Community heroes
This week The Sheffield Star newspaper’s facebook page asked a question of its readers: “Who deserves special recognition in your community for what they do to help others?”
Over 200 comments later, a few modest people had nominated themselves, tongue in cheek I’m sure. The majority highlighted John Burkhill, who is well known as ‘the man with the pram’ raising money for charity across our city, wearing green. Others gave special mention to community foodbanks.
It caught my attention how people singled-out those who give their energies on behalf of the young. One comment simply said, “every foster carer in Sheffield,” while other people were nominated who run community sports clubs like boxing, often with the young and less privileged.
Recently a major scientific study made the news, reporting a causal link between poor mental health in a person’s teenage years and poor physical health in later mid-life. There is an epidemic of poor mental health amongst our city’s youth. Any projects that help teenagers to come to grips with life, to build friendships and learn the benefits of endurance, like in sport, have to be a positive step.
For the past century some of largest, and without doubt the most sustained youth provision in the country, has come through local churches. Sheffield is no different. This week my church waved off 21 teenagers to join thousands of others in a national Christian youth festival. As they piled into the cars of their adult volunteer leaders there were hopes of sunshine (err, sorry), the buzz of going camping, the hope of flirting and fun. To me, it was a very wholesome picture.
As a father of three teenagers, I’m so grateful to the kind adults in our church, all carefully vetted for safeguarding, who willingly volunteer their weeknights to put on a youth club, or take annual leave to go away on a crazy camp.
In the bible, St Paul says: “Encourage young people to use good judgment. Always set an example by doing good things. When you teach, be an example of moral purity and dignity.” That’s a high standard that all of us should live by.
Young people are mostly a resilient and hopeful group. As I waved my teenagers off, I was so grateful for all youth providers in our city and towns. If you are investing your time and wisdom into the next generation, we say thank you.