Young Life

A big part of Chapter Three of The RELATE Project is all about what younger generations want to be known for. One of the things we found is that, unlike previous generations, teens want to be recognized for their talents and interests. Here are a few of the key findings from this chapter: * Most of all, Gen Zers want to be known for their talents, interests and hobbies – more than their education, occupation, or their birthplace. * This finding contrasts with the ambitions of generations before them, who have typically identified strongly with their jobs or their alma mater. * Seeing and following so many social media influencers is a constant reminder of what adolescents feel they could or should be accomplishing. You can check out the first three chapters of The RELATE Project at https://lnkd.in/eiSBhisg!

Victoria, a student with developmental and intellectual disabilities, was first known by Young Life volunteers in a Dallas elementary school. When Victoria reached the age to join Capernaum, our ministry with kids with disabilities, she didn’t participate consistently. In 2020, Capernaum expanded to the area where Victoria lived with her Granny. Soon, the ministry leaders became like family. Granny always ensured Victoria participated in Capernaum. Shortly thereafter, Victoria’s Granny was diagnosed with, battled, and passed away from cancer. Staff and volunteers were trusted voices processing life and its many challenges with Victoria. They helped Victoria navigate monumental loss, transition between homes, hold on to hope, and dream for herself.                Victoria went on to serve in Capernaum club, Campaigners, and helped start a new Capernaum ministry. She’s been a leader at summer camp and has served at work week and on weekend work crews. Victoria’s heart for serving others is an overflow of the Lord’s love within her. She’s using the gifts God has given her to minister to others, has become a partner in ministry, and a friend to many.

We hope everyone had a great 4th of July, and that it was spent in the sun with friends and family, and enjoying all the fireworks the holiday has to offer! With summertime now upon us, it's time to let us know…

At Young Life, we take the gospel seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously! Camp is a fun time to be goofy, be yourself, and have fun! And that’s what we’re doing at camps around the world, ALL SUMMER LONG!

Leader relationships with Young Life students are something special. See what this special Young Life duo has to say about each other, and check out the video below to learn more about Wendell and David, two brothers in Christ who truly feel like family. “I never had that older sibling in my life. Wendell was always there to talk to me and help me to get back on the right path.” David “He’s like my little brother. I wanna be the guy that’s always there whatever he needs. If he needs someone to show up to his basketball game, I wanna be that guy.” Wendell https://lnkd.in/eezkD68A

The RELATE Project is all about practically equipping people to care for the next generation. Read below for some insight and a tip on how to address the issue of mental health with Gen Z: “Young people are telling us what they want to talk about, but older generations may feel uncomfortable or ill-equipped around the topic of mental health. Ignoring the topic only creates distance between generations. For Gen Z, mental health does not necessarily mean psychological disorders. Gen Zers typically talk about mental health in a holistic sense, incorporating emotional health, their outlook on life, relational interactions, and experiences from the day. Talking about mental health is a full and well-rounded conversation. One simple place to start is by asking, ‘How would you rate your mental health right now?’ It may feel like an uncomfortable question if you are not used to speaking in these terms, but it is the language of our next generation. Young people don’t hear, ‘Are you crazy?’ but rather, ‘How are you, really?’, which starts the conversation from a place of empathy and authenticity.”

Young Life is at work everywhere – from inner cities to remote villages, our leaders are working to care for kids and share the life changing love of Jesus with them. Check out the video below to hear about the story of Dolena, a former Young Life student who is now working to share the good news of the gospel with her community in a remote village in Alaska. Dolena says, “My chains were broken when I went to camp and the speaker told me that the Lord sees me for who I am. He says, ‘I see you and I am conversing with you in your language.’” https://lnkd.in/eQU_7kWN

Friendships built at camp aren’t just for a week, or for the summer – they’re for a lifetime! Who did you meet at a Young Life camp, and do you still keep in touch with them?

Camps around the world are in full swing! At Young Life camp, kids get to have fun, engage with the outdoors, build community, and learn more about who God is and His deep care for them. Lives are being changed, even this very moment, and we’re excited about what God is going to do in the summer of 2024! You were made for this!!

A big part of Chapter Two of The RELATE Project is all about how teens navigate stress in their lives. One of our favorite things we found? Faith actually makes a difference in managing stress! The data that we looked at in this chapter showed that:  Growing up with religion or faith can mitigate stress; teens and young adults with these upbringings report less stress overall. Overall, 22% of adolescents ages 13-24 turn to prayer to cope with stress, and 11% of adolescents turn to scripture. Notably, prayer as a coping strategy increases significantly more than other practices by age.