what did i learn from the study day? February 24, 2007

This was only two days ago, so my memory should be better! We had two main discussions, one around youthwork in schools, and the other around equality and equity. These opened my mind to tensions that others live with in their work. Reflecting now, I wonder if and how I can apply what I learnt about youthwork in schools to the christian youthwork in schools that I do. In a way, christian youthworkers fill a gap in schools (collective worship) just as youthworkers also fill a gap (alternative education.) Our agendas are different, as are the agendas of teachers, and we all have to be aware of the situation and what others agendas are. Are we happy as youthworkers to be filling the gaps? What happens when the gaps disappear? All of a sudden I feel a bit guilty about our agenda, our motivation for being in schools. We want to reach more young people, but do we do it by honourable means? Our second motivation might be to serve the school, but still shouldn’t our aim be to serve and help the young people? However I can see that schools work can be very profitable. I think I’m comfortable with filling a gap, rather than forcing our way in. If I can do youthwork in lunchtime and afterschool clubs that benefits young people, fantastic. If I can talk about beliefs, it keeps the boss happy and I’m happy too!

As for equality / equity, I’m not sure what impact this has on my work. We try to treat each young person equally, in terms of discipline and opportunities. However, some require more attention than others and this is equity. I think what I’m most concerned with is how we treat them equally in terms of discipline.

One discussion about how we study and support each other was interesting. I had quite a bit to contribute as the only person who reads the study packs! I need to start taking more responsibility in encouraging the group in this area, pointing them towards helpful sections.

happy thinking day! February 22, 2007

Today is thinking day, celebrated by girl guides all over the world. I haven’t been involved with the organisation since 2001, but I’ll never forget thinking day! For those not in the know its a celebration of all that is guiding and a day when we remember all our guiding friends all over the world.
I was a brownie, a guide, a young leader and then finally I got my warrant as a guide leader. If I wasn’t doing youthwork full time, I’d still be one. They’re desperate for leaders at the moment (see their website) and I might be tempted to rejoin the organisation, if only I had the time!

doing a job you love February 20, 2007

Watching Masterchef Goes Large tonight, I was struck by one of the contestants who said it would be great to be paid to do what he loved to do. I couldn’t see how running a restaurant or being a head chef could be totally enjoyable. But then I thought how many of us think ‘it would be great to do a job I love’. I do a job I love, though there are aspects that I could easily do without. When we dream of our perfect job, we don’t think of all these down sides, but I think there are some for every job. My husband loves performing, but even he will admit (occasionally) that he doesn’t really like doing the books or the marketing and advertising side of his job. However, whatever the downsides, we’re still lucky to be doing jobs we love, and we wouldn’t do anything else. So perhaps the masterchef contestant would also be willing to put up with the long hours and hard work just to be working with food.

lent is nearly upon us February 20, 2007

I’ve made at least 60 pancakes today, well that’s not quite true, a friend made most of them, I washed up mainly! It was a great event, seeing many new children and young people coming into the church for the first time (for a free pancake or two of course!) But lent begins tomorrow, and I thought it was time I considered how I will celebrate lent (well perhaps not celebrate, but mark it). I’ve bought the book ‘Free of Charge’ which was the archbishop’s official lent book last year. I found it in the bargain section of wesley owen in Brighton the other week. With six chapters and a prelude, a interlude and a postlude, I reckon a chapter a week (with a bit extra some weeks) should mean I manage to read it over Lent.
The question is whether I should take something up or give something up. I have no inclination to do either, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t. Perhaps something will come out of the book as I read it. It’s subtitled ‘giving and forgiving in a culture stripped of grace’. I think I might make a commitment to journal every day, focussing on the topic of the book or prayer (another area I’m reading and thinking a lot about at the moment.) Only a few hours left to decide, but at least I’ve got something to think about while I’m doing circuit training tonight! Talking of which I need to go!

filing system February 14, 2007

I have a rather strange filing system. All of our bills etc are filed in folders in a filing cabinet – quite normal I would think. What my husband thinks is really strange is that I call the bottom drawer of my desk a filing system. This is where I dump everything when I can’t be bothered to action it or file it. I’ve just gone through it all (probably the first time since September last year) and amongst all the paper I found two book tokens! Yay! I now have £20 to go and spend on books. I have known them to be there in the past, but it was a surprise to find them today. Perhaps this time I’ll spend them!

Should I get emotionally involved with young people? February 12, 2007

This is another question that arose from conversations at the residential. Is there a difference between getting emotionally involved and having compassion? I believe compassion is feeling the person’s pain along with them, a bit like empathy. I guess the danger of getting emotionally involved is that we lose perspective. I can still have compassion and advise the person. Having compassion is a biblical concept, bearing each others burdens. This is probably a key difference between youth ministry and youth work. Within youthwork, it would be seen as professional to keep perspective and a professional outlook on the situation, not being ruled by your emotions. Youth ministry recognises the place of emotions, how sharing them and showing them has its place. I think here I stand on the side of youth ministry, I would not be doing my job otherwise, it is an important part of me. I do think that although I use my emotions in my work, I do so with professionalism. I know where the boundaries are. Others may think my boundaries are in the wrong place, but they are yet to convince me of that.

plans for tomorrow February 12, 2007

Tomorrow is my day off as usual. I’m sacrificing my lie-in to go suit shopping with my husband. He’s performing at the Savoy on Thursday and so wants a new suit! He’s got a personal shopper appointment at Debenhams at 10am and wants me to go with him. Hopefully we’ll have bought him a suit by lunchtime. Then it’s car shopping! Our car is slowly dying and we’ve been spending quite a bit of money on it recently. The first requirement is that Steve can fit his magic gear in it, the second requirement is fitting the tandem in it! We’re just going to look tomorrow and get an idea of what is out there within our price range.
Then it’s back home for our valentines meal. Amazingly our house group are meeting on Wednesday evening, so I’m cooking a special meal for us tomorrow. We’re having a lamb stir fry I saw on Saturday kitchen last weekend, followed by Lemon Meringue. Yum! A nice reward at the end of a rather task filled day off!

the whole christian training debate February 12, 2007

All the youthwork articles and my training are really making me think about the difference between youth work and youth ministry and the training needed for each.
Originally, I was called to youth ministry – I wanted to care for young people and teach them about God. I think I’ve moved slightly now. The whole of the young person is important, and I’m less concerned with the spiritual right now. My training probably has something to say about this. I’m enjoying and gaining insight into how youthwork should be done. My Christian youthwork training has all been about how to educate about God, make God relevant etc. It’s mainly been about formal education.
In my mind right now I understand youth work to be informal education and youth ministry to be entertainment and formal education. Youth Ministry is all about getting young people in and then telling them about God. If I see youth ministry in such a negative light right now, why am I doing it?
I will come out of my course a better youth worker, but not a better youth minister. I think I need another course to make me a better youth minister. But where I am right now I feel I want to be a youth worker, not a youth minister.

finding time for reflection February 10, 2007

I’ve just returned from three days away on a study residential with YMCA. The focus was on reflecting on our learning on the course so far. I already have a list of things to reflect on from my work over the past couple of weeks, I’ve now added to that reflecting on my work and a few other things that came out of the residential! I’m thinking that I’ll carve out some time tomorrow to reflect.
March’s youthwork magazine arrived today, I haven’t even read February’s yet! Looks like I’m set for a days reading and reflecting tomorrow!

What have I learnt today? February 3, 2007

I did my study preparation for the residential yesterday, and discovered I’m supposed to be designing and relfection on how I record my learning. So here it is, the first post, perhaps the first of many titled ‘what have I learnt?’
The most important question is what have i learnt on the course so far, that being my self assessment! But for now, I’ll try and get into the routine of asking each day, what have I learnt today?

Today, I’ve learnt that sometimes dealing with all the responsibility and hassle of my role stresses me out. Ok, so I already knew that, but perhaps I learnt how to deal with it better. By getting out of the house, going for a walk, running an errand and then making fudge (or doing something for myself), I find peace again, enabling me to do some of the most boring jobs of my job. I normally love Saturdays, but I’ve just got a long list of admin to do, and study isn’t very appealing either. But I’m making progress. Just taking my time, and not pressurising myself helps.

I also learnt that making fudge is easy but takes a lot of arm work!