Earlier this week I asked for your wisdom in how we can beinclusive without being exclusive.
Here’s one of the responses from the comment section:
“Do things that are specifically aimed at being inclusive. In our area we have created an Ultimate frisbee league. Even in name its called “The Ultimate League For Non All Stars That Still Enjoy Ultimate.” It worked, we have kids from all kinds of
backgrounds,athletes, drama kids, band kids, nerdy kids. They all like it because of the very fact that its specifically inclusive. Then, by the time we meet new kids at Ultimate and then get them to club, they know people when they get there. It doesn’t have to be ultimate, or even a sport, just as long as you’re getting kids to hang out together. Once they do that, they realize they should have been friends with these folks all along. Not to mention about how contact work like that strengthens and opens the doors for new relationships.”
Special Thanks To Whoever Left That Comment!
A few years ago we also started an Ultimate Frisbee Club Team at the high school where we led Young Life. It began with 10 guys and gals we knew from Young Life, but by the second practice, there were over fifty kids showing up, many of whom we had never met. It seemed it was easier for my friends involved with YL to invite their peers to Ultimate practice than YL club.
We only practiced on Mondays and Thursdays after school, so it was low commitment, and only played in a few tournaments throughout each semester. Most kids never even associated Ultimate and YL in their minds, even though the coaches were YL leaders. It was a booyah way to get to know more kids and to care for them even if they never came to a YL club. I love the idea above of calling it “The Ultimate Team For Non-All-Stars” or something that invites kids in who might otherwise feel like they are not talented enough to play.What other out of the box contact work ideas have you done? Have any of you helped start or lead other types of clubs at the high school?
