PAUSE - interactive prayer space for young people at school

PAUSE is Soulscape’s interactive prayer space for young people at school. Carving out space during the busy school day for personal reflection and prayer, it invites young people of all faiths and none to think about what and who is important in their lives. There are opportunities to remember people loved and lost, opportunities to explore hopes and dreams and opportunities to recognise and let go of regrets. PAUSE is primarily a space for personal exploration, time to ‘be’, an opportunity to stop looking at the clock.

Clare Hooper, Southern Counties Baptist Association Regional Minister and youth specialist, reflects on her involvement with PAUSE

When I talk about PAUSE the prayer space that’s run in several of our local secondary schools people comment that their local schools would never welcome prayer spaces. I wonder if we approached it from a different perspective then we might get a different answer? Let’s start with the student. Life is busy. Life is assessed. Life is full of pressure and expectation. The news reminds us of the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression amongst our young people. Levels of happiness are declining and confidence is low. Drop the name prayer space and instead offer the schools a space for the young person to be. Space for reflection. Space to think about the things they don’t normally have time for. Space to forgive. Space to be thankful. Space to grieve. Space to connect with themselves, others and God. That’s the sort of space that the schools might be interested in. Young people’s well-being and good mental health is a conversation that we have lots to contribute to so don’t let opportunities pass by because we’re not offering something that the schools can’t quite get their head around.


Click here to read more about the work of PAUSE or contact Clare direct.