Finding our ‘Why?’ and helping young people do the same…

I first met Mike Palin thirty years ago when we were both leaders on a youth camp in Devon. Its no exaggeration to say that this youth camp changed our lives. It formed us as people by solidifying faith and helping us find purpose, meaning and a host of brilliant friendships.

In the years since Mike has committed his life to youth work. Through the charity he founded, the 2:67 Project, he has passed onto countless others what he received. As he puts it:

I stand here before you because 38 years ago a youth leader grabbed from the abyss and chaos of my teenage years. She brought me into a community and showed me a value which helped me find my purpose.

TedX St Albans have just released a video of a brilliant talk that Mike recently gave about the vital importance of youth work. 

Mike has shares statistics that should worry us all:

• 40% of 16-25 year olds are lonely. That is a higher than the 75+ age group
• Between April – October 2021 409,000 children and young people went to the NHS because of mental health issues. An increase of 77%
• There has been a 52% drop in those choosing to do youthwork as a career, and a 70% reduction in youth services

Its a fascinating talk, brilliantly delivered, as Mike discusses what youth work can learn from communities where life is most healthy and people are most genuinely connected. 

What does this mean for you in your neighbourhood or for your church? How can we provide for this generation of young people what so many of us benefited from? How can we help young people find their ‘Why’ in life? How we can we put these words from Abraham Lincoln (that Mike quotes) into practice?

“Paint your days with meaning, albeit sometimes via seemingly insignificant events, and your years will be full of life. Aim for quality-filled minutes, hours, weeks and months, and they will become quality years.”