News - May 2017

Childline launch new app

The NSPCC’s Childline has launched an app which will provide counselling to young people directly through their smartphone. For me was invented by four teenagers who wanted to make technology benefit the community and realised there was an urgent need for young people to have easy access to confidential advice and support. The app, which is free to download, includes one-to-one chat with a counsellor, ‘Ask Sam’ problem pages and entrance to their private ‘locker’ - an area where they have their own daily mood tracker and can write down personal thoughts.

Childline founder, Dame Esther Rantzen said: “We know hundreds of thousands of young people use our website for help and support, with more than half of those visits coming via mobile devices. Now young people can get immediate access to our counsellors through this brilliant, innovative app.”

Catholic bishops seek youth opinion

Catholic bishops of England and Wales have released a survey ahead of next year’s synod on youth. The survey will help to inform a report that will be sent to the Vatican ahead of the synod in October 2018.

The youth poll on life, faith and vocational discernment invites answers from 13-29-year-olds of all religions and none. The poll is anonymous and asks young people to say how their lives are and how much they believe in God. It also asks how events, activities or individuals have helped their spiritual lives as well as how much they think the Church is interested in their life.

To take part in the poll, which is open until 5th June, visit surveymonkey.co.uk/r/cathnews-synod-youth-poll.

Engaging young refugees event

Over 200 youth workers were encouraged and equipped to reach out to young asylum seekers and refugees at Engaging Young Refugees: an equipping day for youth workers last month. The national training day was streamed live from Youthscape’s Bute Mills building in Luton to ten other community centres and churches across England and Scotland. It was organised by Refugee Support Network, Church Response For Refugees, and Premier Youth and Children’s Work.

Tania Bright, executive director of Church Response For Refugees, said: “Churches in the UK are incredibly well-placed to help refugees. We hope that by attending this training day, youth workers and churches feel called and enabled to reach out to young refugees and asylum seekers, and show them hospitality and the love of Jesus in action. We have enjoyed working with local and national refugee charities in organising this event, and we look forward to hearing stories of young refugees welcomed and thriving in our communities.”

Faith schools urged to rethink pupil selection

Schools run by the Church of England and other religious groups are being encouraged to change the way they select pupils after a new report found many faith schools are segregated. The report – compiled by national integration charity The Challenge, research body iCoCo Foundation and data analyst website SchoolDash – found that 29 per cent of faith schools are ethnically segregated, compared to 24.5 per cent of those with no faith affiliation. Faith schools were also found to have a lower proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

Child of our time

Back in 2000 the BBC embarked on a project to follow the lives of 25 newborn babies. Now, 16 years later, Child of our time takes a look at what it means to be a teenager in the 21st Century. It’s four years since Robert Winston presented the last series of the programme and in the most recent episodes there’s a big focus on technology and how it affects young people. It also features 16-year-old Eve who came out as gay to her evangelical Christian dad and connects with other gay teens via social media. The overall message of the episode is positive - it suggests that life as a teenager is hard but it will turn out all right. Check out youthandchildrens.work for further commentary on Child of our time.