This section is aimed at teachers or youth leaders working in a classroom or with a group of young people who already know each other. Below are a range of discussion-based activities that aim to get young people talking and thinking about their faith and values and about the opportunities and challenges of living in a multi-faith society.

It can be particularly difficult to make discussions about religion relevant for those who do not consider themselves religious. But it is important that these young people also feel confident articulating their own beliefs and values. All of these activities are aimed at non-religious young people too.

The activities are divided into two sections, 'Discussing faith and values' and 'Talking about controversial issues'.

Discussing faith and values

These activities provide a framework for discussions around how individual beliefs can affect opinions on a wide range of moral, political, global and local issues. They ask young people to discuss living in a multi-faith society and to think about the potential benefits and challenges of living alongside people with different beliefs. The last activity asks young people to think about some of the ways in which different religious groups make a positive contribution to society.

• Discussion starters: Living in a Multi-faith Society
• Discussion starters: Values, views and identity
• The Good in Religion

Guess the Hero, activity one in The Good in Religion, can be downloaded in either Word or Powerpoint:

• Guess the Hero resources

Talking about controversial issues

It is important that young people are given opportunities to discuss controversial issues in an open, safe environment, especially where these issues may be causing arguments and tensions within schools and in the wider community. Global, political and moral issues can all cause tensions between different religious groups. Therefore, young people need opportunities to understand and discuss different viewpoints and to think about why people may hold different opinions.

Teachers and youth workers can be understandably nervous about addressing controversial issues with young people. The following activities aim to provide a framework for discussing a number of current controversial issues surrounding the role of religion in society.

• Faith Schools
• A right to offend?

Within the school curriculum

These activities fit in well with the RE and Citizenship curriculum. In the new QCA national framework for RE, the relationship between different faiths is emphasised and interfaith dialogue encouraged. For example, it states that through RE 14-19-year-olds should gain:

"a greater understanding of the importance of dialogue between and among different religions and beliefs. They gain a better understanding of how religion and beliefs contribute to community cohesion, recognising the various perceptions people have regarding the role of religion in the world."

Citizenship guidelines for Key Stage 4 outline that students should be taught about the diversity of religious and ethnic identities in the UK and about the need for mutual respect and understanding (1b). These activities also help to develop skills of communication and debate, and encourage young people to explore current political and social issues (2b, 2c).

In the youth sector

Youth organisations have the potential to play a larger role in building understanding between young people with different beliefs. They are increasingly addressing issues of faith, diversity and community cohesion. We hope that these activities will inspire youth workers to discuss these issues with the young people they are working with.

For more information on interfaith work in the youth sector, see:

National Youth Agency (NYA)
The NYA has produced a resource pack offering ideas and activities for promoting respect for different beliefs in a youth group setting.

The Connect Guide
The Inter Faith Network has produced an interfaith action guide for young people called Connect: Different Faiths, Shared Values. This encourages young people to get involved in interfaith activity and encourages bridge-building between communities.