Information for use during COVID-19 school closures and holidays
During school closures and whilst social distancing measures are in place, most education and youth work has gone online. Here are some of the useful websites, advice and resources we’ve come across to help specifically during this time. Many other websites and resources which are in our Resources Centre will also be ready to use or easily adapted. However, the ones listed below have produced resources in specific response to the Covid-19 outbreak. We have provided a range of different areas of support which may be required – please let us know if you know of anything else which should be added and the page will be updated as we become aware of resources available. Thank you.
(Looking for resources for transition times? We have compiled some on a page here.)
Advice and instruction on using online platforms
Youth for Christ has tutorials on engaging with young people over popular social media and video conferencing as well as a safeguarding training tutorial and top tips.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has a useful Practical Guide: Safeguarding for Online Youth Work in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
The Church of Scotland has issued advice on their own webpage on using the hugely popular Zoom conferencing tool.
YouthLink Scotland has tools, resources and advice for digital youth work.
Youthscape has written a detailed pdf Guidance for Online Youthwork developed in partnership with Safeguarding charity thirtyone:eight.
Websites most relevant for Christian youth workers & churches
Youth for Christ has some fantastic new online resources to equip youth workers.
Prayer Spaces in Schools has created Prayer Spaces at Home with loads of great reflection activities using simple objects to be found around the home.
Messy Church has created a webpage with lots of ideas for Messy Church at Home. Loads of creative ideas as usual from Messy Church!
Scripture Union Scotland has gone online with SU group material SU Groups Explore Online and Equip Online for 13+ to S6 which is for Christian young people to think through issues of faith and how to apply their faith. SU Scotland has put together, with Out of the Box Scotland, an online version of the SU England and Wales P7 transition to high school material Its Your Move.
Scripture Union (England and Wales) has a lockdown page with links to their resources such as ‘Make and Pray’, ‘Inspire’ and support for youth workers during this time.
Out of the Box (Scotland) Ltd has produced a series of teaching videos and resources, based on their short film ‘Full Armour’, for families to use while churches and organisations are closed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The material features a short teaching video, discussion questions, an appropriate fun sheet and a suggested craft item. It is also starting a 5-week Navigate Family series starting 9:30 Sunday April 26th.
The Message Trust has set up a webpage with stories of encouragement and resources for evengelism and discipleship during the Covid-19 crisis.
TISCA (The Independent Schools Christian Alliance) has posted a blog with useful general ideas as a starter for thinking about how to go online as a school chaplain as well as resources for chapels and assemblies for use in lockdown (e.g. videos, reflective prayers).
Steve Younger, CVE Scotland’s School Chaplaincy Project leader, recommends the Spiritual Development in Schools website for lots of adaptable material.
There is also an enormous amount of non-faith specific advice available on the YouthLink website in response to Covid-19, including links to the Scottish Government, NHS, WHO and many others.
Websites most relevant for teachers
Prayer Spaces in Schools has created Prayer Spaces at Home with loads of great reflection activities using simple objects to be found around the home.
Barnabus in Schools is developing and adapting resources for use for teachers to give to pupils to do at home.
Fischy Music hosts weekly assemblies on youtube and encouraging schools to share its access to school subscription with families. It has a page for teachers during the school closures to help.
The Twinkl website has a vast amount of learning activities for parents to download and/or view, including RME resources for each CfE level. Twinkl is making their resources free to parents during the school closures.
Ten Must Know Bible Stories has written home learning resources on the Good Samaritan and The Ten Commandments for teachers to be able to assign to early, first or second level pupils working at home as part of their RME learning. These materials include lesson plans, videos, assemblies and quizzes. Ten Must Know Bible Stories has also produced materials to help children transitioning into or out of primary school and transitioning from home learning back to school. This includes reflective/prayer space activities.
SU Scotland is in the process of putting together, with Out of the Box Scotland, an online version of the SU England and Wales P7 transition to high school material Its Your Move.
Websites most relevant for parents and families
Messy Church has created a webpage with lots of ideas for Messy Church at Home. Loads of creative ideas as usual from Messy Church!
Colin Buchanan has produced a series of short youtube videos, ‘Kids’ Talks with Colin’, with short talks, songs and prayers, which are accessible through the Compassion website and have permission to share on church and school platforms. More information can be read about them on our webpage here.
Fischy Music is hosting weekly assemblies on youtube and encouraging schools to share their access to school subscription with families. Its Fischy Tunes page has an open access bank of free popular songs which children will probably be familiar with if their school uses Fischy music songs in its assemblies.
Out of the Box (Scotland) Ltd has produced a series of teaching videos and resources. These include ‘Full Armour’ based on its short film of the same name, for families to use while churches and organisations are closed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The material features a short teaching video, discussion questions, an appropriate fun sheet and a suggested craft item. Out of the Box have also produced Navigate, Honkey and Trek and Rooted family series.
Scottish Bible Society will send out a Bag of Discovery with five-days’ worth of activities, games, recipes, Bible verses and adventures, for only the cost of postage.
The United Reformed Church have on their website Families on Faith Adventures @Home with pick and mix style Bible activities for families to do over spring and summer, with themes and notes provided as a suggestion for each week.
For something that would work well as a gift you could have a look at the GodVenture Hope Box for £15, which includes instructional cards and resources for a family to explore the theme of hope, mainly using Isaiah 40 v 31.
The Methodist Church has a growing number of exciting resources for children and young people to use at home, family and intergenerational pages and resources and opportunities for young adults. Have a look at its Children, Youth and Family Ministry page for more details.
Care for the Family has set up a new section on their website for supporting families during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Mental Health and Wellbeing tips is useful for families working from home or self-isolating.
Parent Club Scotland has some good, clear general advice for parenting through this time with useful articles and links to NHS Scotland inform.
Most schools will be giving children specific work online. Some will undoubtedly be on the twinkl website which made a huge amount of resources available to parents for free. Its general resources for parents during school closures can be found here and Religious and Moral Education resources according to Curriculum for Excellence level can be found from the drop-downs at the top of that page also. Blogs and articles on Christian themes are on their website from other parents and other experts also.
Education Scotland has produced a newsletter for parents with lots of ideas for keeping the family happily engaged and learning whilst having fun.
Missing out on events, holiday clubs and conferences?
SU Scotland has created SUTV to tune into for some SU Holiday-type action over the Easter holidays. Throughout the summer holidays SU Scotland are running an online holiday club programme, Scotland’s Biggest Holiday Club: Wonderzone, aimed for children in P4-P7, as well as Discipleship at Home at the end of June for those in S5 – 21 year olds. Launching on the evening of Sunday 26th July, Magnitude 2020: Immeasurably More is a 3 day virtual festival, streaming online – seminars, afternoon challenges and evening sessions with worship, teaching and response time.
Something for 16-25 year olds is a new weekly online live YouTube broadcoast called ‘Trialogue’ hosted on the United Reformed Church Children’s and Youth Work page. These panel discussions are hosted by a member of the CYDO+ team and explore a theme alongside a Bible passage, providing a springboard for further discussion and reflection.
Spring Harvest is launching ‘Spring Harvest Home‘ – a free online Spring Harvest programme via youtube suitable for all the family. Big Start, Bible teaching, live worship, specialist seminars and other resources you may find useful.
Virtually Keswick Convention is being held on the 27th to the 31st July with Bible teaching, seminars and sung worship for adults, youth and young children with the theme ‘Hope’.
CVE Scotland Specific Support
At the moment there are online events planned for three consecutive Mondays; 25th May, 1st June and 8th June, all starting at 8pm. We are developing more online networks of school staff as an alternative to meeting at events such as our PrayerWorks or dinner events. It will be of huge encouragement to be part of a small or larger group of other Christians in education during lockdown and also form networks that can last well beyond any social distancing measures put in place. Keep up to date with information on these via our events page and/or social media platforms.
Please join in praying for young people, staff and school communities involved in education in Scotland. The prayer calendar is a great place to start. Why not join an online group to share prayer requests and join in prayer. You can also email prayer requests, testimonies, stories, advice and blogs to us, either for CVE workers only to use, or for wider sharing – you can let us know when you submit. Thank you. We would love to stand together with you in prayer for your individual and collective circumstances.