Summary:
Youth workers face many challenges. These dedicated people work with kids in schools, churches, YMCA´s and other groups. Some seem to just have a magical way with kids. Others have difficulty motivating their groups. But, there are techniques everyone can use to be a more successful youth worker. Five of the most important are found in this article.

Details or Sample:
Five Ways Youth Workers Can Succeed

Everyone who works with youth knows someone who is a “kid magnet”. The kids are always hanging around them. Kids seem to always go to these people with their problems and their stories. These people seem to be able to get to even the most difficult kids. Sometimes they actually seem to attract the most challenging young people. This happens because they do certain things other youth workers do not do. Sometimes they do these things out of instinct. Others have had excellent mentors. Whatever the reason for their success they always seem to be able to connect with their young charges. While some just seem to have the right personality for youth work there are several things every youth worker can do to increase their success. Five of the most important are actually five things successful people always do.

Treat every child in every situation with the respect you would give an adult coworker. Those who are most successful remember that every person wants to be treated with respect. No one wants to be “dissed” or disrespected. Frequently, the kindest interaction with an adult a young person has will be those with youth pastors, teachers, scout leaders and others who work with kids. Many adults in the lives of troubled children are trying hard to keep body and soul together. They are frequently very troubled themselves. Often they work in jobs that are low paid and high stress. Making ends meet is extremely difficult. These frustrations express themselves in negative interactions with their children because they just have nothing left given the constant frustration of their own lives. Yelling is a common response when the adults in a child’s life are stretched to the limit. Unreasonable and often physical punishment is not uncommon.

Since many of the interactions with adults are negative youth workers have an excellent opportunity to show young people a better way. Excellent youth workers always treat their charges just like they would want to be treated themselves. They always keep in mind the thought that this child could be my child. None of the great youth workers yell or raise their voices in anger at a child. They are invariably kind and understanding. When they correct a young person they do it privately, with a respectful tone. If consequences have to be imposed they are reasonable and never violate the basic human dignity of the child. They don’t yell at the child regardless of how annoyed they may be at the child’s behavior. They keep the problem separate from the child. Many refer to this as loving the sinner while hating the sin. Remember that there is always a reason that a child acts out inappropriately. Speak to the child about the behavior while separating the behavior from the child.

Listen intently to what the young person tells you. Remember that there is a reason for every behavior. If you are showing the child respect the child is more likely to tell you the truth. The child is also more likely to stay calm when she understands that you are not going to cause more emotional or physical pain. As you listen to what a child is telling you many clues will be revealed. You are also more likely to get the truth about any situation if the child understands that you are really paying attention. Remember that paying attention to someone is a way of showing respect. Express empathy as the child talks to you. Never forget that something that may seem insignificant to an adult may seem life changing to a child. If you truly listen you will hear the messages between the words. Insight into what is really causing the problem will usually be revealed. Most important you will gain credit with the child. You will rightly gain the reputation as someone kids can go to when they have problems. Many severe problems have been nipped in the bud because a youth worker had the trust of kids. There have been many examples of kids revealing someone with a weapon when they trust the administrators at a school. You want the kids to know you will listen. You want them to tell you who has the gun.

Great youth workers always tell their kids the truth. They never sugar coat the truth or make things sound worse. Young people are just like adults in so many ways. They want to know the truth. Often what a young person thinks is the truth is far worse than the reality. Just like adults they will build up things in their minds until the problem seems to have no solution. Real trouble happens when thinking reaches that level of irrationality. Suicides and violent acts most often occur when a child can’t see any way out.

The truth about a situation is almost always not as bad as what is imagined. The truth about a problem always includes a solution. So when you tell the child the unvarnished truth about a situation you often ease the tension while providing a way out. Lives have been saved in this way. The same thing occurs when tragedy occurs.

One of the worst situations that can occur is the death of another child. In this situation the truth is absolutely vital. One of the first things that happens in a child’s mind is to wonder if the same thing can happen to them. In some instances it can. If there was an automobile accident that occurred because a young person was intoxicated the truth can avoid the same thing happening again. You should tell the story of what happened without making the victim a villain. The explanation of how the accident happened reveals the mistake. Nothing you say should make the young person who was intoxicated into a monster. The simple truth is that certain decisions in life have consequences that cannot be corrected. Death is permanent. While they have to understand the mistake and the consequences the victim can be honored while teaching the life lesson.

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Written by: John McGeough
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