Chapter 6 - What Really Matters to the Youth & Youth Development?

a. Research on adult leaders who has been impacted by youth ministry

What really impacted you then? Most would cite their teachers, mentors etc. But what would be constant among these people would be their act of belief in the person that resulted in conversion and transformation.

When Peter came before Jesus, Jesus saw beyond “Simon” – a name related to seaweed ie someone unstable or inconsistent. Instead Jesus saw “Cephas” – a name related to stablility ie rock. Jesus knew that Peter would betray Him. But yet He declared Peter as a rock! Jesus saw beyond the humanity …Jesus saw God’s design in Peter.

Similarly, in youth development, it is very key for us to see beyond the present and immediate. We need to see God in the person and what God could do in and through the person. We need to declare that so that spirit of the person could be edified.

What was instrumental in your growth? An environment of trust and thrust. Just like a seed, environmental factors are key to growth.

Environment of trust; people are willing to try when they are assured that failing is ok. Failing is part of total growth. People are willing to believe in themselves when they realized that we are so willing to believe in them.
Environment of thrust; people are like muscles …they need to be stretched. Not too much …not too little…but enough to grow outside our comfort zone. Enough to be more than yesterday…

If you were a youth leader then, what else would you do?
(to be answered)


b. Chronos study – why youth are where they are.

Behind every youth are their parents. Thus what shaped and influenced the parents have direct influence over the youth. Youth (born in the 80s) Parents (born in 50s)

Challenges of the various decades 1940s, 1950s, 1960s. 1970s, 1980s.
40s - children were dispensable due to the war and problems
50s - children were hands to bring in the food. It was a tough life.
60s - children were welcomed but neglected
70s - children were welcomed but neglected
80s - children were welcomed but pampered

Parents born in the era of 50s-70s would want to make up for the poverty and neglect in their lives by pampering their children. Yet, they do not have good role models nor parenting skills. Thus, while they dote on the teens and young adults today, they are not able to express their affection or parenting skills well.

From Chronos study, we can see that parents are influenced by their upbringing thereby affecting their parenting with their youth. Thus it is important for youth workers to see through the youth issue to see the parents and parenting issues confronting us today.



c. Felt needs and real needs

The felt needs of the youth are quite predictable;

Using Erik Erickson’s Model, we can understand these needs better.


Youth are at the stage of “Who am i? What can I be?” stage

And in this stage, the sense of FAMILY is important. See chart below.



Thus in this chapter on “What really matters to the youth & youth development?”, we need to know that:

1. Environments of Trust (I believe in You) and Thrust (You can do it!) are important for youth development.

2. Family System affects youth. We can know more through Chronos study.

3. Identifying needs are vital; both felt and real

With all these in mind, we are ready for the next part of the journey….