Ordinary Teens Can Change the World: Raising Up World Changers in Your Youth Group

The life of youth worker is busy, exhausting, hard work, and though we know it is rewarding we don’t always get see the impact we are making. Thankfully, there are times in our work when we get a glimpse of the impact we are making, over the past year I have had a few moments like that!

This time last year I was preparing to take a team of teens to the Philippines with Street Invaders (a summer youth mission program helping teens to but their faith into action). I have been attending the program for 12 years first, as a teen myself and now as a team leader. I have learned critical lessons on being a leader and on living out my faith through the program. As I was preparing this team to go to the Philippines one of my greatest desires was to help equip the youth to see the needs of our world and to dynamically meet those needs in a way that honours and communicates the heart of God. One of the challenges the teens accepted was taking only packing a carry on sized suitcase for themselves and then using their allocated checked luggage space to pack a large suitcase of items that we hard to acquire locally to assist the local church we were partnering with. We then raised money to buy any items that were available over there so that we were contributing to the local economy. This simple exercise demonstrated how we could use what we have (like a luggage allowance) and our circles of influence (friends and family who we asked for donations from) to responsibly help support the local church overseas in a way that costs us something (having a nice selection of clothes for the trip) because we all know that creating change does require sacrifice. The response from the team was astounding! One of the girls I had the privilege of getting to know on this trip was 16 year old Grace.

Grace is an incredible young woman, and she also represents your average teen. I say that because Grace is not necessarily different from any other teen except that she has chosen to do some extraordinary things in the midst of ordinary life Grace came to the Philippines last year and it profoundly impacted her. She had thrown herself into the challenge of traveling light and gathering donations for the Filipino church and this summer Grace is returning with me to the Philippines but this time I didn’t need to make any suggestions, Grace took initiative in using her circles of influence as she put her faith into action.

Have you heard of rainbow loom? I hear it’s the latest craze! Well Grace started a project called Bracelets for Asia, she has been making rainbow loom bracelets to give to teens in SE Asia who have been forced into sexual slavery! What a creative project!

Grace is using her context to make a face to face impact with teens halfway across the world. Grace sees each of those girls sold into slavery as a teen like herself who she might not be able to rescue but she can let them know they are cared for, and that brings hope. Grace’s project has caught on and now hundreds of bracelets have been made! Not only will girls in SE Asia receive a symbol of friendship and value but everyone making the bracelets are learning about the problems of sexual exploitation! While I certainly cannot take credit for the amazing woman Grace is, I have learned something crucial things from leading her and the other teens to the Philippines. I have learned how powerfully God uses teenagers through their creativity, friendships and passion. As youth workers we have an amazing opportunity to help empower our youth groups to live out their faith each day, seeing teens in action is one of the most rewarding things for a youth leader to experience! (If teens in your youth group like rainbow loom and would like to contribute to Bracelets for Asia email me at jane@hopeforher.ca)

Five ways to help teens to walk out their faith in the world:

1.      Talk about issues going on in the world and God’s heart for these problems.

2.      Demonstrate ways to walk out your faith in the world by meeting tangible needs and communicating God’s love.

3.      Provide opportunities for teens to buy in to a cause. Its ok to ask teens to sacrifice something in order to help often this is what creates a sense of ownership and commitment.

4.      Release teens to think up creative solutions to problems they see in their schools, communities and world.

5.      Provide opportunities for your teen to walk out their faith through local and international missions. One great resource for this is Street Invaders, they specialize in teen missions and I can attest to the powerful way God uses this program. If you would like more information go to www.streetinvaders.ca

Jane Galbreath

 Jane is a theology graduate and social work student, living in Saskatchewan. She spends her summers leading international youth mission teams. She is passionate about empowering young women to serve God particularly young women struggling with trauma and mental health issues. Jane has been a victim of sexual violence so she knows the heartache, shame, strength and courage it takes to face being a victim. Jane is a blogger and advocate for other females who have been victims of sexual violence because she knows that it is possible to not only survive but to come out the other side strong. After many years of healing Jane comes to you from that place! For more information and to visit Jane’s blog click here http://hopeforherblog.wordpress.com/about/

Talking About Sexual Abuse - Creating A Different Response

Talking about sexual abuse can be hard; it is often a very awkward and clumsy conversation to have. There are teens in our care looking to have that “awkward conversation” but for them its more than awkward, its terrifying. There are so many teens carrying around huge secrets looking for someone safe to tell. Are you that safe person? Ask yourself these basic questions:

1.     Am I available? When spending time with youth are you aware of what is really going on or are you too caught up in dodge ball? Whether you are doing bible study or doing some crazy activity be aware of what is going on with your youth and look for opportunities to connect on a deeper level.

2.     Do I know when to be serious? We all know people that we love to be around but would never share anything personal with.  If we want to be a safe person for a teen in trouble we need to learn the balance of joking around and talking about the serious stuff.

3.     Are you worried about the paperwork a disclosure of sexual abuse will cause? When a teen discloses abuse its can be messy to work through especially when local authorities need to be involved. Be assured that the mess of initially dealing with a disclosure is worth it in the end even if that teen doesn’t realize it till later on.

4.     Have I passed the test? Teens often test before they disclose sexual abuse, they will share a smaller challenge in their life e.g. telling you their older brother is really mean or they are sad because their dog died. Teens will gauge your response and then decide if you are safe to confide in.

Statistics estimate that 1 in 3 girls are being sexual abused. That’s not 1 in 3 girls in other youth groups that is 1 in 3 in YOUR youth group. For too long sexual abuse has been an issue that society is ashamed to talk about. This has to end! I am not suggesting that we go looking for teens who we think may have been abused then force them to tell us but this is what I am saying: It is crucial that we are available and willing to have these difficult conversations and it is crucial that we communicate that clearly with our youth.

Here is one project that has been helping people to communicate that they are a safe person to talk to about sexual abuse.

Creating A Different Response Campaign

Hope for Her International has started an online campaign to help communities talk about sexual abuse. Too often when people who have been experienced sexual violence finally tell someone they are met with messages of disbelief, shame and ignorance; too many victims are shamed, blamed or not believed. If we want to end sexual violence this needs to change, we need a different community response.

Teens are always on Facebook and they seem to love taking pictures of themselves! Why not take part in this project as a youth group or as church. It’s a great way to talk about the issue while sending a clear message to those people wondering, “Is it safe to tell?”

If someone you cared about was sexually violated, what would be one thing you would want to tell him or her?

1. Take a picture of yourself holding a message answering the question: If someone you cared about was sexually violated, what would be one thing you would want to tell him or her?

2. Post it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tag it #hopeforherinternational and #creatingadifferentresponse so we can track the messages. Then nominate some friends to do the same. For more information on Hope for Her International go to www.hopeforherblog.wordpress.com/about

Jane Galbreath

 Jane is a theology graduate and social work student, living in Saskatchewan. She spends her summers leading international youth mission teams. She is passionate about empowering young women to serve God particularly young women struggling with trauma and mental health issues. Jane has been a victim of sexual violence so she knows the heartache, shame, strength and courage it takes to face being a victim. Jane is a blogger and advocate for other females who have been victims of sexual violence because she knows that it is possible to not only survive but to come out the other side strong. After many years of healing Jane comes to you from that place! For more information and to visit Jane’s blog click here http://hopeforherblog.wordpress.com/about/

Sex Trafficking - An Industry Affecting Your Teen Girls

I spent time in SE Asia last summer, working with organizations that combat sex trafficking. It was an intense experience where I saw both the best and worst parts of humanity. I played volleyball with girls recently rescued from brothels, watched men flirt with children in the bars of Bangkok and was offered sex for a ‘good price’ while walking down the street. As I witnessed the horrors of sex trafficking and the courage of those trying to stop it, I was taken on a rollercoaster of disgust, sadness, inspiration and hope.

Needless to say it was a relief to leave behind the bright lights of the sex bars and the bustling brothels of SE Asia for clean and quiet Canada. Flying back I expected to come home to see Canada how I left it- spacious, friendly and free of traffickers. However, SE Asia had trained my eyes to identify sexual exploitation, so upon return to Canada I started seeing it here too. 

The clean and quiet subtlety of sex trafficking in Canada can be quite deceiving but when you know the signs of the industry it is as blatant in Canada as the lights of Bangkok’s brothels.

So how can you train your eyes to identify the sex trafficking industry that your teens could be caught up in?

1.     Look for the Demand – An industry exists when there is a demand. As unsavory as it is, this industry exists because there are people who pay money to sexually exploit children. It is the one of the most lucrative criminal industries in the world, and with today’s advancement in travel and technology every small town and every large city is affected.

2.     Identify Vulnerability – Are there teens vulnerable to being trafficked in your community? Although every teen is vulnerable there are some factors that increase teens risks including: being female, aboriginal, a new immigrant, having a history of abuse, living in poverty or having addiction issues.

3.     Tip of the Iceberg Indicators – Like most sexual crimes, sex trafficking often goes unreported. Despite this, it is still valuable to look for reports of such instances, remembering the number of reported cases represent a small fraction of actual cases. Ask the questions:

Is there recognition that sex trafficking is going on among my teens' demographics? Are there statistics acknowledging the problem? Are there reported cases? These would be indicators representing the tip of the iceberg.

Being able to acknowledge sex trafficking in Canada is the beginning to being able to stop this horrific crime. My next post will help you to identify if a teen you know is being sexually exploited.

JANE GALBREATH

Jane is a theology graduate and social work student, living in Saskatchewan. She spends her summers leading international youth mission teams. She has is passionate about empowering young women to serve God particularly young women struggling with trauma and mental health issues. Jane has been a victim of sexual violence so she knows the heartache, shame, strength and courage it takes to face being a victim. Jane is a blogger and advocate for other females who have been victims of sexual violence because she knows that it is possible to not only survive but to come out the other side strong. After many years of healing Jane comes to you from that place! For more information and to visit Jane’s blog click here for  Hope For Her