The ability to communicate well is essential for youth work. This course will introduce you to communication that is relevant and genuine, and invites youth to realize how God’s story is intersecting with their story. We’ll practice recognizing and creating teachable moments in the everyday “stuff” of life, as well as the skills of intentionally introducing life changing truth by walking through the doors youth are offering to us.

Evangelism is defined by the dictionary as an earnest effort for the spread of the Gospel. At times it seems that the effectiveness of evangelism has been judged by the amount of effort, rather than the amount of love that motivates the effort. But souls are not meant to be “won”; souls are meant to be loved. This course seeks to introduce students to the heart of God for those who don’t know Him yet, and looks at practical ways of introducing His heart to this generation.

The motivation for youth outreach is established in God’s passion for reaching out to the world through the incarnation of Jesus. In doing so, God showed us the value of “being present” and coming alongside others in the middle of their difficulties. In this course we will follow that model as we explore who young people are and what matters to them, allowing us to step with them into the issues of their lives with compassion and understanding. You will be introduced to the roles and relationships of the different participants and programs in community youth work, as well as the opportunities for involvement in this sphere. We will also explore who we are as youth workers, understanding that often impact comes not through what we know but who we are in the lives of young people.

Individuals involved in ministry are often faced with the challenge of holding onto a false spirituality based on doing for God rather than being. An understanding of our spirituality as something that comes from God, rather than something we make happen by keeping busy, can help us to focus on clearing space for God to work, rather than simply working for God. In this course we will take a look at the way spirituality is lived out by being introduced to the spiritual journeys of a variety of guest presenters who are involved in ministry at different levels. Engaging both discussion and practice, you will have the chance to apply classroom concepts to your personal spiritual walk and ministry. Through days of silence, journaling, spiritual mentoring, and a solo retreat, we create a space for students to experience being with God, and then we leave the results up to him.

In this course we will work toward learning and using skills for helping others through life’s difficulties and frustrations. Developing listening and supporting skills will not only allow us to be truly helpful to teens, but also to the friends and family around us. The ability to create an environment around people that invites and encourages growth in them, can open up the way for God to move in both their lives and ours.

This course is highly experiential and takes the student on a guided practical journey through the conception, implementation and evaluation of creative and effective programs and events for youth. Working in teams and individually, students are given the opportunity to walk through each part of the program design process in a variety of settings, with ongoing feedback, instruction and support. From running mission trips to events to classes and out trips – you will walk away from this course with increased competence and confidence, as well as a greater understanding of the framework and skills necessary for developing and running programs that make a difference for youth.

Through this course, you will be invited to explore new ways of thinking and acting justly in everyday life, as well as in the presence of material poverty. You will also have the opportunity to form a philosophy of social justice engagement and then pass that philosophy on to teens who are exploring this idea for themselves.

This course explores common developmental and sociological issues found in vulnerable youth, overviewing topics such as mental health, depression, anxiety, suicide, abuse, self-harm, addictions, and sexual exploitation. You’ll be introduced to the particular issues that street involved youth, LGBTQ youth, and Indigenous youth face. You’ll gain a basic understanding of each issue, learn what that can mean for teens, and then learn practical steps you can take to grow resiliency in teens as they journey through life’s challenges.

Over your eight months with Lifeteams, you will put in over 350 hours at your youth ministry placement. This opportunity for hands-on learning will allow you to observe and practice youth work skills, under the supervision of veteran youth workers. Each placement will have a ministry mentor who meets weekly with you to offer feedback and guidance.