Frequently asked questions

What is it?

YOR project (Youth On Religion) is a large project being carried out in different parts of the country.
The London boroughs of Hillingdon and Newham, and the Bradford and Keighley areas, are taking part.
The project includes research on young people’s views on religion and its meaning for their everyday lives.
It also includes other activities involving young people, such as a large event in Hillingdon during 2011.
Brunel University Research Ethics Committee (SHSSC) has approved this research.

It will give young people a chance to say what religion means to them.
There has been no similar large-scale survey of young people’s views on religion that includes those who have a particular faith as well as those who do not.
The survey will encourage discussion about religion and help teachers and researchers understand more about what young people think.
It will also help schools and communities provide better education, facilities and services to meet young people’s wishes and needs.

We will be providing a questionnaire to many of the secondary schools in the Hillingdon area, the Newham area and the Bradford and Keighley areas.
Young people aged 12-17 (mostly from Years 8, 10 and 12) will be given the chance to complete it.
A smaller number of Year 12 students/pupils in each area will take part in interviews, group activities and creative tasks over the following few months.
Schools and communities may organise other activities relating to the project.

Your class/group may be taking part in the survey and we hope you will want to complete it. However, your teacher can give you some different work if you prefer.
The questionnaire will be completed online during study time and will take about 20-30 minutes to do.
If you do take part in the questionnaire and there are a few questions that you don’t want to answer, then it is fine to leave those blank.
The questionnaire does not ask for your name, so no one will know that it was you who filled it in.

What are your religious beliefs? (These could be about NOT having a religion as well as having a particular faith.)
How do your beliefs affect what you wear, what you eat, how you spend your free time, and your opinions?
Do you take part in any religious practices such as praying and going to religious services?
How do your family, your friends, your teachers and the media affect your beliefs and practices?
Do girls and boys have different views on religion?
Where do you find out about different religions?
How well do you think people from different religions get along together?

If you are in Year 12, you can also volunteer to take part in other activities (although we may not be able to include everybody who volunteers) which we hope will be interesting and fun.
The activities will include individual or paired interviews where you would talk to one of the researchers about religion.
There will also be a group meeting and other creative tasks and activities on religion.