By James Thomson & Micheal Onyekuru

 They will teach the children how to live their faith  They will teach them how to behave- what the rules are for people of that religion  They will make sure they are made members of that religion through special ceremonies  They will make sure they learn how to worship  They will ensure that their education involves learning about their faith

 Ceremony of initiation: When you are entered formally into a religious community by the choosing of someone else  Ceremony of commitment: When you choose to commit to a religious community and not the doing of someone else  Ceremonies are usually 3 things;  Deeply emotional- Which shows that they have value  Socially important- Involves other people  They usually mark key changes in ones life

 Buddhism- It does not that have a special ceremony to mark the birth of a child  Christianity- Most Christians have their babies baptised as a sign of initiation into the family of the church  Hinduism- There are several birth and initiation ceremonies, the two key ones being Namakara and Jatakarma  Islam- As soon as possible after birth, the father whispers the Adhan (Muslim call to prayer) in the ear of the new-born baby  Judaism- Baby girls are blessed and named the first time their parents take them to the synagogue after the birth. Baby boys are circumcised usually on the 8 th after birth.  Sikhism- At birth, the Mool Mantar is whispered into the baby’s ear and some honey is put on its tongue

 Jatakarma- Happens as soon after birth as possible, the father takes ghee mixed with honey and places it on the baby’s tongue, in hope that the baby will have a good nature as Ghee and honey are sweet. He will whisper ‘Brahman’ into the baby’s ear and welcome it into the faith  Namakarana- It will take place 6-12 days after birth, it is the naming ceremony. On this day the mother may bathe for the first time since giving birth, the house will be filled with fresh flowers and the father will shave for the first time since the baby’s birth

 Most religious traditions have ceremonies where young people make a personal commitment to their faith  These occur at different times, but usually around the teenage years  They mark the change from a child to an adult  Rites of passage: They are special rituals that mark a transition from one stage of life to another

▸ There is often conflict between older and younger people in any society, this often appears as elder people criticising the behaviour of younger people. ▸ This failure and lack of understanding is called a ‘generation gap’, some of the biggest are about music, fashion, culture and politics. ▸ This leads to many young people feeling ‘marginalised’ from the rest of society. ▸ Teenagers are also controlled by many different authorities so unsurprisingly many young people feel as if they’re unfairly criticised for behaving differently to the older generations. ▸ All young people also have to deal with conflicts in their own social groups. This ‘peer pressure’ can be hard to deal with, even more so if you are a young religious believer growing up in a very ‘secular’ society, as religion can seem outdated and young people wont understand why they commit to a lifestyle which prevents them from taking part in aspects of pop culture.

▸ Many young people believe that they don’t get a say in their own decisions and that they are expected to act like adults and are treated like babies, and that only the adults their own opinion counts ▸ For example however many young people and teenagers by law can do what many adults can, for example by 16 teenagers are allowed to work a full time job, ride a moped, have abortions without parents joined the armed forces and legally have sex and by 18 they are legally classed as adults and have full rights of adults.

▸ The church was the only provider of education in Britain until Victorian times and it was directly due to the Church’s influence that led to the government setting up schools in Britain and made it compulsory. ▸ By 1944 school was compulsory and the government passed an act making the study of religion part of the school curriculum, therefore meaning that religious studies has always been part of the schools education. ▸ Over the years however RS has changed to incorporate Britain’s changing society. Today RS focuses, studies and celebrates a wide range of religious and secular backgrounds. It also focuses on key skills and concepts to help children learn, understand and question some of the most profound issues in todays society. ▸ It can also help teach ‘tolerance’ and allows to be able to understand and empathise with people who live very differently from us and enable us to respect other peoples beliefs and cultures which in turn help us refrain from prejudice and discrimination cause by ignorance and lack of understanding for others beliefs.

‣ Worship: All religious traditions give opportunities for young people to participate in worship. Sometimes there are special services held especially for children and young people. These may include fun activities using dance, drama, and popular music. All religions hold classes at their holy buildings where children can learn more about their religion. Young people can also participate directly in worship. For example, reading from the holy book or helping with the rituals. ‣ Festival: Festival celebrations are a fun time. Children learn the stories behind the festivals. They get holidays from school and lots of presents. The celebrations often have a party atmosphere including fireworks, special food, and fun games. They decorate their homes, dress up and spend time with family and friends. ‣ Youth organisations: Lots of young people join youth organisations such as the Worldwide Scout Movement. These groups engage young people in all kinds of interests and help them to develop skills they may not have the opportunity to learn elsewhere. They also include opportunities for them to participate in and learn about faith. For example in church parades and learning about the beliefs and teachings around the world.

‣ Religious holidays: Lots of young people enjoy going on special holidays called retreats organised especially for the young people by their community. They mix fun social activities with time for worship and reflection. Many young people like to travel to important places in their faith such as Mecca, Amritsar and Jerusalem. Roman Catholic churches organise trips for young people to help the sick and disabled and Loudres. Every year, thousands travel to Taizé in France to spend time reflecting and developing their spirituality. ‣ Social activities: All religious traditions have social activities for all ages. Holy buildings are often designed to include community rooms where many young people attend youth clubs and classes at their place of worship. They give a chance to enjoy fellowship with their peers in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, where their beliefs will be understood and respected. ‣ Voluntary work: Many young people get involved in voluntary work in their communities overseas. Religions teach the importance of caring for others, which might inspire young people to help. They can help in many ways: running youth groups and Sunday schools, visiting the elderly, and taking part in sponsored events. Some young people take a gap year and travel to less developed countries to work on projects helping to improve the lives of other.