In Brief

TEENAGERS’ SLEEP HARMED BY SCREEN TIME

Time spent using electronic devices may harm young people’s ability to get a good night’s sleep. The data from a study of nearly 10,000 teenagers suggested that more than two hours in front of a screen, be it a television, games console or mobile phone, was strongly linked to delayed and shorter sleep.

                  

50 YEARS OF TIME FOR GOD

Time for God celebrates a half-century of providing volunteering programmes this year. The scheme, which has seen over 3000 volunteers take part, was started by the Baptist Union in 1965 and has since been supported by all the main British denominations.

TEENAGERS AT RISK OF ABUSE

Young people are more at risk of abuse than any other age group. The research from the Children’s Society suggest that 16 and 17 year-olds are more likely to be abused or neglected than any other group, yet receive the least protection. Currently, almost 25,000 16 and 17 year-olds, one in 50 are at risk of abuse, including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, but the existing child cruelty laws only protect against neglect, ill treatment and abandonment up to the age of 15. The Children’s Society’s research also suggests that 80 per cent of UK parents think the law needs to change to protect older teenagers at risk of neglect.

CATHOLIC YOUTH WORK WEBSITE RELAUNCHED

Well-known website CatholicYouthWork.com  has been re-launched. The site has been revamped by The Salesians, a Catholic religious institute. The website offers resources, a forum, and updates for Catholic youth workers. Dermott Donnelly, Chair of CYMFed, the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation in England and Wales, said: ‘This is a fantastic resource that will help strengthen and support the Church’s important work with young people.’ Chris Knowles, the site’s editor, said: ‘We know there are lots of people out there doing great work with young people, but the problem is that we’re too often disconnected from one another. This site is a place we can all come together to share ideas, resources and good practice, and was designed specifically to facilitate this.’

‘We want to send a clear message that we will continue to be obedient to Jesus until these refugees are recognised as people and their rights observed. So while we’ve turned the other cheek, we will now give our outer-garments as well. Those who thought that strip searches would be enough to stop us; well, we serve with Jesus, who was stripsearched before he went to the cross.’  

Activist Jarrod McKenna , who along with eight others , stripped to protest the detention of asylum - see king children in Australia. Jarrod will be speaking at the YouthWor k Summit in June , hopefully with all of his clothes on .