Don't tell your kids they're smart. Apparently if you do you give children the idea that it's because they're intelligent that they do well and so they go 'ooh I'm so smart, I don't need to put effort in' and then they don't. Tell them they put good effort into something and they go 'ooh, if I put more effort in I'll do better' and consequentially they do. The article is worth reading in full.
What youth pastors tell me in secret (not me you understand, but the guy who wrote this article). Youth pastors confess where they struggle with their pastors.
Foundations for a theology of Youth Ministry by Chap Clark. Alas, he's wrong. Bonus points if you can spot the large gapping hole in his five points. (Sometimes I wonder that if people espouse a theology that lacks the cross they should be ignored. Sometimes though I think we should yell 'WRONG!' really loudly when they come out with it. Maybe neither are particularly loving.)
According to a survey done in conjunction with the BBC a third of children with ASBO's also have some sort of brain disorder.
If you're doing a programme that gets young people involved in volunteering and that costs in the region of £150,000 - £500,000 you're in luck! The 'not-millenium-volunteers-anymore' charity v have just given grants away in the region of £100,000 - £300,000 for such programs and they're doing so again around May - June.
Your Young People are stealing dogs (well, maybe not your young people, but certainly someone's, somewhere, well, maybe only certainly if you believe the Daily Mail).
Northamptonshire County Council commissioned out it's youth work last year and dropped it's directly run stuff. Much furore ensues but it seems to be going well. Interestingly the council is FIND OUT WHICH ONE.
Youth Work In Schools. From Young People Now. Interesting on multiple levels, but the one I'm most intrigued by is the cryptic reference towards then about about hard-core youth workers not thinking it's real youth work. I think the clue is in the bit that reads "helping them make the best of a formal institution, while we remain voluntary and informal". Someone seems to be saying that it's not real youth work because it's based in a school and formal. Interesting.
Eight year olds are abusing drink. At least, they are in Northern Ireland anyway (insert your own joke).
You probably already heard it everywhere else but here it is anyway we're terrible at looking after children
Foreign Youth Work News of The Week Helsinki to close several youth clubs. What will those Icelandians do now?
And finally, this weeks abuse of young people; rat out your friends for money
Wow, that's a lot of reading... Yes of course we are failing our kids, what do you expect when the average working hours is something like 44 hours, and 35% of families have both parents working. Oh, and everyone is getting divorced or not getting married in the first place (5% of cohabiting couples are still together 10 years later). The country is in a social breakdown. What's the answer Mark??
The same answer as always. The Gospel.
I wish I'd placed a bet on you giving that answer now :)
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Alasdair
Um, Helsinki is in Finland. But I'm sure you knew that...