Life & Work Magazine
Life & Work Magazine


6 mins

Celebrating Young People

Thomas Baldwin learns more about plans for the 2018 Year of Young People within the Church of Scotland.

IF there’s one thing most people in the Church of Scotland would probably agree on, it’s that the Church needs to connect with more young people.

Well, in 2018 the Church has been given an open goal: the Year of Young People.

The Year, first announced by the Scottish Government in 2013, and led by youth organisations Children in Scotland, the Scottish Youth Parliament and Young Scot.

is a celebration of the contribution of young people in Scotland. Its stated aim is ‘to inspire Scotland through its young people, celebrating their achievements, valuing their contribution to communities and creating new opportunities for them to shine locally, nationally and globally’.

Throughout 2018, activities will be based around the themes of culture, education, enterprise and regeneration, equality and discrimination, health and wellbeing, and participation. The themes were chosen following ‘an in-depth engagement process’ with young people in 2015 and 2016.

Over 500 young volunteers (aged 8-26) have been recruited to represent their local communities as Year of Young People ambassadors, and events are planned throughout the year.

Louise Macdonald, Chief Executive of Young Scot, said: “Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018 will celebrate our outstanding young people on the global stage. Its packed programme of incredible opportunities will inspire the whole country, showcase the incredible achievements of young Scots and open doors to new experiences.”

The Church of Scotland recognised the potential of the event back in 2016, when the General Assembly instructed presbyteries and sessions to participate in the Year ‘as an opportunity for the Kirk to engage with young people’.

The Church of Scotland’s Children’s Development Worker, Isobel Booth- Clibborn, is co-ordinating the church’s engagement with the Year of Young People at national level.

She says: “It is a great opportunity for the Church of Scotland to be part of the Scottish Government’s Year of Young People initiative in 2018.

“Throughout the year, we would like to encourage all churches to be involved and explore new ways to involve and celebrate children and young people within the life of the church. We hope to foster a renewed focus on, and celebration of, children and young people in our churches and communities.

“Churches both large and small, those with children and young people and thosewith none can all pray, hold services and explore some new ideas to engage with children and young people in our communities.

Photo: iStock

“Throughout the year, we would like to encourage all churches to be involved and explore new ways to involve and celebrate children and young people within the life of the church. We hope to foster a renewed focus on, and celebration of, children and young people in our churches and communities.”

“We would like churches to think about how to encourage participation and involvement of young people and to celebrate who young people are and what they are involved in.”

As part of the Church’s commitment to young people, all churches have been invited to sign a Pledge committing to engage and pray for children and young people during the year.

Those that do will receive a Toolkit giving ideas for activities and events throughout the year, beginning with a Year of Young People service which is suggested for Sunday January 28.

Among the suggestions are church and community events for children, young people or old ages; encouraging the churches’ young people to attend Christian camps or festivals, and making sure that young people are involved in services throughout the year

Congregations are encouraged to involve children and young people in discussions and planning what they might do during the year.

A monthly focus area is suggested for each month through the year to share prayer, news and stimulate specific activity.

Each month of the year has been given a theme, beginning with ‘one church / one body’ in January, and ending with Celebration in November/ December A series of events are being planned for young people and for people who work with them, both at Presbytery level and national level. Presbyteries are planning events for children and young people or those who work with them.

The Church’s Mission and Discipleship Council will be holding a series of Year of Young People Roadshows in February and March, which will take place in Dumbarton, Dalkeith, Dundee and Inverness; and conferences for paid workers, leaders and people concerned with ministry to children and young people.

Other organisations are also theming their events round the Year, including EcoCongregation Scotland, which is holding a conference on ‘intergenerational justice’ in April.

Other events are being developed at presbytery level: the Presbytery of Glasgow is taking a team of young people to South Africa to build a home for a family.

Hamilton are running a schools camp; Edinburgh are getting children involved in sharing their vision for the city

The Church’s stated aims for the year are to:

· Provide a platform for young people to have their views heard and acted upon

· Encourage church communities to involve and include young people

· Showcase the talents of young people through events and media

· Develop better understanding, co-operation and respect between generations

· Recognise and celebrate the impact the church community has on young people’s lives

· Recognise, celebrate and develop the role of those in ministry (paid and voluntary) with young people in the church

· Provide a platform for young people to have their views heard and acted upon

· Encourage church communities to involve and include young people

· Showcase the talents of young people through events and media

· Develop better understanding, co-operation and respect between generations

· Recognise and celebrate the impact the church community has on young people’s lives

· Recognise, celebrate and develop the role of those in ministry (paid and voluntary) with young people in the church

Church of Scotland National Youth Assembly 2017

Isobel adds: “Through active involvement in the Year of Young People 2018, we hope to see our Church change develop and grow with churches being more intentional about welcoming and engaging with children and young people, celebrating all that they are and all that they bring and enabling a greater say in decisions about the church and their lives.”

Endorsing the Year of Young People, the Rt Rev Derek Browning, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland says: “We seek to inspire Scotland and our Church through our young people, celebrating their achievements, valuing their contribution to communities and creating new opportunities for them to shine locally, nationally and globally. The Church of Scotland has a considerable ‘reach’. As we continue the process of looking at who we are, what we do, how we do it, and how this relates to our witness to God and our world, we will discover ways in which we must use imagination and provide links and introductions that will benefit our Churches, including our younger people.”

For more information, Isobel Booth-Clibborn yoyp@churchofscotland.org.uk

The Church of Scotland Year of Young People Toolkitand many other resources and stories is available on www.churchofscotland.org.uk/yoyp

Events relating to the Year of Young People at Presbytery level and national level are on: www.churchofscotland.org.uk/ resources/children and youth/events

The national Year of Young People website is at yoyp2018.scot

NYA reps and local children in Lochcarron
Church of Scotland National Youth Assembly 2017
Photo:iStock

TIMETABLE

January: One church/one body

Sunday January 28: congregations invited to hold a service launching the Year of Young People

February: Health and Wellbeing

Saturday February 17: YOYP Roadshow, Dumbarton

Saturday February 24: YOYP Roadshow, Dalkeith

February 28 – March 2: Conference for paid workers, Kinross

March: Community

Saturday March 10: YOYP Roadshow, Dundee

Saturday March 17: YOYP Roadshow, Inverness

April: Equality and Discrimination

Saturday April 21: Interfaith Scotland conference

Saturday April 28: EcoCongregation Scotland Intergenerational Justice Conference

May: Participation and Influence

Sunday May 20: Heart and Soul

June: Volunteers

July: Culture

August: Education

September: Global Justice

October: Harvest

Thursday October 4: Faith Formation in a Secular Age conference for leaders

Saturday October 6: Relational Ministry Reimagined, streamed workshops for anyone concerned with ministry to children and young people

Friday October 9: Inspire Peace, conference for school students

November/December: Celebration

This article appears in the January 2018 Issue of Life and Work

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  COPIED
This article appears in the January 2018 Issue of Life and Work