YOUTH WORKER BREAKOUTS

Expanding on part one of the workshop, this workshop will investigate how we can practically apply the principles of Jesus' strategy of disciple-making to our local ministries.

Everyone wants to know how to stay safely connected with their students and leaders when they go home. This breakout is a practical guide to continuing responsible, ethical, and effective communication when your group goes home, as well as an introduction to the FaithSpark app as the answer. Attendees will leave with resources and strategies they can implement in their ministry right away and feel confident in their ability to expand their ministry online.

Are short-term mission trips ethical? How can we do them in a way that blesses those we go to serve and leaves a lasting impact on our kids' lives?

Join Tristan as he unpacks a step-by-step strategy for effectively leading your kids on a short-term mission trip.

Youth mission trips can be transformational to our kid's spiritual lives, and they can also be done in an ethical way that can leave a lasting impact on the lives you serve.

The average student spends 7 hours a day using screens, that’s nearly 50% of their waking hours. Typically, our students are spending 2-3 hrs of this on social media.

Today's trends of anxiety, depression, FOMO, loneliness, social isolation, sexting, sextortion, cyberbullying, and misinformation are all related to media.

This talk will equip us to help our students with steps to take in order to better use media for good and ways to decrease its bad effects. Social media, video games, music and TV/streaming will be addressed and strategies for boosting your wellbeing will be provided.

As students graduate from your ministry, the effectiveness of your work is tested by how they do next. A seasoned youth leader once emphasized the importance of this transition, warning, ‘If you don’t think about the handoff, it could be all for nothing.’ Be inspired, consider partnerships, and leave with a practical annual plan to send graduates off, ready to thrive in life and faith. Let's discuss, plan, and address your questions together and tackle the big three things your grads need to thrive.

In this session, explore how God can use you to lead teenagers to Christ, whether one-on-one, in a small group, or through a call to decision from the stage.

Be equipped as a leader who can passionately explain the Gospel & point youth to Christ and effectively help them cross the line of faith.

In this session, Rick will look at how our anthropology (or how we think about ourselves) has changed in recent decades and why that makes it hard for people to receive Jesus. And we'll talk about what we can do about that so more people will choose to follow Christ.

I will present on Jesus' revelation on how he reads the Scriptures and how his way of reading offers us a deeper understanding of the biblical story. After his resurrection in Luke 24, Jesus reminded his disciples how the Scriptures are all about him. Not only do the stories of the Old Testament lead us to anticipate Jesus' arrival, but they also contribute to a thematic pattern that is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.

Youth ministry doesn't stop at the student. Students are a part of family units. Those family units may only be connected to the church through the student ministry or they may be longtime members. No matter where they are on that spectrum, learning to engage and equip families is an integral part of helping students follow Jesus every day. Join in for a discussion on equipping parents, engaging siblings, and wrapping arms of support around the students in our ministries.

We'll be talking about how a student ministry can thrive while being youth-led, adult-mentored and family-empowered

With his decades of experience and thousands of hours of counselling in the most difficult of situations, Dr. Marv Penner will provide a wide range of appropriate interventions and fundamental people-helping skills for youth workers as we attempt to minister to kids who are experiencing all types of pain and hurt. He’ll also help us recognize our limitations and learn the principles of effective referral.

As youth leaders, it can be difficult to navigate current cultural conversations that impact the next generation—especially the controversial ones!

Join Kaitlyn Cey as she explores how the values and priorities Jesus taught and modelled can serve as a framework for how we engage with culture in our daily lives and in our conversations with the youth we lead.

This session focuses on bringing encouragement and relief to participants to tackle stress and anxiety during and after a pandemic.

Learning components include the connection between social media, empathy and the health benefits of face to face interaction, and practical take-aways on how to create stronger bonds with others.

How do we better understand, more effectively speak words of life, encourage and celebrate the next generation of leaders?

In an ever-changing world we need to empower and develop younger leaders to deepen their faith and be culture setters in their contexts. This is a generation of purpose and possibility.

A mentored life is a transformed life and a transformed life is poised for impact to serve the world for the Kingdom in powerful ways.

“I didn’t sign up for this!” When we sign up to serve in youth ministry, we don’t often think we have to deal with issues of a team member abusing a student, policies, procedures, complying with insurance requirements, self-injury, gender-identity, etc.

During this workshop, we will tackle these topics and provide guiding principles and tips to respond to difficult topics that may arise during your ministry.