Young people can create their own home page, send messages via an internal email system and have access to a 24-7 chat room. A young person can only be contacted by, or chat to, people they have added to their list of "friends", which puts them in full control, and ensures a positive online experience.

How does this benefit my Youth Group?

  • First, it's great fun! It provides a way for your group to keep in contact and encourages them to bond.
     
  • It also helps them to realise that they are part of a much larger Christian community - young people can often end up wondering if there are any other young Christians on the planet!
     
  • The web is cool - and being a part of it adds a lot of street cred to your youth group. The internet is a medium that is very relevant to today's youth.

Who can join?

    My Place is available to members of Christian youth groups, of all denominations, operating in Cornwall.

    People joining My Place should either be under 25, or a youth worker formally recognised by their church fellowship.

    Note that, because we have to protect young people from "bogus" youth groups, if you are not already known to us, we will ask you to provide a copy of your child protection policy and contact details of your church leaders (who should be willing to provide a reference).

How do I get my Youth Group in on this?

    Just ask us for a youth group pack.

    This will include a stack of cards to hand out to your young people with details of how to get started. Each card also acts as a "ticket" and has a unique number, allowing a young person to create one "My Place" account.

Is there anything else I have to do?

    As an extra security measure, we ask you to verify the details of each young person who signs up from your youth group.

    DON'T WORRY - THIS IS VERY EASY! You will receive an email with the details they entered, and a single click is all it takes to confirm that this is a genuine member of your youth group.

What does it cost?

    Nothing!

    (However, if you, or your church want to make a donation towards our printing or server costs, it will be gratefully received.)

What else can Kernow Youth offer?

    Kernow Youth is a resource dedicated to serving youth workers and young people across Cornwall.

    In addition to advertising your youth group, and any events you are organising, you can even have your own dedicated page on the site (which, for young people, is so cool - it's the next best thing to being on the telly!) If you, or your young people, want to get more involved, we welcome articles, testimonies & even help with running the site!

How do I know it's safe to recommend
your web site?

We recognise and share current public concerns about young people using the internet, and we take the following steps to ensure young people's safety while using "My Place":

  • We limit membership of "My Place" to those attending participating churches and youth groups in the county. It is not possible for the general public to gain access to this area of the site.
     
  • We ask youth leaders to verify the details of all young people joining from their youth group.
     
  • Young people can only be contacted by, or chat to, people they have chosen to add to their list of "friends". If they feel uncomfortable about any of the people they meet online, simply removing them from their friend list will eliminate further contact from that person.
     
  • We actively discourage young people from posting personal information or contact details on My Place, and do not permit the publishing of offensive or inappropriate material.
     
  • We provide an easy to use complaints facility, which allows members to report inappropriate behaviour to us in confidence. All such complaints will be promptly investigated, and appropriate actions (such as terminating an offending "My Place" account) taken where we feel it is appropriate.

If you have any further queries please feel free to drop us an email at  .

What is "My Place"

My Place is a new on-line community designed to provide Cornish youth with a safe online environment where they can meet and chat with people their own age from youth groups across the county.