In the Media: our "Parenting in the Digital Age" forum at Bribie Island this week

Community forum helps parents figure out 'tween speak'

Caboolture News, 18 July 2013

 

ARE you ready to Instagram a selfie and tag your bestie while having a LOL?

 

Did you catch all that?

 

The world of social media and the buzz words surrounding the phenomenon will be revealed at a community forum at St Peters Anglican Church, Bribie Island on Monday from 9.30am until noon.

 

The annual forum, hosted conjointly with the Mother's Union, has turned the topic this year to tween culture.

 

The sometimes awkward and unknown territory of children who are not quite teenagers and not quite young children is often ignored.

 

Ministry for the Anglican Church youth, children's and families director Jonathan Kemp hopes to arm parents and grandparents with tools to communicating and understanding their tweens for the betterment of the family.

 

Mr Kemp said the forum should show parents how to maintain relationships in a technology-driven world when a pre-teen has their head bowed in their iPad or mobile phone.

 

"There is a real sense that a lot of parents are unsure about this area of tweens so we will look at how technology shapes us and reflects an identity for young people and how families need to set boundaries in terms of how young people and parents are using technology and how often," Mr Kemp said.

 

"Every family needs to find that balance.

 

"We hope to help parents adopt a common sense approach to technology, because while it is something that is inescapable, it is something parents needs to handle in an intentional way."

 

Mr Kemp will also provide parents with a translation guide to tween speak.

 

Smart phone applications such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook will be explored.

 

"I hope parents come away with a sense of responsibility but with far less fear they may have come with of the world of technology," Mr Kemp said.

 

The seminar is free, register your interest to help with catering purposes, phone the church on 3408 3191.

Dear Jonathan: Social Action as a Youth Group

Even better than a Dear John letter is a Dear Jon/Jonathan letter, and I was asked recently for some ideas on getting a youth group involved in social action projects, perhaps starting with a simulation game.  Here's how I replied:

Simulation games are almost always good. You probably know that Stephen Hooper specialises in these things? He ran a big one on the Anglican Schools Students Network conference last year, but it needed more time. Doing a 3-4 hour (or even overnight) epic would be pretty memorable for all involved, I would think.

On my shelf is a book called "Ideas for Social Action" by Tony Campolo.  It's quite old (1983!) but many of the ideas inside are still completely applicable. For example, at St Lucia we use the idea called "Supermarket Stakeout" a couple of times a year - you get the group to stand outside a supermarket, and when people approach, you give them a slip of paper asking them to buy an extra item for the Inala pantry. If they bring back an item to you, you give them a thank-you card with your church details inside etc. (You've got permission from the supermarket manager, and of course you don't hassle the customers - not everyone will have the money or desire to buy something extra. But it's an exercise where everyone wins. The book has lots of other ideas too.

 

The Roscoe Library has several books on teens and/or parishes and social action - free to borrow, as you know.

 

I'd maybe start by asking the group (or a few of them) to name a cause they'd like to raise funds for. Then just try doing something straightforward to get them into the hang of it e.g. a carwash (if it's warm enough).  If you want to get some attention, you could have a continuous reading relay of the Bible all the way through. Reading aloud at a normal speed normally takes from Friday night to Sunday morning, just in time for church. Would people in the congregation sponsor the group to do that, so the money then goes to your cause?

 

If your group is interested in the asylum seeker debate, they could contact Anglicare SQ about the BRASS program (see attachment). Could be controversial!

 

My old youth group once doorknocked virtually our whole suburb for Freedom From Hunger: we raised over $1000 in a day (this was a long time ago) and got a framed certificate from FFH for being the biggest fundraising group in Brisbane. So if there's a doorknock coming up soon, you could do that, though many schools seem to do it too.

 

When I speak to parishes and groups on this kind of topic, often I mention the following (taken from a PPT slide):

 

What makes service projects empowering for children and youth?

 

Do the actual work and don't just observe.

 

Work with accepting adults who don't criticize their efforts.

 

Have important responsibilities.

 

Have a sense that they can make a contribution.

 

Have the freedom to explore their own interests and develop their own ideas.

Have opportunities to reflect upon the meaning of the activities.

So my point here is that even if the project isn't itself headline-grabbing (e.g. a world record attempt), if it fulfils most or all of these criteria, it will have served a very useful purpose and will probably also motivate the group to fire up for its next project.

There is a little group of us meeting up in the next fortnight to discuss how youth / Anglicare / ABM may be able to work better together. If something good eventuates out of that, I'll let you know.  I suspect it will become a topic at the next Bring It! meeting in late August!

Don't hesitate to get back in touch as often as necessary, and feel free to forward this on to others.  Thanks for the fantastic work you're doing - and this is just the beginning!

Peace in Christ,

Jonathan Kemp

Senior Ichthus camp feedback

Always nice to get positive feedback from one of our camps and Senior Ichthus in June/July gave us a couple of pieces of the unsolicited kind:

From a Parish Priest:
"They both said they had an amazing time and M.... has been coming to church every week since the camp.
She was one of our 'come to youth group only' girls, it is great to see the change in  her, pass on my thanks to all involved on doing a great job."

 From a parent:

 

"From [her] verbal reports she really did have a great time, raved about the leaders she spent time with – she related to them very well age wise, made some very nice friends whom she has kept in contact with and I believe planning to meet up with a the reunion.

Oh and she tells me she’s definitely going again next year! She attended the camp with some girls that had attended in 2012, 2011 I believe.

Thanks so much for providing a fun and thought provoking week in a safe environment for her - it was most appreciated!"

 

Feedback like this is always great to hear, and we get our fair share.  Looking forward to Junior in September already!