Discussing 13 Reasons Why and How to Respond – by Cassandra Smith
13 Reasons Why is a Netflix original series based on the book by Jay Asher. The drama is centered around high school aged characters whose narratives include abuse, bullying, sexual assault, self-harm, and suicide. Despite its TV-MA rating, teens are binge watching content that highlights intense issues in graphically dramatized, highly emotional narratives. This leaves […]
10 financial tips from a youth worker to a youth worker.
Financial advice to a youth worker from a youth worker. This might be one of the most hypocritical posts that I’ve ever written and that’s saying something! I’m rubbish at handling money. I don’t care all that much about it and I don’t think all that much about it either. In fact, it was only […]
Should Dr. Jordan Peterson be a role model for youth workers?
Jordan Peterson. Is he the opium for the masses of yesteryear – fighting a last hurrah for traditional masculinity before it plunges into the abyss? Or is he the the national self-help coach, strapping a pseudo-understanding of a plethora of human interest topics onto his otherwise robust portfolio of clinical psychology (with grey tape and […]
The trap cause we really need to remove from our youth work contracts
Endemic in the youth work world is employers who don’t really know why they want a youth worker. Most churches know they want someone to work with young people – running Sunday schools, keeping them entertained, organising camps, and doing some measure of discipleship – but beyond this, it all gets a little fuzzy. If […]
I ask 150 youth workers what they would be if they were not a youth worker… here’s what they said
A few months ago I wrote to a huge number of vocational youth ministers and said this: ‘Finish this sentence: If I wasn’t a youth minister than I’d be…’ The following list is the results. On the surface this seems like an odd, slightly fun, but irrelevant question. If you read carefully, however, it provides […]
Dr. Andrew Root’s Response to Me
Last week I published a post encouraging us to read Dr. Andrew Root with a bit more theological care. Before I posted it, however, I sent it to Dr. Root, and he very graciously responded. Tim, Thanks for this email and thanks for engaging the work. I think this is fine and mostly fair, but […]
A call for more careful reading of Dr. Andrew Root
For Dr. Roots gracious reply to this, please click here. This is just a gentle post asking for some care when reading Dr. Andrew Root. He is well worth the effort and he is invaluable to interact with. I am personally challenged by his experience working with so many hurting and broken young people throughout […]
What does a Church based youth worker do – Jonny Price
What does an average week look like? There is a strange mix of regular, set in stone, activities; those things that need doing week-by-week, and then some less regular things which come around monthly, annually, or are just a one off. The few things that I know will be in the diary each week are: […]
Why study at Nazarene Theological College? By Alia Pike
Hello, my name is Alia Pike and I am the Youth and Community Course Coordinator at Nazarene Theological College (NTC). This course is actually delivered at both NTC in Manchester and at the Scottish School of Christian Mission in Glasgow, which means it has joint professional validation with the National Youth Agency (NYA) and the […]
What does a freelance youth worker do? With Liz Edge
A ‘freelance Youth Work Practitioner’ sounds like a dream job, right? From writing youth work articles in my pyjamas and drinking coffee at networking meetings – many fellow youth workers would kill for this freedom. So, what do I actually ‘do’? Like many of us, most of my working days begin with a substantial caffeine […]
What does a youth work consultant do? With Ali Campbell
Yeah, that is a good question! As I work for myself, as a sole trader, it is not something I have been appointed to – so, in some ways, I get to define what it looks like for me. I set up The Resource in order to be that, a resource for the local church […]
When musical tastes become the preconditions for worship
The time of musical worship can be a nightmare to crack! With so many tastes and values in the room it’s amazing that we ever get through it without broken teeth, flying drumsticks, or choral tantrums. Part of the issue is we’re just so darn picky! I, for instance, am really cynical about 90s-00s contemporary […]
Thank you Billy Graham
When I was 14 I first heard of the work of Billy Graham. I couldn’t believe the size of the crowds that he drew, or the authority of his voice. Could Christians really have that kind of impact? By the time I reached 18 I knew I wanted to do exactly what he did. I […]
What makes a rubbish youth group work?
I sometimes wonder about our standards for what constitutes ‘good’ youth groups. If young people are as varied as humanity itself (which they are), and leader’s love for them can express itself in many different ways (which it can) – then who are we to decide if its quality youth work? If the result of […]
How to read people’s faces during a talk
Bottom line – don’t do it. It’s very easy to be unnerved by a twitching lip, a quirky grin, a shaking head, or a deadpan stare. I’ve had people fall asleep during my talks and yesterday I gave a talk with a disabled gentleman blowing loud raspberries at me. Awesome! It’s easy to get distracted […]