Posts by Young Life Leader
The Mysterious Workings Of The Adolescent Brain
Here’s the link to an intriguing 14 minute TED talk from Sarah-Jayne Blakemore on ‘The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain.’ You can download a transcript of the talk here.
Read MoreA Young Life Wedding Worth Sharing
Today’s post is written by Texas YL staffer and newlywed Kate Habicht Quinn. I read it on the Richardson YL Area Blog and thought it was so beautiful I asked Kate if I could share it on here. After arriving home from our honeymoon Monday morning at 5am pretty tired, we knew we had to…
Read MoreYoung Life Christmas Gift Ideas
If you’re a staff person looking for Christmas gift ideas for committee or leaders… If you’re a volunteer leader looking for ideas for your high school friends… If you’re a ridiculously selfish person, addicted to YL gear, looking for items to add to your own Christmas list…here are some ideas for you! Letters To A…
Read MoreWhat You Missed in September/October
For those of you who are new to this online community of Young Life leaders, welcome! My name is Drew Hill and I’m a YL leader in Greensboro, NC. (About Me) YoungLifeLeaders.org was created to be a place for sharing ideas, encouragement and resources. Currently thousands of Young Life leaders around the globe interact here…
Read MoreContact Work Deals Of The Week: #TacoBell & #Chipotle
We’ve got 2 free/cheap contact work ideas for this upcoming week. Taco Bell Tuesday Since a base was stolen in the World Series, Taco Bell is giving away #FreeDoritosTacos nationwide this Tuesday, Oct 30th, between 2-6pm. Perfect time to pick up some of your middle or high school friends from school and make a run…
Read MoreNo Shave November: How To Improve Contact Work With Facial Hair
This guest post is written by Jackson Powell. Jackson is a junior at James Madison University in Virginia and a volunteer leader at East Rockingham High School. Sorry Ladies, this one’s for the Fellas! So I know I’m not the only college guy leader out there who struggles with the idea of whether or…
Read MoreThe Bus Skit: Hilarious Way To Sell Camp
Here’s a classic leader skit to help you promote camp. Leaders set up chairs to pretend they are teenagers riding on a bus to camp. Act like you’re getting on the bus, wearing backpacks, eating almost empty snacks, listening to ipods, etc… Skit would work well with 5 leaders: 4 as campers and 1 as…
Read MoreCostume Club: Halloween Ideas
In the past we’ve called this club near Halloween, ‘Costume Club,’ but I think we’ve decided to rename it this year. We’re calling it ‘The Young Life Costume Party,’ just cuz we cray-cray like that. Below are a few club elements you can use. Entry Music Here’s a video you could have playing on the…
Read MoreGuest Post From A High School Senior
A guest post from Hailey Porth, high school senior in Blacksburg, VA. I guess you could say I’ve always been a Young Life kid. Crazy to think how eight years ago the YL Area Director would show up to my house, have dinner with my family, and take us on golf outings…and now I’m doing…
Read MoreHow To Give A Powerful Need/Sin Talk
We have the need and sin talks coming up in club over the next few weeks. Talks always are more effective when they come out of our own relationship with Christ. If we want to give powerful need and sin talks, here’s what we need to: become disgusted at our own sin and convinced of…
Read MoreYL International Information Expedition
Drums drumming. Wrapping presents. Serving cross-culturally in your own country. Delivering Christmas cheer. Being Santa. Being Christ with skin on. If you’ve ever seriously considered the call to serve Christ and kids overseas, we’d like to meet you. International Information Expedition Navajo Reservation Crownpoint, New Mexico December 15-19, 2012 This is a required step…
Read MoreA Must See Movie for YL Leaders: “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Special thanks to Brad and Kelli Barron, on YL staff in the UK, for sending the email below. My wife and I just saw the screening of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and we were blown away by the response afterwards. As the credits began to roll we noticed clusters of kids standing up,…
Read MoreContact Work Accountability Questions
In our YL team leader meeting yesterday our Area Director asked us to talk through the following questions with our YL teams. How many times was your team at the school this week collectively? What ‘outside of school’ contact work was done this week? How many ‘one on one’s did your team do? What have…
Read MoreHow To Use A Treadmill In Club
If you have club in homes, then you’ve probably had to do some last minute improvising: Moving furniture, hanging sheets, scavenger hunting for extension chords, etc… This weekend at Rockbridge I was talking with Scott Reintgen, YL leader in Durham/Chapel Hill, and he told me a pretty funny way they had improvised during club. Scott…
Read MoreBattle Of The Sexes Club
Gals wore pink. Guys wore blue. Here’s what went down at our ‘Battle of the Sexes‘ Club: Battle of the Sexes Club Schedule 6:15- Pre-club dinner, prayer, run-thru 7-seniors go pickup freshmen, set up inside, Band practice 7:20- Ready for folks to arrive 7:37- official start time 7:42-band enters 7:47- seniors form tunnel- (Girls entrance/Boys…
Read More#YLShirtDay: Starring You
Poor Man’s Paintball
Lots of high school kids, especially guys, love to play paintball. Something about it creates a “male bonding” experience that lends to stories being retold around cafeteria tables. Maybe its the war wounds that look like hickeys. Maybe its just an excuse to wear camo and hide in the woods. Whatever it is, paintball seems…
Read MoreThe Stool
Originally Posted September 2011 His email gave me chills. Yesterday a friend on YL staff, Matt Margaron, sent out a routine note. He wanted to update friends and supporters on how first club had gone. I read it as I do most mass emails, scanning quickly with few expectations. He talked about how they hosted…
Read More#YLShirtDay is Monday, Oct. 15th
Participate in celebrating Young Life’s 71st birthday by wearing a Young Life T-shirt wherever you are on Monday, October 15th! It’s a worldwide event, so help us spread the word by inviting your friends. And, you can show off your shirt on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #ylshirtday. It’s going to be huge, so join…
Read MoreWhat We Did For 'Merica Club
We opened the semester with ‘Merica Club and it was a star-spangled success. Kids loved it. Below are some of the things we did. Feel free to borrow the ideas. Creativity is just forgetting where you stole it from. ‘Merica Club Schedule 6:15- Pre-club dinner,prayer, run-thru 7:37- official start time 7:45-band enters, seniors prep sparklers…
Read MoreA Young Life Club iPod Playlist
Thanks to West Ottawa Wyld Life for sharing 100 songs from their Club iPod Playlist. We’re always looking for fun songs to play in the background before club, as kids enter club, and during games. Here’s a spotify playlist you can use. Here’s their list: 1) Uptight -Stevie Wonder2) Firework -Katy Perry3) Break Your Heart…
Read MoreThe Front Of The Jersey
Coaches are known to remind their teams that ‘the name on the front of the Jersey is way more important than the one on the back.’ I recently ran across the convicting article below in my ‘Young Life files.’ I’m not aware of who wrote it, but please comment if you know. It’s a needed…
Read MoreOut Of The Box Contact Work
Last August I asked for suggestions on how to reach kids outside of our normal circle. One of the comments below the post was super helpful: “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…
Read MoreHow To Give Announcements Kids Won’t Forget
Each week at YL clubs around the world, many leaders attempt to give “announcements” that are often quickly forgotten. Here are a few ideas to help make your club announcements more memorable. WHEN End of Club Choosing when you do your announcements is key. We have found the most effective time to be at the…
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