This book addresses a systemic gap in existing studies on human services and youth work. While the notion of spirituality does make rare appearances in such literature, it is often vaguely defined and underdeveloped both as a concept and as a mode of practice. This ambiguity is symptomatic of the broader shift in the sociological context of Western and global societies that has been referred to variously as post-modern, late-modern and post-secular. From the perspective of the relationship between human development and the spiritual/theological, we live in a “time between times”. We have not yet worked out how to speak of “spirit”; nor how to include its meanings in positive youth intervention, and developments in our language for a public spiritual consciousness remain in a state of cultural flux. This book offers a coherent vocabulary and narrative from which to construct a more explicit and deliberate practice of spiritual care, education and professional identity for youth workers. It speaks directly to youth work practitioners, managers of youth services, those providing youth work education, and anyone with an interest in youth and spirituality research and practice.

This Handbook draws together leading social scientists in the world from multiple disciplines to articulate what is known and needs to be known about spiritual development in childhood and adolescence.

A contemporary reflection on current practice, this book gets to the heart of what 'youth work' is about. It provides an in-depth overview and analysis of practice,addressing the many experiences of working with young people through insightful chapters written by practitioners themselves.

Religion and spirituality make critical contributions to an inclusive vision for the welfare of minorities, the marginalized and other disadvantaged groups in societies and cultures around the globe. Religious movements and spiritual traditions work to improve social outcomes for disenfranchised groups by enriching educational, political, and social agendas, and by providing a wide variety of justice-driven programs and services. Values underpinning these services include the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of human life, the foundational role of families and communities, the transformative power of learning, and the advancement of shared personal and social rights and responsibilities. These values act as a counter-balance to other attitudes and values that may impede pro-social cohesion and development. Drawing on diverse religious and spiritual perspectives and traditions, this new volume provides exciting and enriching examples of theory, research and practice that directly contribute to our understanding of how religion and spirituality promote and facilitate social justice and equity in diverse social and cultural contexts – with a particular focus on educational settings, contexts, processes and outcomes. Religious communities invest heavily in schools, colleges and universities in the belief that these educational institutions enable them to inculcate into their membership the kinds of moral values and qualities that lie at the heart of their spiritual teachings. Looking beyond the sacred-secular impasse, religious organisations attempt to provide a "education for life" which draws from both the scientia of science and the sapientia of religion and spirituality. These depth-dimensions provide the pool of values which enable citizens to enact equity, mercy and justice in society in the name of God and for the sake of humanity. The chapters which comprise this volume demonstrate the possibility of a healthy integration between religion and education from a truly global, transdisciplinary and ecumenical perspective. From contexts within Asia, Africa, the USA and Australia, and from disciplines ranging from ethics to social work, from health to educational curriculum, from personal identity to community-consciousness; this volume makes a unique contribution to the theory and practice of the educational and religious inter-face. It is a contribution which holds a great deal of promise for being pro-humanitas.

This report is the result of consultations with parish and diocesan youth workers and young people. It looks at: the Church's work past and present with young people aged 11 to 25, spirituality and worship, and ways of rebuilding relationships through outreach, confirmation and marriage.

Churches today face unique challenges as they seek to help young people engage with the Christian faith and youth workers, whether employed or volunteer, play a key role in supporting this process. This book provides a comprehensive overview of Christian youth work, drawing together practice, theory and theology in a format which is both engaging and informative. Serving as both a text and workbook, it brings together key youth ministry thinkers and grass-roots practitioners to explore significant themes and issues. It will be invaluable to those thinking about youth work at a strategic level as well as youth work practitioners. Each of the sixteen chapters is followed by a response written from a different perspective, modelling reflective practice and theological reflection. Topics covered include mission, church, adolescent identity, appropriate relationships, spiritual practices, youth culture, pastoral care, work with families, education, leadership and management, inclusive youth work, theology, lifelong learning, ethical dilemmas and the Kingdom of God.

Youth Work and Islam provides an eclectic focus, reflecting it duel inspirations of its title. It considers how youth work can be informed by Islam but at the same time looks at how practice can be pertinent to young Muslims, their community and relationship with wider society. In this book Sadek Hamid and Brian Belton bring together a range of thinkers and practitioners who exemplify and analyse this situation. This not only produces much more than a straightforward view of informed practice, it also presents a broad and humane understanding of the character and possibilities of youth work over a broad perspective. Centrally, while the work demonstrates how Islam and Muslims have contributed to the development of youth work, it also puts forward ideas and standpoints that demonstrate how Islam can continue to inform practice, add to its humanitarian ethos and even make our work with young people in general more effective. As such, Youth Work and Islam is an essential part of any youth worker’s reading, working within and beyond Muslim contexts. It is also a useful and readable text for social workers, teachers, police officers, clerics, medical professional and anyone wanting a more informed understanding of how faith perspectives can inform and refresh attitudes, approaches and enhance work with individuals, groups and communities.

What does religion mean to the individual? How are people religious and what do their beliefs, practices and identities mean to them? The individual's place within studies of religion has tended to be overlooked recently in favour of macro analyses. Religion and the Individual draws together authors from around the world to explore belief, practice and identity. Using original case studies and other work firmly placed in the empirical, contributors discuss what religious belief means to the individual. They examine how people embody what religion means to them through practice, considering the different meanings that people attach to religion and the social expressions of their personal understandings and the ways in which religion shapes how people see themselves in relation to others. This work is cross-cultural, with contributions from Asia, Europe and North America.

Written by a leading practitioner and academic in the field of youth and community work, this multidisciplinary book approaches the lives of Muslim young people from theoretical, social, and theological viewpoints. M. G. Khan moves beyond notions of gendered provision and confessional activity to ask what defines a Muslim pedagogy. He presents a theoretical frame for Muslim youth work that is accessible to informal educators and Muslims alike, providing insight and analysis of nuances that are only possible from on-the-ground engagement.

Youth work is a means of promoting learning, equality and inclusion with young people. It is an incredibly rewarding profession; however, state regulation means that youth work students and practitioners must continuously wrestle with the challenges of contemporary practice in environments that are complex and changing. This book brings together a collection of voices to speak to these concerns. Drawing on the history of the profession, each chapter focuses on a different aspect of policy and practice. Chapters explore the impact of New Labour; the changes that came with the coalition government; youth work in the voluntary sector, and youth work in a digital world. Graham Bright concludes with a powerful reflection on what the future holds for the profession. Each chapter features 'Over to You' activity boxes which invite readers to engage collaboratively in developing and applying ideas, with case studies which link discussion to real life examples. This is an important book for students, practitioners and lecturers in the field of youth and community work and related practice with children and young people.