Safeguarding with young people who are questioning, leaving, or changing faith
A one-day conference | Wednesday 21 October 2026 | Birmingham
Registration: 09:15 — 10.00
Programme: 10:00 — 16:00
Programme
09:15
Registration, refreshments, and conversation
10:00
Welcome
Sarah Robbins
Chair, Birmingham Humanists.
10:05
Opening talks
Faith, non-faith, and transitions in young lives : social work, youth work and education perspectives
Dr Naomi Thompson
Reader in Youth and Community Work, Goldsmiths, University of London
Dr Shereen Shaw
Senior Lecturer Liverpool John Moores University & Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy
10:40
Guidelines for Dialogue
Introduction to The Feast Guidelines for Dialogue with a tabletop exercise
Canon Dr Andrew Smith
Director of Interfaith Relations at Church of England Birmingham
11:00
Reflection break and refreshments
11:10
First conversation: safeguarding in faith transitions
Insights on recognising harm, and developing safeguarding responses with young people questioning, leaving, or changing faith
Chair
Dr Rachael Owens
Associate Professor, Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding, University of Durham
Dr Lucy Potter
ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of York
Yehudis Fletcher
PhD researcher at Durham University and author of Chutzpah
Kathleen Hallisey
Solicitor at Scott-Moncrieff & Associates
12:00
Tabletop conversation and comfort break
12:10
Second conversation: lived experience of faith transitions
Insights from experience: understanding lived and learned experience of faith transitions.
Chair
Jordan Alexander
CEO and founder of Prism Training
Nazreen Bibi
Advocate specialising in SEND, rights, and safeguarding.
Selina Wallis
Public Involvement Manager NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast University of Liverpool
Mark Marshall
Esther Owoh
13:10
Lunch
13:50
Third conversation: young people from Birmingham
14:10
Fourth conversation: good practice in faith transitions
Insights from practice: support with young people and families
Chair
Rachael Reign
Founder & CEO of Surviving Universal UK
Donna Craine
Support and Advocacy Services Manager, Faith to Faithless, Humanists UK
Matt Mahmood-Ogston
CEO and Founder of Naz and Matt Foundation
15:00
Afternoon break and refreshments
15:10
Next steps conversation, with our chairs, and young people from Birmingham
Chair
Dr Luke Billingham
Youth worker, Hackney Quest and Research Associate, OU
15:55
Closing and thanks
Colin Michel
Co-Director, Resonant Collaboration, Postgraduate researcher, University of Sussex
Standard ticket: £65.
Pay what you can: no questions asked.
Pay it forward: £130 pays for one standard ticket for a volunteer youth worker.