Working with tweenagers

What are your top tips for  working with tweenagers?

Engage tweenagers in programmes such as Breakfast with Jesus and Sole to Soul, this opens the door to the local authority.  

Involve young people in serving each other drinks / biscuits (modelling hospitality), clearing up and keeping the place in good order. It gives responsibility and ownership. 

Have the rest of your church pray for your group as support.  

Ask the kids what they want to do!  

Find out what other local churches are doing – borrow / share giftings…  

Recognise child’s gifts and needs – communicate with children. Allocate time to do this. 

Use clips from DVDs to help make points (animated films are usually very good). 

Be prepared to drop the programme if the needs of the children would benefit. Trust God! 

Five minute ‘God slot’ in youth club. 

Get messy, have a laugh – it’s OK to make a fool of yourself. 

A weekend away so they can bond as a group. 

Organise events other than youth group eg sleepover parties. 

Eye contact. 

Pray as group after teaching a class – builds us up in the Spirit. 

Games where kids win little gifts make them fun. 

Stay in touch with those who stop coming. Shows you’re interested in them rather than just your programme. 

Competition between 2 teams. 

Close relationship with families.  

Ask each child for something they would like prayer for – write all prayers on to white board and ask children to volunteer to pray for one of the other children.  

Points system to encourage learning.  

Take kids for who they are.  

Make Bible storytelling creative and interactive (teams – competitive).  

Outings improve friendships, strengthens confidence. Able to stand up to peer pressure.  

Be prepared to take risks! Experiment! Don’t be afraid of failure!  

Start with food, then something fun to watch (cartoons), then a game. Then get down to more serious stuff!  

Make sure the children have fun and enjoy being with you and each other.  

Be tolerant – show you love and care from them.  

Take time to build relationships – get to know parents.  

Involve children in activity – particularly those on the fringes so they all play their part.  

Extra meeting for 9-13s once a month outside of church – sometimes fun sessions, sometimes Bible study.  

Get them involved – warm up activities; music (playing instruments); allow them to organise programmes. 

If your group isn’t meeting its original aims don’t be afraid to stop it, reassess and restart it in a different format. 

Girls work better independently of boys sometimes.  

Keep things light hearted but have a distinctive message.  

Star listeners – all good listeners get a sweet after story.  

Give children own space within church building (taking ownership). Do activities like like films, sleepovers, games, dramas, quiz nights.  

Mix up age groups when everyone is together (eg 3-13). Gives younger ones mentors and role-models to look up to; gives older ones a sense of responsibility; helps crowd control!  

Every week an element of surprise – each week unpredictable.  

Involve food – especially making pizzas!!  

Go with the flow. Leaders should have fun too. Intervene only when you have to.  

Give young people a sense of responsibility. Play to their strengths (eg. write rap songs for Bible verses). 

Food!  

Give them a reason to be proud of themselves. We did a youth play.  

Interactive Bible study – use lots of different and imaginative ideas to get them to listen.  

Engage your group with your leadership – bring children onto steering boards.  

Get visiting speakers in (eg drum workshop).  

Be fun and deep!  

Stay flexible – be prepared to change the programme depending on the group that are there.  

Be relevant.  

Build relationship – love being there.  

Ours love to cook – especially boys.  

Young people need to know their boundaries and be allowed to push the boundaries.  

Know the kids’ culture.  

Mix it up with The Simpsons, Harry Potter, football. Eat food!  

Team not rota! Leaders communicate with one another and set aims for the group.  

Gift / reward at the end of term for their work.  

Pray together as a team.  

Recognise the specific needs of your group – which may be only for a season.  

Get the tweenagers in a group and have the older teens (17-19s) come once in a while to talk and mentor them.

Have a mixed teen/tween day in church (activities, discussions). 

All age groups taught the same message but a different format for the different age groups.