More Than a Words – A Call to Care

When we think about safeguarding, it’s easy to picture policies, procedures, and training sessions. It can feel like a checklist – something we do to meet legal requirements or organisational standards. But what if safeguarding was more than that? What if it was not just about compliance, but about who we are called to be as the Church?

At the heart of Scripture is a God who sees, hears, and cares – a God who responds to the cries of the vulnerable and calls us to do the same. Protecting the vulnerable isn’t just a duty. It’s an outworking of our faith. It’s discipleship in action. It’s a theology of care.

Why This Matters

As youth workers or leaders, we have a responsibility to protect young people from harm. But even with the best safeguarding policies and robust training, if the young people we serve don’t know how to speak up, who to talk to, or that it’s okay to raise concerns, then our efforts fall short.

Safeguarding is about creating communities where every person is valued, heard, and protected. It’s a culture, rooted in God’s heart. Part of that culture is helping young people understand that God wants them to be safe, that their voice matters, and that speaking up is not betrayal – it’s bravery – and that reflects the character of God.

More Than Words

Thirtyone:eight, in collaboration with Youthscape, has developed a brand-new resource designed to help youth workers and leaders feel confident in having meaningful, faith-informed conversations with young people about safety, justice, and care. This resource is called More Than Words.

More Than Words gives young people the opportunity to explore how living the life Jesus called us to goes beyond the words we say. This resource explores safeguarding as a theology of care through the parables of Jesus.

Over six sessions, this interactive resource aims to give young people: 

• the ability to recognise when something isn’t right
• the language to express their concerns
• the confidence to speak up for themselves and others.

What’s Inside?

The parables of Jesus are stories that are accessible, memorable, and often challenging. We’ve chosen parables for this resource that centre on the vulnerable: the lost, the wounded, the overlooked. They reveal a kingdom where mercy triumphs over judgment and love is shown through action and courage.

By exploring these stories, young people can discover what God is like, what He calls us to be and how to speak up for themselves and others.

There are six sessions, each focusing on a key theme:

1. I Matter – Luke 15:1-7 (Lost Sheep): Discovering self-worth and God’s love for every individual.
2. My Feelings Matter – Luke 15:11-32 (Lost Son): Understanding emotions as God-given signals for safety and wellbeing.
3. My Voice Matters – Luke 18:1-8 (Persistent Widow): Learning the importance of speaking up and advocating for justice.
4. My Values Matter – Matthew 20:1–16 (Workers in the Vineyard): Exploring fairness, dignity, and standing up for what’s right.
5. My Decisions Matter – Matthew 7:24–27 (Wise and Foolish Builders: Building strong foundations through wise choices.
6. Other People Matter – Luke 10:25-37 (Good Samaritan): Living out compassion and inclusion in everyday life.

Each session is practical, accessible and designed to spark honest conversations that empower young people to live out these values.

Our Hope

We long to see churches and youth groups become places where safeguarding is not just a policy but a lived reality – where young people are not only protected but equipped to protect others. Where care is not just taught but embodied. Where the next generation builds communities of safety, justice, and love.

Because safeguarding isn’t just something we do. It’s something we live out – together.