Articles

September is a month of transition for many young people. After the summer break, children and young people return to education, often to new teachers, new routines, new expectations and, for some, an entirely new school. We tend to think of this simply as going back to school, but transitions can be much more significant than we realise.

Recently, we asked a group of young people we support a simple question: what do you wish adults understood about being young today? Their answers covered many of the subjects we might expect: social media, mental health, education, employment, lockdown, independence, the future. As I listened, I found myself reflecting on something that has become increasingly prominent across our sector—youth...

It’s a time to invest in a young person's future. A time that can change their path. Do you remember having to go back to school in September? I know that, for me at least, I was filled with anxiety before I even got through the school gates. But that soon gave way to the excitement of seeing my friends...

I’ve spent most of my life working with young people in east London. I started as a youth leader—hours of mentoring each week, groups trips and activities, conversations with parents. It’s the kind of work that can feel small in the moment but adds up to something big over time.

One of the team told me about a time a mother rang him, quite upset. Her teenage son had discovered hurtful comments being made about him in a group chat. Those in the group chat had not realised that he would see them but he did and to him, it felt as if the whole school had turned against him...

Every time I walk through a shopping centre, I wonder why they’re such loud places. It feels like they’re designed to deafen you. I remember years ago when I visited a hospital, another place which is always noisy. There, I chanced upon a prayer room. It was quiet and simply decorated. It felt like a refuge. If only such spaces...