Have You Got A Plan?
My wife and I have very different approaches to supermarket shopping. I go around the store throwing everything I think we need into the trolley, and if something is on offer, I'll probably buy it! I usually get home to find that I have forgotten to buy items that we really needed and as I unpack the bags I discover that we already have ten packets of Chill-Con-Carne mix in the cupboard, because they have been on offer for the last few weeks!
My wife on the other hand spends time making a shopping list. This ensures that she buys what we need. However, at the same time she can still be flexible. If she sees an item that she wants, but it isn't on the shopping list, she might still buy it anyway (if she has the money) and if she sees something on offer she might choose to buy that instead of something else on her list.
In my opinion these two approaches towards supermarket shopping are mirrored by youth leaders. Some have a plan, some don't. By plan I don't mean a meeting outline for a specific session, I mean a long-term plan, a curriculum or a syllabus.
My unplanned shopping trips have caused me to be a strong advocate of having a plan when it comes to youth work. Why? Without a plan we tend to miss things out, we look at some issues lots, while others rarely get covered. Young people end up knowing a great deal about certain issues, but very little about others. A plan helps to ensure that the overall youth work programme is balanced and ensures that the essentials are covered.
It's highly likely that some of you might think that having a long-term plan would make your youth work far too rigid. After all, schools have syllabuses and curriculums; surely as youth leaders it's important for us to be flexible and spontaneous so we can respond to the needs of the young people? This is where the shopping list analogy is extremely useful. Having a shopping list is not meant to limit you (unless you are on a very tight budget); it's meant to act as a guide.
A shopping list ensures that you remember to buy the items that you really need. In the same way a plan or syllabus helps ensure that the essentials are covered and the young people get a ‘balanced diet'.
However, a shopping list doesn't stop you buying other items. You might buy other items you see or you might replace items that are on your list with similar items that are on special offer. Likewise, it's important that we respond to the needs of the young people. If a particular issue comes up, it may well be appropriate to divert from your plan for a week or two so the issue can be explored. If ten young people with a drug problem suddenly start coming to your group it will probably provide you with a fantastic opportunity, but it will involve you adapting your plan for a while.
If you use resources such as Energize then they have already done a lot of the thinking for you. They have a plan in place to ensure that you cover the essentials regularly and a good range of issues.
However, you don't have to use one of these packages; you can put together your own plan. Perhaps putting together a three year plan at this stage seems a little daunting. Therefore, it might be worth starting by just planning the next year. It might be worth involving the young people in this process, then you can respond to their needs immediately and it will also give you the opportunity to explore with them what the essentials of the Christian faith are.
Phil Green, *essential project director
Article originally published on the Evangelical Alliance's *essential website.
