Church youths to have say

A YOUTH council will give young members of the church across Lancashire the chance to air their views.

The Church of England in Lancashire is to launch its first youth council - a 16-strong group of 13 to 18-year-olds who will be recruited by application.

The council, set up by the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education, aims to raise awareness of youth culture and how this can be harnessed and engaged with by churches.

Called the DYC, it will also collate and discuss the key issues affecting young people across the diocese, act as an advisory body for the Board of Education on

.“matters relating to youth work in churches and act as an advisory body for the diocese on new initiatives and their impact on young people in parishes.

Members will also be asked to support churches in creating youthaccessible worship and developing a voice for young people at parish level.

Through the director of education, Stephen Whittaker, DYC members will also be able to advise and give feedback to the bishop’s leadership team, the bishop’s council, the Board of Education, the Diocesan Synod and Diocesan Youth Committee. The Board of Education has put together an application form and criteria for the DYC.

Members will be expected to attend six meetings in a year, including one overnight residential meeting, and additional meeting times may be needed.

Meetings will usually take place on a Monday evening from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and will be held at different venues across the Diocese.

Stephen Whittaker said: “The DYC is an amazing opportunity for young people to champion the voice of their generation.

“It creates a forum in which they can raise awareness of key issues for young people and constructively challenge and advise the diocese.

“One of the big hopes for the DYC is to be a catalyst for seeing change in worship to increase its accessibility for young people within the context of a multi-generational church, regardless of tradition.”

For more information or an application form, email youth@blackburn. anglican.org or visit the Youth Council page on the Board of Education website.