Talking Youth Ministry - A Youthscape Podcast

This week we're discussing good news stories involving young people, including the hit new TV series Worlds Apart, which pairs old and young in a travelling adventure. We ask: what kind of role might elderly people play in your youth ministry, and why might they be reluctant to get involved? Plus - since it's spooky season, the team are pondering how we respond when young people want to talk about darker spiritual ideas, and then d...

The team demonstrate their grasp of both up-to-the-minute cultural trends and thoughtful Christian reflection in a wide-ranging episode! What's the 6-7 trend all about, and is it substantial enough to form the basis of a whole game? How do we figure out if someone is spiritually mature enough to lead a youth ministry? How do you get started launching a school-based club? And for just how many more weeks are we going to pepper the s...

How do you make progress with young people who won’t talk to you? Is there still a place in youth ministry for working exclusively with boys or girls? Which of the hosts is most likely to have been chosen as a Traitor? All these questions and more will be addressed in this week’s action-packed episode!

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spotify episodes.

To hear more&nb...

n a wide-ranging episode, Rachel and Martin reflect on what it means to have a woman at the head of the Anglican Church, discuss the youth ministry-relevant merits of Taylor Swift's new album The Life of a Showgirl in a totally unbiased way, and exchange thoughts on the role and limitations of the youth group social as an outreach tool. There's also more of your feedback, some organised fun, and some possibly-surprising reflections...

With Martin away, Lucy and Rachel dive into a topic that’s equal parts tough and essential; how do we have honest conversation with teen girls about clothing without slipping into patriarchy dressed up in Bible verses! then they chat about how youth leaders can give Christian parents and carers a time but gentle nudge with it comes to discipline their teens. All topped off with obligatory fun, because what’s youth work without surr...

Martin and Rachel enjoy a healthy disagreement about the opportunity of engaging with your local sports club, and ask: does 'sports ministry' need to lead somewhere else? There are surprise revelations about Rachel's past as an audiobook narrator and Martin's first crush, and there's a chance to imagine how TV's notorious 'swap' format could benefit youth ministries.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.u...

On today’s episode we discuss some challenging recent events -the murder of Charlie Kirk, the Unite the Kingdom March- and the way that ideas of Christian faith have been centred in the reporting of both. We ask- what does it look like to help young people navigate life and faith a climate of fear, misinformation and uncertainty?Plus we take a look at some more new developments in AI and ask: are youth leaders getting too comfortab...

This week the team provide their top tips for starting the new academic year well, and making sure we don’t lose young people in the transition from primary to senior school. We ask if it’s time to rediscover or reimagine the “quiet time”, and there’s the usual dose of organised fun; this week with added celebrity tittle-tattle.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spoti...

The team return for the start of a new term by analysing the Netflix phenomenon that’s swept the globe. Is Kpop Demon Hunters harmless fun, or a doorway to something darker? There’s a review of some of the best moments from this summer’s Christian youth festivals, and a somewhat extraordinary comeback for organised fun. You’ve missed this…

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individua...

Ahead of the return of Talking Youth Ministry next week, we're inviting you to join us one more time to pray ahead of a new academic year. Today, we're taking an opportunity to ask God for new dreams for our work, and for the young people we serve.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spotify episodes.

To hear more episodes like this, search for Talking Youth Min...

This is our third week of interactive prayer, helping you to connect with God over the summer and bring your youth work to him. Today we're encouraging you to pray for supernaturally-charged rest and a chance to reset ready for the year ahead.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spotify episodes.

To hear more episodes like this, search for Talking Youth Mini...

Over the summer, we're running a short series of reflective prayers to help you bring your youth work to God. Today, we invite you to take a moment to mark and close off the academic year by giving all that has happened to God.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spotify episodes.

To hear more episodes like this, search for Talking Youth Ministry: A Youthscape P...

Something a bit different over the summer: for the next four weeks we're presenting a short interactive prayer on a different aspect of your youth ministry. Today a chance to pray for youth groups which are taking young people away this summer, and for the camps, events and festivals which are receiving them.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spotify episodes.

To hear ...

In today’s episode we’re celebrating the Lionesses historic victory in the European Football Championships, and asking how young people really feel about women’s football. We also ask what it means to value and celebrate longevity when young people keep going in faith, and Martin hosts the most implausible organised fun ever.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co.uk or commenting on individual Spotify epis...

Power the Fight CEO and youth work legend Ben Lindsay OBE sits down with Rachel for an extended chat about his new book, a youth edition of We Need To Talk About Race. Along the way he offers some important insights into how social media and other influences can shape us, and why we need to get serious about the issue of systemic racism. Plus we've got more of your feedback, and an organised fun segment that can best be described a...

Lucy, Rachel and Martin are joined by YFC’s Laura Hancock to discuss the findings of the brand new Growing Spirituality research. They provide their top tips for before, during and after a summer youth event trip, and answer your feedback - including a tricky question about social media safeguarding.

Shownotes:

YFC Research: https://yfc.co.uk/z-a-growing-spirituality/

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youth...

Who are Gen A? What do they care about, and how do we help them to connect with the Christian faith? We’re joined by Youthscape’s Director of Training Alex Drew to unpack the trends and differences she’s seeing among under 15s. We read your emails (including one around toxic leadership- TW), and we stretch the definition of organised fun with a game that’s really more of an activity.

Shownotes

GWI report: https://www.gwi....

Rachel and Martin are joined by Dr Hannah Bowden to analyse the latest NHS mental health statistics and explore the implications for youth ministry. There’s a discussion around controversial activist Tommy Robinson’s recent comments around Christian revival, and we take time to read your feedback and play a completely incoherent game that’s about tennis and not Dr Who.

Do get in touch with us by emailing us podcast@youthscape.co...

More than two years on from the substantiated allegations against Mike Pilavachi, the team return to the question of why so few people tried to blow the whistle earlier. A new book by Facebook's former head of global public policy on the toxic culture in that company could provide a helpful and illuminating comparison. We also discuss whether Christian youth ministry volunteers actually need to be Christian, and as always we'll rea...