Listening project gives young people a voice

Mandy Wells, Diocesan Safeguarding Trainer, has been travelling to primary schools in Cornwall to ask children where they go to learn about faith and what would make going to church more enticing.

Mandy uses ‘We Hear You’ resources whilst visiting children. These include fun activities that help them to give their honest opinions.

Activities include drawing a life-size outline of a person on a piece of paper and writing down the qualities they think are important in a children’s and youth leader. Another is to take part in a quiz where the answers are ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’, and another involves sweets.

The findings from this will be shared with the school involved, the diocese, future children’s and youth ministry training and ordination training.

Mandy said: “I have visited school councils at four of the church schools – Anthony School, Bishop Bronescombe, St Tudy, and St Petrocs.

“The children were asked a set of questions using the suggested activities. They have been very keen to be involved and enthusiastic about thinking what makes a good leader and who they can ask about faith.”

We Hear You has been developed by the 30k Project, in collaboration with the Growing Faith Foundation.

‘We Hear You’ can be found here: churchsupporthub.org/all-resources/why/

Mandy is available to come and talk to a small group if church school staff and pupils would like to be involved.