As part of the residential last weekend we went Ice Skating at the Swindon Link Centre. Amusingly for the teens and I, the hockey team based there (and hence the logo's around the place) were, 'The Wildcats!' This was great ..... and helped us get our heads in the game!
BTW, anyone seen HSM 3 yet?
The trilogy is complete :-)
Jacob and Brian over at Re-thinking Youth Ministry have posted a list of 10 ways they use to enable discussion with teenagers. They are:
1) The Continuum
2) Hypotheticals
3) Graffiti wall
4) Fishbowl
5) Vote
6)Posters
7) Images
8) Talk Partners
9) Role Play
10) Talk Tokens
If you want the fuller explantations then click through to their post, or I have included them in the extended entry on 'continue reading.'
I use lots of the above strategies but thought I'd try and throw some additional thoughts, ideas and suggestions into the mix!
11) Build Trust: Remember you can't instantly have deep discussion. Use a 'Throw and Tell Ball' or the like, start with discussions that are low key and non threatening but demonstrate you are interested and listening. Know if you are working with teens there will be off-the-wall mad questions ... and how you handle these is a test of whether discussion really is safe or not. (see also the Bosworth Googly)
12) Stick it notes: I'm a big fan of stick-it-notes and find that teenagers are very happy to scribble individually or in groups on stick it notes. The notes mean that young people who don't like speaking out in a group feel more comfortable and/or there can be a degree of anonymity. You can also divide up a response really easily by say people sticking their responses/questions/thoughts to either the 'Agree' or 'Disagree' sides of something.
13) The neutralised Question: How might 'someone in your class' at school or 'someone in church' answer that.
14) Making Stuff: Asking for a creative response, give out pipe-cleaners or plasticine and invite teens to make something that represents how they feel about the given issue!
15) Their questions driving the discussion: Build trust, introduce the topic and ask them to write the questions that will form the discussion (let them do this anonymously .... oh and you may want to encourage them to write 'open' questions not 'closed')
16) Overturn Fear of getting it wrong: You have to work hard at creating the idea that discussion is cool, that you are not using questions to arrive at the 'right' answer. That the discussion is genuinely important in and of itself.
17) You don't have all the answers: When teens know that you don't have all the answers and there are questions you are wrestling with it can be really freeing
18) Environment: Think about the environment in which you are discussing. If it feels like school they'll respond acordingly. Work hard too at taking out the power dynamics (eg not sitting higher than the group, being part of the group not removed from it etc)
19). The debate: Randomly divide the teenagers up into, for example, 'support' and 'Oppose' groups on a particular issue. They have to argue their position regardless of their personal conviction on the issue. This can be quite liberating and lead to a great discussion of the issue without anyone feeling vulnerable about their own position or thoughts.
Please add your thoughts/ideas via the comments!
Life is mad busy today so no time for the usual *cough* finely honed blog entry, I will however grab the opportunity to write up a true story that makes me laugh.
A friend of mine works in the justice system and was present in court one day when this particular case was being heard. The man bringing the case had chosen to represent himself (as it were) rather than using a lawyer, and thus made an opening speech outlining the case. In closing he grandly said, "Those are the allegations your honour, and I am (brief pause while he searched for a term with suitable legal gravitas) ... the allegat-or!"
I got back last night from speaking on an uber-fab weekend away with a top top bunch of young people. I hope you'll forgive a bit of a show-n-tell post, BUT I'm writing it up in case there is 'stuff' you can appropriate and use!
Venue: Legge House near Swindon. Great venue, semi-out in the sticks but also close to Swindon for Ice Skating, Swimming, bowling etc (or a Train museum??!!). The venue itself had a good meeting room, a games room, a couple of lounges. The kitchen was large, the dorms were as you'd expect and the leaders block upstairs was REALLY REALLY nice!
Activities: The team had put a whole bunch of stuff together but there's a few things that may translate really well. There was a whole treasure hunt/photo challenge based around Avebury and Silbury Hill (if you are going to Legge House and want a copy, shout) which led to points for the teams. Later that evening the team used their points in an auction for ingredients for a Ready-steady-cook dessert challenge. This proved hilarious and the auction really added a great dimension to the challenge.
Other quirky challenges over the weekend included who could build the highest tower from spaghetti (uncooked obviously) and marshmallows. We also had a Wii projecting onto the big screen and some hilarious races using Mario and Sonic Olympics.
Spiritual Programme: We explored a whole bunch of stuff but the highlight for me was a late night quiet service. The vicar of the church was a top bloke and lent me the church keys, I'd set up candles and a circle of cushions and put an amplifier and speakers in place ready.
I explained to the teens what we were trying to do (putting a service together from scratch that was creative, participative and experiential) and gave them the challenge of making it happen. I divided the service into 6 sections: Gathering, Confession, Worship, Word, Prayer and Sending and the teens selected the group they would belong to. Needless to say, they really rose to the challenge and forty minutes later we walked over to the church ready to worship and explore together. I'm not going to write up the service itself but it was an extrordinary time and I was really moved/blessed by being part of it. Fab!
Making me laugh: Due to the current configuration of my moustache/beard I became known as "Walrus" which somehow became the "Walrus of Love" but due to the slightly weird sounding aspect of that (and me being the preacher) I became the 'Walrus of Christian Love"
At lunch time on our mammoth walk I broke open the emergecy pack of plasticine (I have a lot of junk in my rucksack) and someone made a Walrus, thus the Purple Walrus of Christian Love became the mascot of the weekend!
I've just had an e-mail from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales asking for creative and/or Youth friendly versions of the Creed? Despite an extensive trawl of the folders on my trusty laptop I cannot find anything ... or even point to a source. Can you help?
I believe you can!
OK, here is the most idiot proof way yet of using Youtube videos in Powerpoint presentations! Click here, type in the URL of the Youtube vid' and select mpg as the file type to convert to. When it's finished, click 'save to file' and it will be on your desktop. Fab!
It will play in Windows media player
or you can insert it into a Powerpoint slide by 'insert' then 'movies and sounds' then 'movies from file' and click on the clip on desktop or wherever you've moved it to.
Further tip:
As the clips cannot be shown full size* I tend to put a picture of a TV on the slide and then insert the video clip into the screen, for example:
This info is info for PC, I know that someone with a Mac will point out something like, hey the Mac runs an app' that re-configures peoples eyesight for full screen viewing!
We had a mad session at my CYM small group yesterday and I thought the ice breaker was worth sharing (thanks Kerry). This is what we experienced:
The leader placed a whole bunch of things on the table. In this case: a spatula, a small tub of jelly, a ruler, a scarf, a Yorkie bar, a spoon, a newspaper, some Chewitts, string, straws and rubber bands.
We were divided into two teams. The teams took it in turn to choose and collect objects from the list above (without knowing the purpose). Once all the objects had gone we were given the object of the game which was:
You have five minutes to design a fun game that uses every single one of your objects. You must then run the game!
The team I was in had the newspaper, rubber bands, chewitts, scarf, ruler and spatula.
We came up with a game whereby a blindfolded goalkeeper held a container (made from the newspaper) and a 'striker' had to attempt to flick rubber bands into the container. This was made more difficult by two defenders, equipped with the ruler and the spatula respectively, who attempted to 'bat' the rubber bands away from the goal.
A Chewitt was awarded to the striker for each goal or to a defender for each succesful parry!
The other team had the string, straws, Yorkie, jelly and spoon. They elected to tie the two competitors hands behind their backs (thus using the string) and challenge them to arrange the straws into a neat square and then eat the jelly using only their mouths/faces. The reward for success being the Yorkie bar!
I commend the game (with objects of your own mad inspiration) to blogdom, have fun!
There's a lot of stuff going on at the moment in the world of youth (and children's) work with big changes afoot.
ISA registration: Should go live 12 months from now, EVERYONE who works with young people will need to be registered with the Independent Safeguarding authority. (Note that the are now using the language of vetting and barring which they had dropped for a while). The webpage is here.
Passport Registration Scheme: Currently only a proposal but a serious one nevertheless. The idea is that there would be a document/record detailing your experience, training and qualifications. This is the kind of idea, this is the current response of the NCVYS (national council of voluntary youth services) and a forum for your response.
The Integrated Qualifications Framework (IQF):
"The IQF will be a set of approved qualifications that allows progression, continuing professional development and mobility across the children and young people's workforce"
This is part of a whole bunch of work from the work of the CWDA (Childrens (including youth) workforce development agency) that wants to see a minimum set of standards and training for work with young people. (this is more about local networks, referral and standards than the actual skills). As far as I can see this will be a prerequisite if you are delivering services and/or receiving funding, I am not (so far) seeing this as being aimed at church based volunteers.
Please add to me knowledge if you can!
I'm loving the mellow vibe of this music and cinematography! (I'm also wishing that my board ran as peacefully as this one!). Todays 3 minute mellowness break, enjoy!
It's always great when my colleague, the children's worker, gets a pile of books delivered! (You can't beat a REALLY good children's book). One that arrived today is 'This is the Earth that God made,' it uses a 'this is the house that Jack built type rhyme and is rather good fun!
"This is the Earth that God made.
This is the rolling, rocking sea that drinks from the fountains that flow from the mountains that rise from the dirt that covers the Earth that God made ................... etc"
If you are in the Buckinghamshire quadrant of the Diocese then the Youth Focus training day on November 15th is worth checking out. I am signed up to the all day module on 'Disabled young people, integration and good practice.' Sadly though I can no longer make it, if you would like my place, at not cost to you, let me know!
from the brilliant Asbo Jesus
I've locked myself in the shed today in order to meet a couple of deadlines that are hanging over me like the sword of Damocles. However in a moment of procrastination I wanted to confirm to the commenter who expressed surprise that my shed looked vaguely tidy and organised, that it very much is!
It's also a chance to re-assure those who were horrified about my proposed wood burning stove, that I am still running on Electric heating ....... for the moment. Hey ho, back to work!
"I love deadlines! (I like the wooshing sound they make as they go by)" Douglas Adams
Oh and on a shed related theme. Wandering through London t'other day I noticed that the builders working on this site had things well sussed. Lunch breaks could be handily taken in their own shed assembled within the scaffolding, genius! (Also liking the fact the shed has en-suite facilities!)
"Little round planet in a big universe
Sometimes it looks blessed, some times it looks cursed.
Depends on what you look at, obviously.
But even more it depends on the way that you see" Bruce Cockburn
With an average age of 57, and the stark fact that fewer than one in eight of its constituents are under 35, the organisation is in trouble! Furthermore, it is removed from youth culture, and in terms of it's music, not where the majority of young people are.
It is however making a real attempt to woo teenagers and re-connect with the youth of this country!
Thought you'd be interested! (BTW though, I'm not talking about the church!)
Story here
"The two old ladies were in total agreement;
the trouble with young people was not only
that they made themselves ridiculous:
dyeing their hair absurd colours and
wearing tastless clothing: but that they
wasted so much time and were so rude
to others.
The two old ladies were glad they had
agreed for once; they pulled on their
simulated fur coats and hurried off to spend
the rest of the day at the hairdresser's:
he was a nice man, despite his wife, and
he always did such a good job with their
pink rinses"
Mike Starkey from the book "Frogs and Princes"
I'm blogging from my shed whilst enjoying a rather fine day off! And as such I thought this might be a good opportunity to shed some light on the shed situation.
I've been tied to indoors projects recently and for those who were amused by the epic saga of the cupboard doors, you'll will be pleased to know they are finished! A twenty minute job that morphed into a full-on construction project and, three weeks later, is finally complete, YAY!
This has definitely confirmed to me that I prefer outdoor carpentry to indoor woodwork, oh and I rate creosote* way above white gloss paint. *shudder*
On the shed front I am collecting wood for a new project. I hope to begin building a long shed soon that will be 3ft by 16ft, specifically as a Kayak store. I've also been asked to design a triangular shed for a friend to fit a particular section of his garden .... I like the idea of this and am very excited about this potential, "great pyramid of Bicester!"
In terms of my workshop, I'm trying to locate an old woodburning stove which would be a great addition to the, already high, levels of mellowness herein.
I've also been sent some essential reading by a friend (thanks). I enjoyed Shed Men enormously and now have the sequel, Men and Sheds! Nice.
*Sadly I've slipped down to number 17 on Google for Creosote substitute, the heady days when the search engine considered me the world expert on this particular wood treatment have long passed.
St Nix is online and has it's own youth building and a funky yoof office! If you'd like to know more then you'll find some spiel here!
A real positive of the job is that you'll get to see the Diocesan youth advisor a lot *laughing* while conversely one of the negatives is .............. er, you'll get to see a lot of the Diocesan youth advisor!
CHP have produced a useful guide called "Employing youth and children's workers!"
It's a useful, from first principles onwards, book and would be a great tool for any church wanting to take this step. I'd still recommend that a Church purchases the Amaze manual for the useful pro-formas and up to date legal requirements, but as a first port of call (well illustrated with scenarios) it's well worth splashing out the required £8.99.
If you would like to order a copy then the bar-code goes, thin thin wide wide space thin space thin thin ........... actually I'll just give you the ISBN: 978-0-7151-4058-1
Has anyone else noticed that if you use the BBC-I player to 'listen again,' the volume control goes up to '11!' I rather like this and assume it's a software engineers tribute to the iconic amplifier in 'This is Spinal Tap!' Fab!
I've got a number of events coming up over the next while that need/involve young people and I flag them up here in case they interest you:
October 28th. Morning with Bishop John looking at our "Sharing Life" vision and involving Tweens in that process. If that's your half term and you'd like to bring some YP then shout.
November 7th. "Take over day" A chance for a teenager (plus probably me) to be part of what Bishop Colin is up to that day
December 6th: A day in London ready for Oxford Diocese to receive (and distribute) it's grant from the Youth Evangelism fund. I'm looking for a couple of teens and their leader to come to London for the day.
New Year: Invitation from Sweden for some older teens to take part in an international camp (in a building I should add) next to a frozen lake somewhere in Sweden.
May: The international Kirchentag in Bremmen, Germany
July: I'm heading up a trip to Taize
I was up in London on Monday for a meeting of the 'Confirmation Forum!' In an in-efficient piece of non pre-planning, my bike was still in Oxford, doh! So this meant a couple of miles walk to the station, a couple of miles or more from Paddington to the back of Westminster and later the reverse thereof. Pleasingly though it was a fabulous archetypal 'mists-and-mellow-fruitfulness' Autumnal day, thus the stroll through Hyde Park and St James park was an absolute pleasure. Adding to the entertainment while strolling I was attempting to catch the falling leaves and arrived at the meeting bearing two of my trophies (one the results of a magnificent left handed diving snatch). The receptionist at Church house looked at the leaves and asked me if I wanted a bin?
"No, not necessary" I replied.
To which the question came, "So ..... you are collecting leaves then?"
"er, yes .. kind of!" I had to reply feeling perhaps a tad silly but hey ho!
Anyway this sparked some conversation going before our meeting kicked off and one of the group present revealed how when she'd been in Africa her mum had sent her a parcel containing nothing but leaves to remind her of home. As the parcel had to be opened in the Post-Office (a legal requirement) she was left trying to explain (with difficulty) that it was just a pack of Autumn leaves and that they held no medicinal or narcotic potential!
Good story I thought!
Not a perfect metaphor, but an interesting one:
"The church is a service station. Now a car will run for a while without having to be serviced, but not for long. It has to have its energy (fuel) supply replenished. It has to have broken parts repaired. It has to be renewed - new tyres, oil and water. Otherwise it will soon be unable to fulfil its purpose. But no-one in his right mind buys a car in order to
take it to the service station. No normal person wants to keep his car around the service station all the time. Service stations are a means to an end. They provide what we need to continue our journey, to get back into the world, and to keep moving toward our destination. It is very important that some people be willing to train themselves for work at the service station, and offer themselves in that vocation.
They are absolutely necessary.
But just think what would happen if everybody got the idea that the only true vocation was to work at a service station! So it is with the church. There are absolutely vital and indispensable ministries that go on within its walls;sacramental, educational and social. But it is a terrible mistake to think that these make up the real ministry of the church"
From The Calling of the Laity Verna Dozier Alban (1988), 84-5
Charlie Brooker writing in the Guardian has produced a great piece about the current economic situation, concluding thusly:
"All of it was a dream. All that crap we bought, all the bottled water and Blu-Ray players and designer shoes and iPod Shuffles and patio heaters; all the jobs we had; all the catchphrases we memorised and the stupid things we thought. Everything we did for the past 10 years - none of it really felt real, did it? Time to snap out of it. Time to grow our own vegetables and learn hand-to-hand combat with staves. And time, perhaps, to really start living"
If you are calling in to the blog as a result of the training day on Saturday, Welcome! (and thanks for making it such a fun day). As promised some links and reminders of what we covered:
A pdf of the Powerpoint slides is available for Download tween powerpoint for Chelmsford.pdf
For a fuller explanation of what I was presenting though you'll need to read the booklet I demi-authored :-)
Among the things recommended were:
Throw and tell Balls: Available from your local Christian bookshop
The Energize resource from Urban Saints
Suggested Homework
Watch School of Rock with the following questions in mind:
1. Where is our approach like the school, where is it like Dewey's (Mr Schneebly)?
2. How does Dewey engage and enable the young people?
3. How does Dewey share his passion and allow others to experience and participate in this?
4. What from the film would you critique and what would you absorb for your approach?
Apologies to those who were traumatised by being exposed to High School Musical ;-) *laughing*
Any other questions that you have please e-mail me (address on the right hand column) or type a key word into the 'Search' (also to the right)
I have a plan! Us youth workers have (in my experience) a large social conscience and I wish to propose a specific use for it today! Could you join me in keeping an eye out for 21,000 cows .......... which DEFRA (a government agency) have lost. It's true! The government are rather busy with the economic meltdown at the moment and have little energy for putting right their massive Bovine blunder. It's down to us, good hunting!
As part of the Tweenagers training I was delivering on Saturday I showed a clip of "High School Musical" and asked people to reflect on why it has massive appeal to Tweens.
The Youth worker (Andy of Essex) I was musing with was interested in the talent-without-effort aspect i.e how the character Zac could sing and perform perfectly despite never having done that before. Andy also contrasted this with 'Fame' from the 80's and how that exploration of fame/success was focused around effort and discipline, "This is where you start to pay the cost!"
It's a thought!
I've had a question from a ........ Mrs Trellis of North Wales! I'm just dashing out so I'll post it here and leave the answers to the Colossus that is your collective creative genius. Suggestions in the comments box please (and thank you)
Just wondered if you can help me. I am preaching on: 'Why we must live cross-culturally' from 1 Corinthians 9: 19-27. Can you think of any film clips that would be good to show?
Great programme on the BBC last night called Can hoodies be goodies?
"Garron Mitchell sets out to try and rehabilitate the image of the hoodie, but can he convince middle England that hoodies can be goodies?"
Garron does a great job (and takes a great youth work approach) in talking, listening and exploring the experiences and attitudes of teens and society. The retrospective look at the 50's through to punk, and the perceptions of youth violence back then are really useful (I would love this section to show at training events).
I loved the sequence where Garron (as the Goodfather) and his gang of Goodie Hoodies hit the high street to un-mug people!
The programme is only available for another 6 days so do grab a look! I think this is a really great piece of TV.
In a long meeting this morning I challenged someone over the fact there appeared to be too much "Nazal Gaving" doh!
I have a pile of reading on the go at the moment connencted with my work on understanding Tweenagers. As well as a mound of faith development, marketing and cultural stuff I have a whole wadge of mags to read. All good fun BUT does present a dilemma on what to do with the freebies ....... Can anyone, for example, find a use for "Concealer Duo (Two shades in one)?"
Any other recommendations apart from Dr Who, Futurama, Mizz, 4Girlz, Bliss and Teen Now.
The Sticky note experiment! Proof that fun can be found anywhere!
I've been enjoying the BBC take on the early and untold story of Merlin, great fun and the Beeb have pitched it well into a surrogate 'Dr Who' family viewing gap! I'm also interested in it's obvious appeal to Tweens (I may use it for reflection at a 'Tweenagers' training gig I'm doing on Saturday) in the themes that run through it!
I liked this section of review from the Guardian that has also picked up it's Tween/Teen credentials:
"This new Saturday-night reboot is basically Camelot 90210. Or Smallville with spells. Or Buffy with boys (Slayer star Anthony Head even plays nasty King Uther Pendragon). Merlin adjusts to life as a wizard with a special destiny while navigating the minefield of puberty"
At a youth group last night i encountered a game they called SPLAT!
It's an elimination game of imaginary Splat dueling!
All but one of the young people stood in a circle with the remaing person in the middle. The person in the middle would fire an imaginary splat gun at someone and shout SPLAT! The recipient of the 'splat!' had to immediately duck and the two people either side would have to turn and 'splat' at each other. The loser of the duel was out and sat down, the person splatted from the middle would re-stand and the game would continue with one less participant. The game continues round by round with someone eliminated each time (unless the 'splat' duel was considered a draw), with the duels being between the two nearest standing people either side of the victim.
When only two people remain they stand back to back and a key word is agreed, for example 'fox!' A series of words are called out and the duelists take one step each time,
'box!' (step), 'rocks!' (step) until the keyword is called and the duelists spin round and fire a splat! The fastest is the winner.
I loved the game for the level of hilarity and craziness!
(Make sure you have a neutral referee to decide the faster 'splatter' each time!)
I had a great week off! The epic saga of the Cupboard doors is still on-going and I intend to post a picture when I finally finish them! I did do quite a bit of successful DIY type stuff which I won't bore you with. I got out in the Kayak once but sadly no sea-kayaking, I went down to Studland for the day but lashing rain and wind gusts of up to 54mph meant no paddling. I did get a couple of cycle rides in though over the week diverting back via my son's school to pick him up ...... and here's a tip (I discovered as a result): If you are not in the mood for talking to people in the school playground, wear Lycra!
I had a question last night from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales, she asked:
I have a query about youthworkers (and also all the volunteer helpers) being 'friends' with their young people on Facebook. I understand why it seems a good idea but I really can't bring myself to believe that it is ok practice. I need to put some rules and a policy about it into place soon (either way) but I'd really like your advice on the whole thing first. Can you help? "
My reply went something like this:
While I think that the SN thing is great, my feeling is that the 'friends' thing on FACEBOOK et al comes down to boundaries. Young people have access to all areas of the workers life/relationships (not necessarily a good thing) with the addded possibility too of the workers friends becoming friends with a young person. There are worse case scenarios with this BUT what is far more likely is that boundaries get blurred, for example youthworkers friend 'X' invites friends (including some of the young people to a party) or youthworkers friend 'Z' strikes up a romantic relationship with one of the young people.
IMHO, the issues about boundaries and how those are defined and managed. Some thought and some sort of a policy is a good idea rather than encountering problems later.
Boris Johnson - at the Conservative Party Conference 2008 (taken from C&YP Now)
"On the issue of providing young people with things to do, he said "I will not be frightened about saying some crusty-sounding things.
People have invested a lot of money in expensive sound equipment intended to turn youngsters into rappers and DJs but I'd like to see some more going into basic literacy and mathematics."
Discuss!
