Faith in young people? Understanding the potential and purpose of faith in the recovery and desistance journeys of adolescents and young adults.

ABSTRACT

Holistic transformation and wholesale change are the ultimate goals of those who work with substance users. But what does it mean to be truly holistic? And what does it look like to engage young people holistically including in matters of spirituality?

With the competing forces of secularism and religion at play in many cultural contexts, how can practitioners engage with substance users’ personal faith and spirituality with confidence, sensitivity and understanding?

Encouraging practitioners to move beyond basic religious awareness to a stronger commitment to faith literacy, this session introduces the key concepts of faith, religion and spirituality and explores how faith can have a positive impact on identity, belonging and motivation to change. Based on Tim’s research which itself draws on a broad range of academic literature, this session explores pertinent questions on this important area of professional practice specific to young people caught up in addiction and criminality:

How do the faith journeys and experiences of young people differ to their older counterparts?

Is it possible or appropriate to apply academic research undertaken with adults to children and young people?

Do professional training routes and qualifications appropriately prepare professionals for the diverse faith experiences of young service users they are likely to encounter?

This session will also introduce frameworks to help practitioners engage with young service users, make recommendations for policy makers and outline areas for further/ future research.