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Reimagining Social Spaces.
Join us in person for the Third Annual Gathering for the Youthscape Centre for Research Youth & Faith Research Community on Friday 5 February 2027, 9.30am - 5.00pm.
Our Story
In 2025, we launched our Youth & Faith Research Community via our first annual gathering. We shaped the day around our keynote speaker Dr Naomi Thompson who spoke on Young People in 2025: Seeking the Spiritual but Rejecting the Institutional?. Alongside this, we heard from several individuals who shared short presentations on their emerging research ideas, current research projects, or finalised projects and their outcomes. Finally, at the end of the day, we allowed space for reflection on the day and ideas for what a Youth & Faith Research Community might look like, offering something of value not only to those operating in the research space but to those in practice, too, in order to bridge the gap that sometimes exists between the two.
In response to this feedback, and after two online ‘Community of Learning’ events as points of connection throughout the year, our second Annual Gathering in 2026 focussed on a more specific area; Youth Discipleship, the Far-Right, and Racial Justice. As far-right movements began to gain traction in the UK, the Centre for Research made a commitment, through the Research Community and other means, to further understanding the impact this was (and is) having on young people and their discipleship journeys. With a particular aim of listening, learning, and reflecting on how these movements affect young people of colour, and how those working in youth ministry can better support young people when engaging with these complex intersections, the day started with our keynote from Prof.Robert Beckford. We also heard from Rev’d Dr Al Barrett followed by some learnings and reflections from The Alban Way (a young adult discipleship programme within St Albans Diocese) and the National Youth Agency (NYA) as a way in which to land the research in practice. Again, we have since hosted two online ‘Community of Learning’ events.
What’s This Year’s Theme and Why?
The Government is working towards imposing a social media ban (in some form) for under-16s by Spring 2027. As the ban sets in, 1000 new youth workers are due to be in position after the government recently announced its ‘major drive’ to support youth work training and employment alongside £450 million investment in youth facilitates and activities. As a result, youth culture and youth work are set to significantly change over the coming months and years. Unlike at the dawn of social media itself, we now have the vantage point of seeing this coming and so it is imperative we consider its potential impacts both on youth work and young people themselves. That is why the Youth & Faith Research Community Annual Gathering 2027 will focus on hearing from researchers and practitioners around what this all means for youth ministry.
Within youth ministry, there has been concerted effort to reach young people ‘where they are’, both in person and online, holding in tension both the evidence of harm of social media (for example negative impacts on mental health and feelings of loneliness) and the positive role it can play in young people’s disciple journeys. Some organisations have pivoted significantly to focus on reaching young people online, others have built a hybrid model, and some have sustained an in-person approach. As things begin to change, youth ministry must consider how it is to posture itself as the landscape begins to change.
With all this in mind, the 2027 Annual Gathering will explore three key areas:
- How do we reflect on and consider this ‘post-social-media’ era theologically?
- How does youth ministry still fit and exist in the online space, particularly given that not all young people will fall under the ‘ban’ and not all online youth ministry is reliant upon social media?
- How does youth ministry best posture itself to support young people post-ban, navigating the complexities of groups which may include young people over-16 who do not experience the ban, young people who are under 16 and become banned, and young people, in the future, who have not experienced a pre-ban world?
Join us as we seek to wrestle with these questions through listening, learning, networking, and prayer.
Who Is This Event For?
The Youth & Faith Research Community brings together researchers, practitioners, and leaders who are interested in learning from some topical research as way to ground youth ministry in research and critically reflect on how this has, does, and might shape practice. We invite you to join us and learn together.
Who Is Speaking?
Come back to this page again soon for updates on speakers!
What’s the Outline for the Day?
Our venue is Bute Mills, 74 Bute Street, Luton, LU1 2EY. We’re less than 50m from the main bus and rail station. Here is a short overview of the day – a final programme will be published closer to the time of the event.
08:30-09:30 – Networking Breakfast (*please purchase the Event + Breakfast Ticket to attend this)
09:30-10:00 – Arrival and Registration (for those with Event Ticket only)
10:00-10:30 – Welcome and Introductions
10:30-11:30 – Keynote
11:30–12:00 – Reflection
12:00-13:00 – Lunch (not provided**)
13:00-14:00 – Presentation
14:00-14:15 – Break
14:15-15:15 – ‘Putting it Into Practice’ Panel
15:15-16:15 – Break out time with ‘Pledges’
16:30-17:00 – Close
*In response to feedback, we are not organising a meal the evening before the event. However, to offer time for networking and conversation prior to the event, we have decided to offer a pre-event breakfast. We really believe that networking and intentional time to get to know people outside of existing networks is part of the real value of this Research Community. If you would like to join this, please purchase the Annual Gathering + Breakfast Ticket which is an additional £5 in cost.
**Whilst lunch is not provided, there are plenty of options in walking distance of Youthscape including Starbucks, Nando’s, Greggs, Tesco, and Lidl. We will provide tea, coffee, and biscuits throughout the day as part of the ticket price.
Where Can I Buy Tickets?
You can purchase tickets to the right-hand side of this page.
Early Bird Tickets (Available Until 30 December 2026)
£20 – Event Ticket
£25 – Event + Breakfast Ticket
Non-Early Bird (From 1 January 2027)
£25 – Event Ticket
£30 – Event + Breakfast Ticket
