The National Youth Agency has been developing new ground in the area of community cohesion by exploring with young people the impact their faith and culture has upon their lives.
Prompted by the enthusiasm of The NYA's chair, Bishop Roger Sainsbury, and building upon government concern to address the issues, the work has focused around a series of regional consultative events seeking the views of young people about their faith, obstacles and solutions to its practice and replicable recommendations for youth work practitioners. It has been supported through The Agency's Partners in Innovation programme,
Events have been held in London and Bristol and a further one is planned for Bradford. Issues ranged across the role of crime in society, perceptions of young people by different practitioners, how young people celebrate diversity and respect each other's cultures and new ways that different faiths can be shared and understood. Common to the events has been the willingness of young people to participate and the energy and sensitivity with which they have communicated their views.
The NYA would like to continue to seek young people's views about the role of their faith in their lives and how this relates to helping achieve community cohesion. We would welcome your views on the following key questions:
- What role does your faith play in your life?
- What impact does this have on your community and community cohesion?
- What recommendations on good practice do you have for youth workers and local service policymakers?
Please send your views to Chris Traill at The NYA. Email: christinet@nya.org.uk
The findings from the consultations and recommendations will be collated in a final report by The NYA. They will also inform future innovative practice and related community cohesion work programmes.
- The NYA is also working with the Inter Faith Network to produce a publication on involving young people in interfaith work. More details on this, and the report above, will appear in future issues of Young People Now.
