Not long ago, all it took to have a comfortable career was to do well in high school, get a college degree, and find a nice stable job. But the world is changing rapidly, and many of the nice stable jobs have moved to developing countries. Even a college degree is not the sure investment it once was. Good grades are not enough. But there remain endless opportunities for those with real leadership skills - regardless of career choice. Leadership skills are what you need to manage a team, to stand out as an employee, to start a business and to nail that interview. The skills required to inspire and motivate others, to communicate effectively, to take initiative, and to make and execute plans, are as important as a high grade point average (if not more so). But how do you teach these skills to teenagers? Parents, teachers, coaches, scoutmasters, youth counselors and advisors strive to do so every day - but often have limited training on how best to accomplish that goal. This book fills that gap. This is not an academic or theoretical book on youth leadership. It is a relentlessly practical guide on how to effectively guide teens to become leaders. It covers virtually every topic, issue and skill you need to know - and how to teach it. You'll even learn how to teach teen leaders to teach leadership skills to each other, thus helping them become even stronger leaders.

The authors say that adult leadership models are inappropriate for teenagers, who have unique development needs. They describe three stages in adolescent leadership development--awareness, interaction, and mastery--and offer strategies on how to nurture leadership in teens. Case studies from high schools and nonprofits illustrate how organizations and communities can support adolescents' leadership efforts, and an appendix provides a list of national organizations that promote youth leadership.

Imagine meeting with the parents of your students and showing them the seven principles that serve as the foundation for all you will teach your kids. Imagine having a content calendar that can be used to guide the development of your activity calendar throughout the year. Imagine having a handful of carefully crafted principles to choose from in developing the theme of every camp of retreat. These are just a few of the advantages of adopting the seven-checkpoints strategy. But the greatest advantage is this: You will know that you are doing more than providing exciting activities -- you are changing lives for eternity. A New Strategy for Youth Ministry Andy Stanley and Stuart Hall, both respected and effective leaders in the Christian Community, have developed a ground-breaking, dynamic plan for youth ministry of the coming decades. The Seven Checkpoints for Youth Leaders and the companion The Seven Checkpoints Student Journal presents a plan for a student's entire career in a youth group. The challenges facing our youth grow every year. Quick fixes and short-term programs will not provide the life-strengthening results needed for the teens of today. This revolutionary approach promises and delivers what is needed in the world of youth ministries around the country today. So what are you waiting for? You have a life to build. Open up this book and get the seven.

Catechetical / Youth Ministry

YOUTH LEADERSHIP: 7 KEYS TO EMPOWER YOUTH LEADERS - an authentic go-to guide on how to create youth leadership programs that empower young people to impact positive change in the world. Discover effective techniques and team activities that generate active and enthusiastic participation among young people. Read inspiring stories and testimonies by community leaders on the real-life benefits of youth leadership in the 21st century. Discover what it takes to turn ordinary young people into extraordinary youth leaders, who can then teach leadership skills to others. Explore the unique EMPOWER concept every school, youth group and organization needs to design and employ effective youth leadership programs that are not just good, but exceptional! Youth Leadership: 7 Keys to Empower Leaders is the perfect resource for: - Trainers, Coordinators and Teachers- Schools and Youth Organizations- Counselors, Advisors and ParentsINSPIRING, AUTHENTIC and RELEVANT!

This book responds to the needs of urban youth by describing youth development principles in physical activity programs. These programs are built on urban kids' assets and promise rather than their deficits. Included are ways of transferring skills from specific programs to everyday settings.

Offering indispensable advice to anyone seeking to integrate empowerment into their youth work, this guide demonstrates how youth leaders, teachers, peer program advisors, adults who work with teens and adolescents, and any professional organization with a youth focus can foster leadership qualities in youth. Motivating examples are combined with activities, and reproducible self-assessment checklists to aid individuals and groups in evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in their efforts to empower youth. The tips included can be used in one-on-one situations, in groups, and in structured programs, and have been tested in varied circumstances, including youth programs, communities, classrooms, and faith-based organizations. The introduction outlines the Developmental Assets® framework, and the four empowerment assets are discussed in detail. The importance of being valued by community, treating youth as a valued resource, service to others, and ensuring safety are examined, and ideas for cultivating an environment conducive to empowerment are also discussed.

Great leadership is the key to any ministry, including youth ministry. This book is designed to equip Youth Leaders along with their leadership teams with the basics on how to lead like Jesus and help develop people who love Jesus with their entire lives. In this book, you will focus on four areas of ministry every Youth Leader should be trained and equipped in: - Jesus - Theology - Youth Ministry - Camp Ministry If we want to see our youth flourish in their faith and begin to live out the fullness of life Jesus invites his followers into, we must start with our leaders