Sophia Blog
April update
1st April, 2009
I spoke too soon - the change still hasn't happened but hopefully it will soon! Meanwhile over on the new site, there's lots of good stuff.
- A CPR resource on gender by Lori Passmore, creative ideas to explore gender issues with young people whatever level of relationship you have with them
- An article on cross-gender mentoring and peer mentoring by Rosie Ward
- A review of Necessary Dreams: ambition in changing women's lives by Lauretta Wilson
Come and join us over here.
New website
24th March, 2009
We've been working on a new website which hopefully will replace this one in the next day or so. In the meantime, you can have a sneak preview here, with a blog post about women in sport. Did you know that the England women's cricket team have just won the World Cup? I thought not.
Girls do better at single sex schools
20th March, 2009
A recent analysis of GCSE results shows that girls are more likely to
get better exam grades and stay in education at single-sex schools
according to this report.
In particular, girls who are struggling when they start secondary
school make the most progress in all-girls schools. Whether that's down
to girls working harder because they're not distracted by boys, or the
fact that the type of parents who seek out single-sex education are
more likely to be supportive is open to debate.
I go into schools regularly to do sixth form conferences and I've noticed that consistently girls in mixed schools are much less likely to speak in public; it's always the boys who volunteer. It's not that the girls have nothing to say, but they seem to lack the confidence to say it in front of others. Doing the same conferences at an all-girls school recently I was reminded how articulate, intelligent and confident teenage girls can be, and I'm frustrated that mixed schools don't seem to address the issues that silence the girls. I went to an all-girls school where I did ok academically, but feel I missed out on growing up alongside boys. (Having three sisters didn't help!) What can mixed schools do differently to create environments where girls can thrive to the same extent that they do at all-girls schools?
Ending violence against women
10th March, 2009
Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, has launched a consultation to tackle violence against women and girls. There will be roadshows in 40 towns around the country, an online survey
and an opportunity to respond to a consultation paper. One of the
issues that will be discussed is the increasing sexualisation of
teenage girls. She said that while some parents may see high-street
chain stores selling
Playboy t-shirts for 11-year-old girls as a "bit of fun", many other
parents were concerned that their daughters were under pressure to
appear sexually available at an increasingly younger age.
An Ipsos Mori poll commissioned to coincide with the launch shows that a clear majority of the public believe that it is never acceptable for a man to hit or slap his wife or girlfriend, and they would do something about it if they suspected that it had happened to a female friend, family member or neighbour.
Residential Christian youth ministry - tell Ventures what you think!
8th March, 2009
Ventures (Part of CPAS) run 100 Christian residential holidays each year in England and Wales. Around 5000 young people between the ages of 8 and 18 attend a CYFA, Pathfinder or Explorer Venture, along with over 3000 leaders.
Ventures are conducting research with youth and children's leaders, so they can continue to develop what they offer and provide better support. They would love to hear the views of leaders who are involved in Ventures, and those who aren't, those who are paid and those who are voluntary.
The research is being conducted on their behalf by a company called QA Research - the online survey will take 5 minutes to complete. As an incentive, they are offering all participants the chance to win an iPod nano in a prize draw!
To complete the survey for youth and children's leaders click here
Ventures say thank you in advance for your help. Please complete the survey by Sunday 15th March.
Ventures are conducting research with youth and children's leaders, so they can continue to develop what they offer and provide better support. They would love to hear the views of leaders who are involved in Ventures, and those who aren't, those who are paid and those who are voluntary.
The research is being conducted on their behalf by a company called QA Research - the online survey will take 5 minutes to complete. As an incentive, they are offering all participants the chance to win an iPod nano in a prize draw!
To complete the survey for youth and children's leaders click here
Ventures say thank you in advance for your help. Please complete the survey by Sunday 15th March.
On being a mentor
6th March, 2009
'Mentoring is about coming alongside someone to support, encourage, challenge and inspire them. It's about facilitating someone to make their own decisions and to take ownership of their lives and to guide them in a positive direction. It's a relationship that allows them to be totally honest, without judging them, but encouraging them to run wholeheartedly after God. It's about helping to break down the spititual/secular divide and helping them to apply their faith to the whole of their lives. It's about leading humbly by example and being honest about your own weaknesses and shortcomings. It acknowledges that the little things in our lives matter to God. As a mentor it challenges me to grow closer to God myself as I have a responsibility to set a good example.
March update
2nd March, 2009
This is what's in store for you this month:
- An interview with Irena Dragas, from Croatia YFC
- Thoughts from the Tearfund trip to Cambodia by Jenny Baker
- A review of Ruth Hassall's book Ready to Lead by Jess Bishop
- A review of Collaborative Ministry by Sally Nash, Jo Pimlott and Paul Nash
- Reflections on how to pray about the Gaza situation from Sharon Prior.
Mentoring training - the verdict
1st March, 2009
Around 40 people came to our first mentoring training day in Christchurch, Bournemouth on Saturday. Here are some of their comments:
- Helped us to explore mentoring in greater depth and gave us a structure to lean on
- Non-threatening and encouraging (it is so easy to feel self condemnation and not measuring up on these sort of days)
- It was very helpful, but what really helped to earth the theory was the practice sessions on asking the mentoring questions and actually going through a goal setting process
- Thank you for an excellent day. I rarely maintain interest in an event for a whole day – you achieved what I thought was impossible! A thoroughly enjoyable and helpful day.
Don't miss out! We're in Worcester on the 14th March and Chesham on the 28th March, with more events being booked up. See our events page for more details.
Sophia Network is now free!
23rd February, 2009
Free virtual hugs coming your way because the Sophia Network is now FREE to join! All you need to do is go to the 'Join' page and register and then you'll be turned into a member.
If you've paid to join recently then we'll be in touch this week to sort that out. Spread the word!