rd April
7:30pm to 9:30pm
venue to be confirmed.
Hosted by Emma Sergeant from Scripture Union. Emma would also like to hear from you if you'd like to go to a regional meeting in the south-west but can't make that date, or if Wells is too far for you to travel. The event is free - but please register here: www.sophianetworksomerset.eventbrite.com
For more information about the Sophia Network, visit our website: www.sophianetwork.org.uk
Posted by ian at 2:30 PM | Comments (2)
Accomodation plus stipend plus SHED!
Long term reader(s) of the blog may remember the rivetting (or at least nailing) account of the Youthblog shed and my 15 minutes of fame as the Google top authority on Creosote substitute*. Well you'll imagine my delight then when I discover that a Youth work job in Oxford Diocese lists among the benefits, '3 bedroom town house with garden and shed!'
Dissapointingly though the job spec' doesn't show a picture of the shed, I hope though that during the interview process there'll be chance to see it.
I'm delighted to see shed's being listed as a perk and an inducement.
More importantly though, please circulate this job spec' to as wide as audience as possible. Thank you :-)
* I'm now only 12th on google for "Creosote Substitute"
Posted by ian at 10:41 AM | Comments (2)
Blah day in Oxford
CMS/Jonny baker have set up 3 of their 'blah' days with Brian walsh and Sylvia keesmaat next term.
Their book 'Colossians remixed' is probably the most remarkable commentary I have ever read! In it they explore how Colossians critiqued and subverted the prevailing Roman Empire, exploring what it has to say into our culture and presenting a call to culture subverting faith. In the book they use 'Targums' (a Jewish teaching approach where the text being read is not only translated into the language of the hearers but re-framed for the culture into which it is being spoken) which I think will be a really useful idea to explore as Youth Ministers and Preachers!
Here's your chance to score some high grade theological professional development, knock four and a half times on this door and say Youthblog sent you
I'm going to the Oxford one (let me know if you are going, need a lift from the station etc)
Posted by ian at 7:43 AM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2008
Photographing some cool chicks
My youngest two children acquired a couple of Easter chicks each (the results of some neo-Eastery craft activity or other) and decided they had enormous play potential. They spent Saturday afternoon creating micro tableaus for the chicks to star in, then photographing them. I was muchly amused by the results, so by way of a blog post, here are three examples .......
It's quite cool tnat the photo's came out as well as they did as they were taken on a cheapy point n' shoot digital. Oh and apologies if you arrived at this entry via a google search and these 'cool chicks' were not what you were looking for :-)
Posted by ian at 8:43 PM | Comments (1)
March 23, 2008
Happy Easter
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
Posted by ian at 8:06 AM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2008
Redeeming past experiences
One of the discoveries I love making is when you find that something you wasted a whole heap of time on in the past, suddenly and unexpectedly actually has a use now. The time previously wasted is partially redeemed by the surprising discovery that it was in fact, albeit unbeknown at the time ... useful.
Sometimes this can be very close to the event e.g Newton having a lazy sit down under an apple tree and thus inventing gravity. Sometimes (and more usually) the distance between the time wasting and the redemptive discovery are huge. An example. Most of my time at Sixth form college was 'wasted' by avoiding the onerous task of working and instead spending all my time with people in chatting, listening, debating and talking. This had a somewhat detrimental effect on my academic achievements and could be perceived as a classic case of wasting time. However within a few years it turned out that all this time doing nothing but talking paved the way for my jobs in sales, training and youth work where communication is at the heart of what I needed to be able to do. Fab!
Anyway, how did I arrive at this muse you ask? Well, cycling through Oxford yesterday I was cutting through the backstreets and lanes which necessitated, every so often, riding directly across busy pedestrianised shopping streets from an alley on one side over to the road or alley on the other. Crossing these on a bike is a complex business as it involves looking for a small break in the two way perambulating flow, zipping into it then applying the brakes, balancing for a moment until the next break opens up. Sometimes some slight adjustment, peeling sideways in the direction of flow is a good idea to open up access to a more useful gap (while not being swept to far from the exit you are aiming for).
Anyway, while in this precarious game of tactics; balance, zoom and stop, I realised that all that time playing Frogger in the 80's was no longer time wasted but was now redeemed into tactical cycling skills. Hurrah!
All I have to do know is find some redeeming use for the vast array of information about second world war aircraft gleaned (and have retained) during a particularly nerdy phase of my adolescence.
Posted by ian at 8:25 AM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2008
Easter reflection
the great Asbo
Posted by ian at 11:24 AM | Comments (1)
Aftershock Podcasts
I've been listening to Aftershock, short podcasts for young people. Aftershock is put together by a bunch of volunteers .... and well worth checking out.
Posted by ian at 8:33 AM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2008
The Atheist Delusion
Thoroughly enjoyed this article, The atheist delusion in the Guardian at the weekend. John Gray unpicks some of the arguments unleashed by what he calls the "literature of proselytising atheism." He also points the arguments against "religion" back at credal atheism and shows that it's a case of throwing stones in glass houses. well worth a read IMHO
Posted by ian at 3:25 PM | Comments (0)
Simplicate
Colin Chapman, the man who founded Lotus, had a great design mantra. His aim was to:
"Simplicate then add lightness"
This has been resonating with me for several days now, not as engineering advice but as a maxim for life and faith. Jesus (quoted in John 10) talks about 'life to the full' which to my mind involves a lightness of being and spirit (even in the midst of difficulty). However our culturally driven technological materialism seems to produce the opposite of lightness and of life to the full, more of a, complicate and become busy ... with resulting heaviness.
As a minister I want to be living and modelling a counter cultural living faith and I'm liking the description of that model as 'Simplicate then add lightness'
Posted by ian at 10:46 AM | Comments (5)
Space and Time
I am currently away at Woolhope Cockshoot (the best residential centre IN THE WORLD*) and enjoying the stunning view whilst using the space (chronological and geographical) to some useful ends, namely:
1. Have some Space and time.
2. Prove that I can work from literally anywhere (and in fact, the middle of nowhere)
3. Meet with a Structural Engineer to see if we can stop the building next to Woolhope dramatically demonstrating the theory of gravity.
4. Actually getting some work done towards my M.A
5. Do some much needed cleaning of the centre
Although that list looks kind of busy it's fine as I started the process last night and I have a whole heap of time which I'm loving. Shalom
* No really, it is!
Posted by ian at 8:37 AM | Comments (3)
March 13, 2008
Seven Deadly sins of Youth Ministry
The seven deadly sins have been in the media recently (Envy, Pride, Sloth, Greed, Lust, Anger, and Gluttony) by virtue of the fact that the Catholic Church may or may not have been exploring some additional ones. Musing on this in a coffee shop (as I kill time before an evening meeting) I thought about what the seven deadly sins of Youth Ministry might be?
I don't claim this to be the definitive list but here is my Espresso fuelled seven to which I would welcome your additions and rejections.
- Making yourself the focus of the youth ministry
- Isolating the youth ministry from the life of the Church
- Instilling Information not facilitating exploration
- Modelling an eternal adolescence
- Avoiding accountability
- Not maintaining your own inner life
- Thinking you have nothing more to learn
Posted by ian at 6:10 PM | Comments (7)
Religious share-wear
I'm loving this compilation of THE top 20 Religious T Shirts from the Times, making me laugh. My two favourites:
Posted by ian at 1:50 PM | Comments (0)
Good news, Bad news
Well the budget yesterday was GREAT news for the charity sector as Gift-aid will not be going down with the new lower rate of income tax (thank you, Darling!), a transitional arrangement is being set up which will allow the 28p on the pound claims to be retained! Yay, this is great news for charities, churches and the like, much rejoicing in the 3rd Sector!
So where's the bad news. Well supposing (hypothetically) as as Diocese you'd just taken delivery of 63,000 leaflets explaining the effect of reduced gift-aid rates. That would be frustrating eh? Doh!
But overall, GREAT GREAT news and of huge relief to agencies and churches who employ youth workers and battle to raise salaries. I say it once again (because it makes me laugh), Thank you Darling!
(Captain's log supplemental: I made it onto the Church Times blog, way cool)
Posted by ian at 8:43 AM | Comments (0)
March 12, 2008
HOPE 08 Pack
For Hope 08 in Oxford there is a concerted initiative for May 3rd - 5th called "Hope on the Streets" .... The pack they have put together for churches and youth groups is good stuff and I attach a copy in case you can translate it into something for your community.
Hope On The Streets Action Pack.pdf
Posted by ian at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
Confession time
Posted by ian at 10:38 AM | Comments (2)
My life in 6 words
I seemed to have been simultaneously tagged by Doc Brush (DYO of Worcester) and Sci Fi Author Michael Brush. The challenge relates to writing about one's life in 6 words, as detailed here. So here goes .......
An unfolding adventure blessed by friendship
Posted by ian at 9:37 AM | Comments (6)
March 11, 2008
Sounds like a job for ...........
Youthblog! To our members we are the seventy fourth emergency service!
I'm loving the networking of needs that happens through the Youthblog page here, fab! Latest success is to find a speaker to the holiday that 'lost' theirs? good job! Latest test of the Youthblog emergency service, "Does anyone know of an organisation that could take on the Youth and Children's programme for a BIG Parish weekend away?" ........ let me know if you do and I'll forward the answer on to, er ..... 'Mrs Trellis of North Wales'
Posted by ian at 10:29 AM | Comments (6)
A story is worth 1000 pictures
I nearly bought the Times this morning, This unusual for me as I normally find reading the Times about as dry as eating crackers without cheese (metaphorically speaking). The Times almost pulled me in today though as the picture on the front is SO good (not viewable online sadly) but in the end I picked my usual purchase, The Guardian! I prefer the Guardian to any of the other newspapers. I like it's coverage, it's range, it's questions, it's wit and it's pictures but most of all, of all the newspapers, I think it gets the importance of story the most and so allows a story to live (rather than just writing an account). A good picture is still important BUT you can't trump story. I believe in Story!
And whilst I am, for no apparent reason, occupying a train journey by writing a free advert for the Guardian, what of the other newspapers?
I think the Daily mail should be banned. A journalistic style that is essentially: here is the story (i.e shocking calamity) but you need to understand that the actual issues are single-mums, teenagers, immigrants or all three!
The Telegraph has Matt who is brilliant. I do however struggle with the Tory-graph especially at the weekend when they seem to be stressing over how difficult it is to secure a nanny/maid for the third property in Aspen or marveling at a great new thrifty restaurant where one can actually eat for less (fractionally less) than £75 a head!!!!
Oh and I like the Church Times a lot (especially this week, WHICH has nothing at all to do with the fact that I am quoted several times in it! *laughing*)
Posted by ian at 8:05 AM | Comments (2)
March 10, 2008
Pimp that Snack
On Friday night when I was at a party I met someone who was an aficionado of and contributor to, Pimp that Snack.
Creating 'monster' versions of well known snacks isn't everyone's hobby (I assume) but I did think it could be an awesome youth group project! Check out these gargantuan Gummi Bears positioned behind their normal sized selves, cool huh?
Go plan, create and upload!
Posted by ian at 9:22 AM | Comments (1)
March 7, 2008
Lent reflection
Real live preacher has written a STUNNING telling of the story of Jesus in the Desert. It's in three parts and weaves the short Biblical narrative together with an imaginatively put together context. It's a very powerful piece of work!
(Just in case you've not seen it, "40" by Si Smith is also a great piece for a Lent reflection)
Posted by ian at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)
No comment
Ruth Gledhill on addiction
'If it is not in drink, the addiction in an addict will surface, such as in gambling, drugs or food or, if you're lucky, in something useful, like blogging.'
(Church of England Newspaper 29/2/08)
Posted by ian at 10:18 AM
Glimpses
I've just ordered a copy of a new resource from FYT called GLIMPSES!
This is what Nigel Pimlott has to say about it:
"Even though i say it myself, it looks and feels really good: a big 180 page full colour resource packed full of ideas for youth workers to help develop spirituality with supporting dvd for only £13 per copy fully delivered. (A saving of £4 on the full published price)"
Full review will follow but I'm confident enough to plug it now :-)
I am delighted to say that our new exciting and ground breaking spirituality resource for youth workers, /*Glimpses*/, is now available!
Even though i say it myself, it looks and feels really good: a big 180 page full colour resource packed full of ideas for youth workers to help develop spirituality with supporting dvd for only £13 per copy fully delivered. (A saving of £4 on the full published price).
Written by myself and Steve Bullock from the Diocese of Gloucester,
*/Glimpses/* is published by the National Youth Agency (NYA) and*//* comprises of five sections: / Reflections/ provides a series of visual images to engage with.
/Atmospheres /explores the power and importance of environments and /Essences/ tries to get to the heart of what is meant by spirituality and spiritual development. /Stations /provides a range of some 30 practical tools to aid exploration and engagement, whilst /Breaths/ is packed full of miscellaneous ideas and resources. All this and a DVD full of images, music and video clips to use with the resource.
One of the main features of */Glimpses/* is that it can also easily double up as an effective tool for churches to use in their general youth work, adult services, meetings, house and cell groups or as a tool for pre-mission type work. Full of resources, discussion starters, images, videos and material it promotes reflection and stimulates thinking.
*/Glimpses/* is exclusively available from FYT for just £13 including p&p.
Please send your cheque (payable to 'FYT') name and address to the FYT office, Unit 208b The Big Peg, 120 Vyse Street, Birmingham. B18 6NF or Visit the FYT web site resources section - http://fyt.org.uk/showdetails,print,79.htm
Posted by ian at 8:38 AM | Comments (0)
March 6, 2008
Subteranean Jeep
A quote from the Guardian today that is amusing me:
"But we do fear for the future of our hobby. Eventually, trail riding could be driven underground".
The article, here, is about 4x4's and Motorbikes having access to off-road trails in national parks. Apparently the number of routes are diminishing and the TRF (Trail Riders Fellowship) are promoting what they do and actively campaigning. Hence the concern that their sport will be "driven underground!"
I need to deliver a lecture today while my head is occupied with the mental image of someone pot-holing in a Jeep Cherokee!
Posted by ian at 8:11 AM | Comments (1)
March 5, 2008
ISA Registration will be needed to work with young people
Although the idea of some sort of registration for youth and children's volunteers and employed workers has been around for a LONG time, I was gob-smacked to find it's arrived. The Independent Safeguarding authority web site says there will be a ministerial announcement imminently and the process will begin. All volunteers and workers will need to be ISA registered and cleared, a process that will happen through the CRB system. Roll-out of this will be this year but I'm not sure when?
Thankfully ISA membership will be portable and the registering is going to be phased, started with new people BUT this is massive and I wouldn't want to be a Diocesan Youth Adviser with the work/flak this may create. (Doh, just remembered I am one!)
Anyway: Hurrah that it helps to protect young people but aaarrrghghgh for the process, and 'woa' about how much by surprise it's taken me.
Public information roadshows explaining the role of the ISA are taking place across the country. Find your nearest roadshow and register to attend.
March 6 Cardiff
March 19 London
April 10 Liverpool
Not quite the licence we speculated about but it will be interesting to see if there's a future conversation that links registration to training.
Posted by ian at 12:19 PM | Comments (4)
New National Occupational Standards for Youth work
The new Occupational Standards are finally released (yay) and you can find them here.
Initial reading looks like they encompass a greater number of skills BUT the emphasis on "and community" in youth and community work seems to have been dialled back and although 3.2.1 is "Engage with the local community" ..... the symbiosis between youth and community work seems to be missing IMHO.
During the consultation phase a number of us had been keen to see 'spirituality' finding a place and as Mark pointed out, (thanks) it's Section 1.1.4 'Encourage the spiritual development of young people'
I like the layout and the way that the individual standards are broken down into "Outcomes" "Behaviours" and "Knowledge and understanding!" This should be helpful in training as it's a useful matrix for reflection and evidencing.
The purpose of youth work as stated in the document is:
"Enable young people to develop holistically, working with them to facilitate their personal, social and educational development, to allow them to develop their voice, influence and place in society and reach their full potential"
I only got to see a copy last night which is a challenge as tomorrow I'm lecturing at Ruskin on Social Exclusion and now have very little time to absorb the new NOS into the section on policy, practice and intervention in 'youth and community work' BUT hey ho, 'if you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined'*
*one of my maxims for life.
Posted by ian at 9:29 AM | Comments (3)
March 4, 2008
Scooby Doo and the consumerism critique
By Asbo
Posted by ian at 9:28 AM | Comments (0)
March 3, 2008
Weekend of Activity
I had a fun weekend! On Friday night I was out in Chesham at a tween' group at a Fairtrade chocolate evening and enjoying just being rather than having any specific responsibility. In the last half hour though there were quite a few young people who were getting restless so I popped out to the car to get my emergency-run-a-session-in any-situation-bag. A lot of fun (or Chaos) as we did some balloon modelling. Simo is the expert on this in the diocese but the Young People seemed very happy with trying to make the classic "is it a giraffe is it a poodle?" model with the braver attempting a "parrot in a perch"* (I found the picture of the dino' on Marko, there's a model I'd like to try!).
Saturday saw me leading a discussion on a benefice away day on engaging with young people, helping the assembled group to think what building on their work with young people might look like. It was a rural benefice of 9 churches and although their engagement with adolescents was limited they had much to build on. One thing that REALLY impressed me was that in one of their Churches there were "Junior Church Wardens" ..... cool huh!
Last night I was at a great meet-in-a-home type group and leading a session on parents. As per the 'magpie' image in the post where I flagged this up, I nicked quite a few people's ideas and will post the session later in case it proves useful to anyone else.
*the parrot in a perch is just a parrot in a circular stand-on perch, not some Damien-Hurst-esque partialliy digested bird inside the guts of a transluscent fish type deal.
Posted by ian at 7:52 AM | Comments (0)