This week our Bishops' Children and Youth Council launch their latest listening exercise on the theme of Safeguarding.
Created in collaboration with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and the Diocesan Safeguarding Oversight Group (DSOG), the goal of this term’s exercise is to help find out what makes children and young people feel safe in church.
“We are really excited about this listening exercise and there has never been a more important time to explore this topic," says Rachael Spiers, Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser.
“Hearing the views of children and young people is crucial in trying to make the church a safe place. We always hope that children and young people will be able to talk to family members about any worries and concerns, but schools and churches are also well placed to be able to do this.”
Our termly listening exercises continue to receive national interest as dioceses across the country and the national church reimagine how to authentically listen and respond to young voices.
Earlier this year, we welcomed Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner, to the diocese and shared our mutual interests in prioritising listening and seeking creative ways to integrate and advocate young voices into decision making at all levels.
Matt Long, Youth Engagement & Intergenerational Communities Enabler, is passionate about the project he has created. “Young voices are often marginalised in decision making, especially in a church context, because it is thought they don’t have the experience or wisdom,” he explains.
“Children and young people have a unique perspective on the world and can often bring fresh insights and imagination! We need to listen and respond to these voices and include them more in our decision making – they are our future.”
Matt has been encouraged by the impact of our past listening exercises: “One youth group who participated in our listening exercise on prayer were so engaged and had so many questions that the youth workers decided to rip up their term plan and create a new program with the young people centred around prayer.”
He continues: “Our hope is that children and young people who participate in this activity will feel heard and listened to, that they will reflect on their own situations and be able to recognise the trusted people they have in their lives.
“We want to learn what children and young people think safe spaces look and feel like, who they trust the most to talk to and how they think safeguarding information is best communicated.”
Rachel sees this listening exercise as a real opportunity to encourage safe environments. She says: “We know that if children and young people feel their family, school or church listen to them about general things then it's much more likely that they will feel able to tell someone if they have a worry or a concern."
To take part with your group of children or young people download the Facilitators Guidebook.