Young people in Sweden are not typically involved in the life of the church as teens but many come to explore confirmation (around 50% of the age group in Vaxjo Diocese). The Church invests around £700 in each confirmand and the process takes up to a year, and includes at least four nights on a residential. (Although many camps are longer than the minimum)

The Church see Confirmation as a gift to young people, helping them explore identity and issues of life, faith, meaning and death. The Church is very specific that this is for young people aged 15, furthermore they say that the minimum number is six (any church having less would have to join with a neighboring parish).

It's been a great day with a great bunch of young people. I've attended morning and evening worship with them and watched various pieces of group work, and been part of creative exploration of the Bible.

I have for a long time talked about 14-16 as the critical age for confirmation (anything else is before the intense adolescent time of identity and meaning construction, whilst also risk faith being attached only to childhood) and the need for young people to encounter leaders and young people from a wider group. It has been really exciting to see such a model in practice.

Had a very pleasant swim in the Lake this evening.
Tomorrow I am off to a very different confirmation camp near the coast

The church I happened to be at made no mention of the day at all which I found kind of sad .... and a little odd. I wonder whether a "Mothering Sunday" could pass with similar absence of reference? And if not, how can so much planning, creativity and celebration go into mums, and yet dads fail to register in any form. You either do both or neither surely?

I'm sure the church was not typical. But even so, the fact that it happened (and aside from a personal sadness) I think it's worth reflecting on in terms of inclusivity, ecclesiology, and maybe default gender focus/bias.
Church can sometimes have a big focus on what they say but fail to notice that most of the communication happens not through what is spoken but by what is (or isn't) in evidence.

Just musing out loud and maybe issuing a bit of a 'shout out' for the men.

Sorting this all out has been a little complex especially being utterly thwarted by a Swedish automated switchboard system where I couldn't understand a thing and thus was unsure whether I was listening to "The number you have called doesn't exist AND NEVER WILL" or "For sympathetic help in English press #" My lack of Swedish is frustrating indeed.

Further complexity ensued yesterday when I tried to buy our train tickets from Copenhagen to Vaxjo. The site was available in English, yeah! but the Swedish names still needed their correct Swedish spelling necessitating in this case an ä and an ö. This should of been simple but the Dell laptop has no 'Numb Lk' so I couldn't use the ALT codes (132 and 148) and the online booking system didn't allow 'insert symbol!' I ended up on Google translate trying to remember German words which contained umlaut 'o' and 'a' so I could copy and paste the letter I needed, doh! Now have the tickets even if it does mean hanging around Copenhagen Airport for three hours on the way home (Copenhagen Airport is SO expensive for everything it makes London feel like Poundland by comparison).

Hoping to blog but may be defeated by Swedish Wifi Instructions

" ..... They found your enthusiasm for youth work inspiring, and a couple commented that this session helped them overcome a number of fears around this ministry"

*holds cigar, looks into middle distance* says, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Actually wouldn't it be fun to designate a week sometime when there was a concerted effort to ask all clergy when they were going to become a youth worker?

It's alternate Sunday evenings (and a generous rate of pay). Ideally I need someone who can cover some sessions this term BUT an applicant for September onwards would also be great. Is it you? Do you know someone?

I'd love to hear from you

Had a great training stroll on Saturday though over the chain of the Malverns, a sort of there and back over 9 of the hills from North Hill and on past British Camp. Only 12 miles but some good hill training nevertheless. (A bit depressing to think when we got back to the car though, "My goodness that would only have been HALF WAY!")

If you've never been to the Malverns then they are well worth a visit. It's not going to compete with the Dales or the Lakes in anyway but there is something wonderful nevertheless about a 9 mile chain of hills that rises so completely out of broadly flat countryside. The highest peak is only 425m but the views are wonderful, whilst the path leading from one summit to another along the 14 hills is easy to follow and hugely enjoyable. (Also conveniently descending at two points to cross roads giving access to emergency Ice Cream provision).

In case it's of interest I also tried using walking poles for the first time and am definitely sold on their advantage for climbs and descents. I found them too faffy on the level but they are easily stowed in the redundant ice axe holder on the Rusksack then, so it's all good)

Loved this article from the Guardian regarding 'distraction addiction' or the resultant 'continuous partial attention!' There is some really wisdom in here and I was also surprised to find elements of the contemplative being engaged with in the search for a healthier relationship with the all pervading technology.

I think my retirement from Scrabble was probably timely but is only one element of the 'Black Hole' like gravitational pull of internet distraction and a flitting virtual unhealthiness.

18-30s: A missing generation from Evangelical Alliance on Vimeo.

A reminder that this years YCML events (North and South) are coming up VERY soon.

THE LECTURES 2013: Community [church?]

Monday 17 June, London
Church House Westminster

Tuesday 18 June, Leeds
Leeds Christian Institute

Urban Saints have put together an interesting Internship project called LEVEL-UP that offers a wide range of experience, opportunity and training. (A serious amount of money to find though).

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Musing more generally:

There is an absolute explosion of internship opportunities and I'd be very interested to see what percentage are filled (Might see press-gangs operating for various agencies in the resource area at Soul Survivor at this rate). With youth unemployment such an issue then internships could be a great opportunity, I am concerned that some though (and they are rare but dangerous) are keener on the free labour dimension than on the experience and training dimension. Where they work well though what a great opportunity for growth, discipleship, learning AND young people helping to shape the organisation they are serving with.

I was wondering about compiling a list of internships but I can't see how I'd even start to do justice to the opportunities.

Has the phrase "Gap Year" been confined to the recycling bin now?

If you have the book (I don't) you can see how much editing happened as below is the text of the e-mail.

"Writing something generic about inclusion, given the range of additional or special and additional needs that there are, is quite a challenge. However coming from the perspective of a youth worker who has faced the challenge of inclusion, and my own experiences of having a son who has cerebral palsy, I wanted to try and frame some advice and thinking.

Being inclusive is a great way of modelling (and experiencing) the Kingdom. Young people with additional leads can be a great blessing to the group as well as being blessed by the group.

Don't worry about what you don't know! Talk to the young person first and foremost, get to know them. If speech is a difficulty for them, don't be frightened, listen - really listen, and admit if you are struggling to understand. See the young person, not the disability. If you want to know more, talk to the parent(s), they'll be more than happy to help you understand the young persons' needs and challenges. Come to this conversation though having got to know the young person a little. Remember you are good at relating to young people, don't become something different because they have a disability. If they have a diagnosed condition, a bit of time on Google can also be really helpful.

Having worked with the parent(s) to understand the needs, make sure you work with the young person in the context of the group. Parents can have a limited view of what their son/daughter can do and wants to do (All parents rightly want to protect their child but parents of children with disabilities can sometimes develop quite concerned and restrictive views of what they are capable of ) The group may be a great opportunity for them to explore more of who they are and what they are able to do. Listen - really listen.

Inclusion will require additional thought, planning and/or people depending on the young person. (On a very practical level some young people may not fit into neat age divisions and you may want to include them at 'stage' not age.)
Work to make activities work for all the group. Review regularly with the young person and the parents.

And finally as a parent can I just say what a blessing it is to see your child loved, valued and included regardless of their ability"