Faith Matters Column: The Feast Youth Project training young people in Luton to live well with difference

Faith Matters Column 17th July 2024

The Feast Youth Project brings together teenagers from different faiths and cultures to build friendships, explore faith, and change lives.

This year, celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Feast has continued to organise the monthly encounters and has held activities such as Glass painting & Artful Conversations, bowling & trampolining, and an Escape room etc.

They held Pamper & Pud, and Quiz Night Fundraising events, to sponsor the Keech Hospice Short Tail Trail (shorttailtrail.co.uk/). Please look out for the Feast artwork on a hare & a tortoise.

Recently at a training event focussing upon managing difficult discussions between teenagers, the Feast Manager, Ulrike Hunt said, “Teenagers don’t always get the opportunity to talk constructively about the difficult and tricky issues. They are either shut down or discussions degenerate into unhelpful arguments.”

“At The Feast, our aim is to help young people from different religious, racial or cultural backgrounds, be confident in their own identity and belief, and at the same time equip them to listen to those of different persuasions with respect, and openness.”

Ulrike added, “It is crucial we equip our young people to live well with difference, develop relationships, and work together for the common good and peace in our town.”

Framed by its “Guidelines for Dialogue”, discussions at The Feast are often guided by carefully crafted questions, to allow participants to think about the issue, to listen to others, and to express their perspectives respectfully.

Recently, at its bi-annual Friends of The Feast dinner event, besides sharing some of the Feast’s stories and experiences, a few Questions sparked off interesting conversations between the participants. Questions included – Do you agree with the sentiment that the different communities in Luton are open to engaging positively with one another? What are the barriers for ordinary people in Luton to really get to know someone who is from a different background? How can we work together to continue developing a culture in Luton where ordinary people live well with their neighbours who are not like them?

The aim wasn’t about agreement or finding a common answer. It was rather to listen to different perspectives and understand one another’s point of view. Long may such work continue to make our town more respectful and harmonious!