Asking the Question

Just a quick blog as I finish a day at the 'desk'. Recently I have been asking questions Twitter (find me @lizzie_rascal84) of the youth work variety and I have found that people respond to me! If I asked a similar question on Facebook, I would not get a response at all. So thank you to Chris, who signed me up and to all of the youth workers who answer the important questions and support my thoughts.

Someone recently said 'it will be youth workers who change the way the church works together' and my prayer is that it won't be down to one person, but the support from congregations will be there. Anyway... the question I asked is dissected at Youth Leaders Academy, by one of the tweeters who asks strong questions all the time. I have yet to add my thanks to the comments and my other thoughts, but I am pleased that someone with a different perspective is answering the question!

Another question I have asked recently is 'Should youth workers have a sabbatical?' which all stems from hearing my line manager talk about his very exciting time next year. He's taking three months off to study, work in a different environment and spend time with his family. All of the responses I got were positive and I don't think it is a question that has been asked enough. I think that is because youth workers are renown for having a short-ish shelf life - perhaps only 3 years - which in my opinion is not long enough to even start work!

I have had a 'sabbatical' as it were - I worked for a year with Essex County Council and whilst I was still going to church, I was doing minimum youth work. It was nice to have time off - I'd had time off from formal education before and I took the year to read my bible and pray (though I was still shocked to get a phone call asking me if I wanted to be a youth worker!). God has definitely made the most of those 'time outs' to prepare me for the future!

I hope that my question will have more positive responses from those who are writing my contract at the moment and those who are reading this! If you have an extended thought (more than 140 characters!) then please add it! As a youth worker I love to hear what other people are thinking!