Over three-quarters of
15-23 year olds say that they enjoy
spending time with their family.
•
88% of 16-24 year olds
agree that ‘my parents are good
role models for me.’
•
Amongst 11-14 year olds,
52% of boys and 47% of girls say that
they talk to their mother about things
that matter to them more than once a
week. With talking to their father the
figures are 31% of boys and 26% of girls.
•
It is estimated that a
fifth of 16-24 year olds will experience
homelessness at some point in their
lives.
•
Children who have been in care are
60 times more likely to be homeless
than other young people.
Quotes:
‘I’d
prefer to speak to my friends because I know
that they can’t shout at me, but if
I told my mum some stuff she’d probably
kick me out. That would be the worst thing,
being on the streets.’
: 15 year old boy
‘I
speak to my brother’s girlfriend about
things.’
: 15 year old boy.
‘I
don’t want to worry my parents because
they got quite stressed when it was all happening.
Now if I feel anxious I tend to run to my
boyfriend – I don’t want to trouble
my parents.’
: 20 year old girl.
Bible:
Luke 15: 11-32:
Jesus told a story about a father and his
teenaged son. The son wanted to make a break
from his family and his home life, so he took
half his father’s wealth and went travelling.
When the cash ran out and the boy was starving,
and he had nowhere left to go and no one left
to turn to, he decided to go home.
The story has a Hollywood style ending; the
boy is welcomed home like royalty by a parent
who has been worried sick and can’t
wait to forgive him. If only family life was
always that straight forward!
Families can be a source of incredible joy
and security, and they can be a source of
incredible pain and frustration. Jesus didn't
tell the story because he thought family life
should always look like a feel-good movie;
he told it because he wanted people (parents
and kids alike) to know that they have a loving,
faithful Father in Heaven who can give you
security, forgiveness and acceptance, no matter
what kind of family you come from.
Prayer Ideas:
Create your ‘Fantasy
Family’
Get a sheet of paper and write the names of
all the people who have been good news in
your life; anyone who has encouraged you,
strengthened you or helped shape who you’ve
become. Then thank God for them, and pray
for them one by one.
The
Family Tree
Find/make a tree. Hang envelopes on it, each
with the name of one person in your church.
Ask people to write an encouraging message
to someone and put it in their envelope. Each
time you come to the church/prayer room, check
to see if you’ve got mail on the family
tree.
Source
acknowledgement: Statistics and Quotes taken
from:
The Burden of Youth Report:
by The Henley Centre, commissioned by The
Salvation Army in 2001.
Beyond
Belief? Barriers and Bridges to Faith Today:
Nick Spencer of The London Institute of Contemporary
Christianity.
The Profile
of Youth Workers 2003:
a private report by Alison Gelder and Philip
Escott, commissioned by Churches Together
in England Coordination group for Youth Work.
Copyright Churches Together in England 2003.
