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Thoughts on Creating and Sustaining a (Youth Ministry) Network
By Jeremy | February 26, 2009
I’m part of a discussion group regarding the challenges of creating and sustaining youth ministry networks based on my experience co-founding and co-leading the Coalition of Urban Youth Workers in New York. This week’s questions and my (incomplete) responses:
1. In your opinion, what are some of the main things that HINDER the networking of youth workers within a given community?
In addition to those already mentioned [such as time, money, and lack of perceived value] …
a) Small Vision. Networking for its own sake becomes a chore (especially for bi-vocational volunteers who are already overstretched with day jobs, YM duties, and young families). There has to be a bigger purpose, a compelling mission and vision, that keeps people coming back. Fellowship and praying together, while vital aspects of healthy networks, are not compelling enough reasons to prioritize regular gatherings. Nor is a generic goal like loving each other. The mission of the network has to be bigger than our individual selves or our ministries, otherwise it competes with time, resources, and energy that rightly belongs elsewhere.
b) Unfocused network leaders. That said, someone or some group of leaders must consistently keep the mission and vision before the people and steward it effectively or else it gets easily buried and/or consumed by the mundane.
c) Youth Ministry Turnover. Given the enormous turnover in youth ministry (18 month avg. burnout in urban youth min), the mission has to be large enough to survive generations of youth leaders, and must be communicated inter-generationally for the network to have staying power.
2. In your opinion, what are some of the main things that helps PROMOTE the networking of youth workers with a given community?
a) Perceived value. (See above.) When perceived value is high, people will encourage others to come.
b) Word of mouth. A personal touch (especially in an otherwise impersonal email forward or FB invite) can make all the difference.
c) Focused meetings. Generic “network” meetings might draw crowds once or twice, but get old fast. Dynamic (interactive and participatory) meetings with a clear purpose (consistent with the overall network mission) keep people engaged.
d) Internet. A central purpose of any network is to communicate information, resources, and opportunities effectively. For little to no cost, every network can develop a comprehensive, functional, and interactive communications strategy online consisting of multimedia, blogs, social networking technologies, etc.
3. In your area and field of experience, what would the ideal networking scenario look like? In other words, what would a successful local network look like and what would be the results/fruit of a successful network of local youth workers and caring adults?
An ideal local network provides a web of supports where each ministry/er can be it/him/herself while linking arms for a greater purpose. The meetings would be one method (of many) to achieve a greater goal, not the primary goal itself. Coordination and communication would happen centrally, but implementation of strategies and plans could occur in a decentralized manner. Resources would be allocated to build and maintain the network hub, and real value would be added from that investment to all network partners.
Related
At February’s Coalition meeting, I led a devotional and facilitated a 5-year assessment on this very topic in the context of a local youth ministry network. Download audio of the meeting.
Topics: audio, coalition, networking, speaking, strategic planning, youth ministry | 1 Comment »
March 5th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
[...] Melinda posted a noteworthy aricle today onHere’s a small snippetI’m part of a discussion group regarding the challenges of creating and sustaining youth ministry networks based on my experience co-founding and co-leading the Coalition of Urban Youth Workers in New York. This week’s questions and my … [...]