Talking Youth Ministry - A Youthscape Podcast

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...

It's an 'Ask Us Anything' special! Rachel and Martin dive into your questions and enjoy a wide-ranging conversation about balancing parenting and youth work, their shared history as failed BBC kids' presenters , and how to create a context for great conversations with young people. Listen in as 'Organised Fun' reaches a new kind of crescendo, and don't go anywhere until you've sent us your deep (and offbeat) questions too!

Do ge...

The team discuss whether young people can be impacted by Christian books, while taking a leisurely stroll through Martin’s poorly-promoted back catalogue. Our new Ask Us Anything segment ramps up with questions about the 1990s and our proudest youth work moments, and we respond to some vulnerably-shared listener feedback around sex and virginity.

Shownotes:

Capernwray sabbatical offer: https://capernwray.org/in-residence/

L...

Rachel has opinions on Channel 4’s controversial reality show, and is not afraid to share them. There’s a meeting of Lucys as host (Lucy) Rae talks to youth ministry volunteer (Lucy) Mungai about the realities and joys of being part of a youth team. And Martin launches our brand new segment “Ask us Anything” along with its in-development theme tune.

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

Lucy, Rachel and Martin are joined by Dr Hannah Bowden from the Youthscape Centre for Research to look at some of the latest data on what’s happening with boys. Is there a specific role youth leaders can play in championing and getting alongside young men? And is it now taboo to celebrate masculinity when that word is so often prefaced by “toxic”?

Shownotes

The Lost Boys report: https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/w...

In today’s episode the team ask how we can listen to and support young people as they process their concerns and questions around global conflicts. There’s a discussion on whether the titles we give ourselves in youth work really matter; the team delve into more listener feedback, and they unashamedly seek your ratings and reviews through some specially-themed organised fun.

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

How do we support young people through the stress and discomfort of exam season? What kind of leader will Pope Leo XIV be? And what are Talking Youth Ministry listeners reporting amid claims of a quiet revival? We answer all these questions and more - and enjoy the most unhinged organised fun so far…

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

To hear more ...

Martin and Lucy discuss the emergence of polarised politics here and in the USA, and get some help from newly appointed American correspondent, Mark Oestreicher. In less significant news, we discover just how much of a Swifty Martin really is…

Shownotes

Marko's podcast "Five Minutes with Marko": https://open.spotify.com/show/4yoSx7orKojEbrYoegR6J0?si=f246aed077004787

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

Martin and Rachel are joined by Dr Gemma Madle from the Youthscape Centre for Research to dive into the details of a survey that’s got everyone talking about revival. What’s really going on? How robust are the numbers? And what might be behind a spiritual awakening among young men? 

Plus we’ll take a look at the Minecraft movie phenomenon, and enjoy our regular dose of organised fun.

Shownotes

Quiet Revival Resear...

Rachel, Lucy and Martin discuss the implications of the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on gender, and begin to unpack new research which suggests an incredible upturn in church attendance. Plus they offer some short reflections on the death of Pope Francis, and enjoy perhaps the best organised fun so far.

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

To hear more...

As it is Holy Week, we're taking a slight detour from normal service as we have more of a reflective episode. We're listening to talk by Emily Irving, Youth Minister at St Mary's Reigate, as she shares her take on why youth work is so important and what impact Jesus can have on young people. Martin and Rachel share their thoughts on Emily's talk at the end, so grab your church leader, your youth team and have a listen together!

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This week the team tackle the topic of empowering young people in your youth group, a.k.a. young leaders. What do we mean by a leader? When is it unhelpful to call someone a leader? Do young people even want to be leaders in this cultural moment? Listen in for this as well as the usual scrapes and japes along the way...

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

Rachel and Martin resume their discussion on the drama about a UK teen and his family, Adolescence, and now that Martin has finally seen it, he shares his thoughts on the series. We also look at what the rise in ADHD diagnoses means for our youth work, what we can learn to do different and where the responsibility lies. The duo end with some organised fun that strangely involves the retelling of a recent Easter rap that one of our ...