Faith, Relationships and Young People
By Michelle Jones
Do you believe your youth group are too young to be talking about sex? Are you a Christian parent who feels embarrassed talking about sexuality? 
As Christians we can sometimes forget that our young people are grappling with the same feelings and questions as those youngsters who have no faith. It can often be harder for those youngsters brought up in church to ask questions, they may be concerned that they will be judged for questioning what they Bible says about relationships or they may be confused about their sexuality.
The Alternatives centre, based in Newham, is part of the Careconfidential pregnancy crisis network, like the Ipswich based Perspectives Pregnancy Advice. Newham is a very multicultural area, and because of this, Alternatives has been instrumental in developing faith sensitive sex and relationship education which they deliver in many schools.
They recently secured funding from the NHS to develop a website to provide a safe place for young people from faith backgrounds to learn about all aspects of relationships in a faith sensitive way. The website is now live and is a useful resource for young people, youth workers, parents and teachers. To take a look, go to "The Faith Relationships and Young Peoples" website* at http://www.fryp.org.uk/.
Perspectives Pregnancy Advice work in schools is expanding here in Ipswich: we have seen 1400 students in 4 secondary schools just in this academic year. If you are interested in helping young people make healthy informed decisions regarding sex and relationships please contact Michelle at the centre:-
or phone 01473 425674
*The Faith Relationships and Young Peoples website
The Faith, Relationships and Young People (FRYP) website aims to give young people the information, strategies, confidence and support to be true to themselves as a young person of faith, so that they can make intelligent and spiritually sensitive choices about relationships and sex. The dilemma for young people was summed up in the heart felt cries of a sixteen year old girl who was committed to her faith, but collapsed into the arms of her youth worker sobbing, "I just don't know who I am. I have to be one thing at school and someone different at home."
She is just one of a growing group of young people who are committed to their faith, but find the pressure on them from the media, friends and society in general to be overwhelming and often at odds with their religious teachings. They struggle to stand up for what they believe against an onslaught of images and concepts thrown at them daily. They feel isolated and unsupported, as often faith groups show little understanding or give no support to young people in this situation.
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