Keeping in touch with children, young people and families is so important in these uncertain and anxious times. Please find below some useful tutorials, resources, ideas and groups substantially based on one compiled by OneWayUk - see their list which they continue to update and supplement here.
Websites
How to make your group or service digital
- Permission slip for social media The terms in this form include clear commitments with regard to safeguarding
- A Beginners Guide to Going Live with Your Service or Event for Free
- Step by Step Guide for Live Streaming
- How to Use Zoom - Video guide from Youth for Christ
- How to Use Facebook Messenger - Video guide from Youth for Christ
- A Church Near You - Now showing churches who are live streaming their services
- Labs Learning Webinars - Selection of webinars for improving your churches digital skills
- Parenting for Faith - A comprehensive and step by step guide to moving your group online! There is also a wide range of other resources on their website too.
- Leading Your Family Ministry in the Midst of Crisis - Excellent webinar covering many topics of moving provision online
- Ministry Ark - Help! I'm Going Live on Facebook! (How to prepare)
- How to Share a YouTube Video In Private - Restrict the audience of your videos on YouTube
- Minno - How to have church at home as a family
- Video Conferencing with Young People - A guide to best practice (Church of England)
- Worship Lyric Videos
- CCLI Questions Answered
- Ministering to teenagers during a lockdown
Safeguarding with online children/youth and families work
As well as the clear terms in the permission slip (above) and the full might of our Safeguarding team, in particular the diocesan Social Media Policy, the following from a colleague in another diocese may be useful - please note they are thoughts for consideration, not an endorsed policy from any diocese but could be helpful in this rapidly changing season:
First thoughts would be to query what training workers have done on this, a basic for me would be at least an online digital awareness session such as https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/professionals/training/kcso/ - £35 per worker .
In terms of video conferencing - it obviously takes time to be skilled at using this format correctly and effectively as a youth worker. This document provides pretty good guidance and covers some of the key points to think about and operate safely. However, for me the age to access video conferencing would absolutely need to be 13+, so that it is more in line with wider digital and online social media policies and practice (Girlguiding do NOT allow to video conference calls, WhatsApp or contact under 13’s).
Most youth organisations in my experience have avoided the use of video conferencing – which means the guidance is lagging behind. This is perhaps because of the issue of practical access to devices and technology (who does it exclude), putting vulnerable people being on camera and the lack of control over who else ‘appears’ on anyone’s camera, it blurs boundaries between home and church/club, the fact that it can unknowingly be recorded if not via the platform then via another device viewing the call - and therefore the huge complexity of maintaining a safe environment.
For me I think workers who do use video conferencing to connect with young people should do so with caution and not rush into it. Permissions need to be gained, training of staff/volunteers needs to be in place and codes of conduct clear. My own suggestion would be that as well as permissions and the guidance given here in any video conferencing only the workers/leaders should share their camera and control screen any slides/film, young people’s cameras should be disabled and they engage in the session through access to a live chat box and on screen polls and whiteboards for example.
How to talk about Coronavirus
- Prayers for when you feel anxious – activity sheets
- Calming the storm
- Helping Children Stay Safe - Resources, guides and explanations for those with additional needs
- Parenting for Faith - Post exploring many different aspects and practical steps for parents and kids to take
- Ministry To Children - Huge list of articles, resources, activities and videos to help parents
- Minno - How to explain to your kids about coronavirus
- "Mum, what does God think of Coronavirus?" Blogpost
- Home worship/Pastoral Care amid COVID-19 Crisis – support for anxious children
Complete Teaching Sessions
- Worship at home
- Faith In Kids - 'ready-to-go' children's talks, RE Lessons, Sunday School Sessions, Kids Slots, All-Age Services and school assemblies!
- Also join them on the Faith in Kids Facebook Page for live videos of 'kids church', Podcasts and blog posts
- Being Church Together, Apart - Complete set of resources for all-ages (not just kids), new resources every week
- Disorganised Sunday School Blog - Weekly videos with worksheets too
- Jesus Without Language - a FREE weekly complete teaching resource for parents with kids aged 3-12. Each pack is only available for one week before a new one is posted.
- Many more teaching packs are also available to purchase there too. Also find them on Facebook here
- Hodge Hill Junior Church - Complete kids church teaching sessions with video links, stories and activities too
- Ministry Ark - Family Devotionals released weekly
- They also have a fantastic 'Worry Busters' printable activity pack here
- Minno - Choose a worship video and Bible story video or devotional
General Ideas
- Messy Church BRF - Lots of resources and an excellent recent Q&A live video. Messy Church also have a range of ideas, advice and material on their website here
- Scramblers Network - Focus on toddlers/under 5's
- Playtime (Care for the Family) - Focus on toddlers/under 5's
- 1277 Make Them Count - Focus on toddlers/under 5's
- Additional Needs Alliance - For parents of children/young people with additional needs
- Reachout ASC - Austism Support (excellent resources for explaining Coronavirus)
- Parenting for Faith - Kid's ministry resources (recently posted a brilliant video on how we can keep connected, find it here)
- Find more of their resources on there website here
- Kids Leaders Network - Wide age range for kids ministry
- Diddy Disciples - Regular live prayer videos, resources and encouragement
- Children Worldwide - Kid's ministry resources
- GodVenture - Kid's ministry resources
- The Resource - Children and youth ministry resources
- Take 5 and Chat - Parenting Additional Needs
- Spiritual Child Network - Kid's ministry resources
- I Love Kidmin - Kid's ministry resources
- EDGE (Ever Day God Encounters) - Kid's ministry resources
- Prayer Spaces in Schools - Kid's ministry resources
- Children and Faith - Kid's ministry resources
- Ministry Boost - Kid's ministry resources
Worship and Prayer
- Rend Collective - Social Distance Worship Club! Live Facebook worship sessions, videos available afterwards too
- Worship for Everyone - Great live video of all-age worship, teaching and fun with Nick & Becky Drake. More videos to follow. Find them on YouTube here for loads more content.
- St Thomas Church in Kidsgrove have shared this great prayer card.
Online Toddler groups sharing videos and resources
- Bumps&Babes@Church - Live on Mondays 10am
- Playsongs Scarborough
- Daniel's Den
- Little Stars SMC (also on YouTube)
- Ladybird's St. Andrews
- Little Treasures
- Beauchief Baptist Church
- Jelly Tots
- God for Kids (app and weekly videos)
YouTube/ Videos
Complete video services
- Cool Bananas - Complete kids church programme running weekly sessions on YouTube (approx. 40 minutes)
- LifeKids Plug & Play Kids Services - Full length video services for kids ministry, with interactive elements, worship and more! NOW AVAILABLE. New content each week through to Easter.
- Find their website here and their Facebook page here.
- Kidology - Complete online kids services
- Go! Curriculum - Working to provide lessons for families at home, sign up on their page to be notified of new videos
- Hillsong Kids - Complete kids church videos
- Discovery Kids - Facebook Live kids services (Saturdays 10am)
- Vineyard Kids - Weekly 30 minute complete online kids services
Animated Bible Stories
- Saddleback Kids - YouTube
- Bible Stories for Kids - YouTube
- Life Kids - YouTube
- Friends and Heroes - Lots of online resources and also here for activities too
Teaching/ Worship
- Play It By Ear Drama - Posting storytelling videos for children and families
- Out of the Box Productions - YouTube channel with new videos covering challenging questions, with activities, games and crafts too
- Kids UK - Live videos Wednesday 10am and Sunday 3pm (videos on Facebook Live and YouTube)
- Amy Scott Robinson - Live storytelling videos and more!
- Twist Online - Regular kid's ministry videos
- Douglas Talks (Facebook & Website) - Teaching videos with Douglas (puppetry)
- Gigi's Spotlight Theatre (Facebook & Website) - Teaching videos with Gigi (puppetry)
- Maegan Bruce - New videos coming soon
- Crossroad Kids - Kid's ministry online
- What's In the Bible? - Videos, teaching and more!
- Allstar Kids Club GO - Loads of videos for your kids ministry
- KidSpring Childrens Ministry - Songs and teaching
- Minno Kids - Monthly subscription based streaming service for kids ministry. Countless videos available, including What's In The Bible, VeggieTales, Friends and Heroes, and so much more
- Liz and Doug - Bible teaching videos (puppetry)