Today’s guest post is by Aaron Garth of Ultimate Youth Worker. His posts often make our youth work blog posts of the week, so we were really pleased that he was willing to write this guest post for us.

Secular Youth Work vs Christian Youth Work – A Bridge Too Far?

Over the years I have worked in both secular and ministry environments from local church to local council and everything in between. I have worked in non government agencies that chose me because of my youth ministry background and others in spite of it. I love the work I have done as a youth worker and I have loved the work I have done in youth ministry.

However, all too often I have heard that the chasm between the two is too far to bridge. To be fair it can seem this way because of things like people not having qualifications, the policies of the two sides are in opposition and even the ideologies which underpin our work seem at odds. To state the opinion in our organisation, not only can the chasm be bridged, it must be to ensure the future of youth work.

There is no shortage of academic research, blog posts and journal articles out there that decry the onslaught of youth ministers working in a youth work capacity and causing untold issues because of a lack of “appropriate” interventions. Conversely, there are also numerous dialogues out there in cyberspace about the inability of secular youth workers to bring healing and hope to young people in a broken world. Both of these camps of thought detract from the amazing work done by 99.99% of ministers and youth workers. As usual it is the few rotten eggs which cause trouble for the bunch.

Here in Victoria the state government has just closed submissions for “an Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations”, after intense pressure from advocates to look into how organisations such as churches, residential homes and schools run by religious groups have dealt with allegations of child abuse.

The following day The Catholic Church in Melbourne upheld a large number of abuse claims dating back to the 1930’s. This story is all too often heard throughout the world, however is no less likely heard about secular youth workers. Bad press about the failings of youth workers both secular and sacred tarnish us all and leave the rest of us to strive for more child safe practices and to raise the bar of our professionalism to ever dizzying heights.

Because of the few bad eggs we have, as my old nana used to say, ‘cut off our nose to spite our face’. We have spent so long trying to separate out the bad eggs that we have lost what is good about each other. I read the results of a survey a few years ago that looked at the differences between secular and Christian youth workers. The results were pretty similar in every category except one… the values base which underpins our practice. Shock horror, it turns out we all want the best for our young people. The only difference is the youth ministers believe in Jesus!!!

The chasm can be bridged!!! It is really not that far. But it will be difficult. All it will take is some building (and a little destruction). Become a youth worker.

So what should the church youth worker do to bridge the gap??? Yes, I said the CHURCH YOUTH WORKER needs to bridge the gap!!! Here are my top 5 tips:

1. Speak their language. Ask any good mission organisation what it takes to really be able to integrate into a culture and they will say knowing the language. Secular youth workers use very specific language; best practice, theoretical underpinnings and program logic to name a few. You don’t need to know them all, but enough to get through an interagency meeting is quite handy.
2. Gain an understanding of what they do. I remember sitting in an interagency meeting where the youth ministers were grilling the local council youth worker about getting more funds and resources. The local council youth worker was a programs worker and didn’t have the authority or the means to provide any of these and it just served to destroy any hope for a relationship.
3. Find out how you can support them. Many secular youth workers would sell their soul for the access that many youth ministers have. Access to schools, access to a weekly group of more than 10 young people or access to other groups of young people e.g. Other church youth groups. Are they running a group on suicide prevention??? What if a dozen of your kids rock up??? Instant credibility.
4. Invite them to see what you do. Running a group or event??? Why not invite them along. Let them bring a few pamphlets even. Then take them out for a coffee. You may not make a friend, but they won’t be an enemy either. Although, I don’t know too many youth workers who can’t be bought with a good cup of coffee after an event.
5. Finally, brush up on your youth work skills. If your youth ministry course didn’t cover a lot on adolescent behaviour or youth participation you are not alone (I know mine didn’t). Read a blog (I know a few good ones). Check out the professional development calendars that line the pin board at your local council youth service. Attend a short course or you could do what I did and go and do a 3 year degree. However you do it, get credibility with the secular youth worker in the form of knowledge.

If you follow these 5 easy tips you will build your network exponentially. The two most common grievances a secular youth worker has against youth ministers is that they are unqualified hacks and that they are only doing the work to try and convert the young people. If you can show that you know what you are doing and you are doing it because you genuinely care, you will have gone a long way to beginning a lifelong friendship and supporting your young people.

 

Aaron Garth is the Director of Operations for Ultimate Youth Worker – an Australian company that provides high quality professional development for youth workers to build and maintain longevity in the field. Aaron has worked as a youth worker in a number of settings including local church, street drug and alcohol outreach, family services, residential care and youth homelessness since 2003. Aaron is a regular speaker at camps, retreats, & youth work training events and is a dedicated volunteer with his local church youth ministry. Aaron is a graduate of RMIT University and an alumnus of their youth work program. He lives in Melbourne, Vic with his wife of 5 years Jennifer & their daughters Hope and Zoe.

Aaron Garth – Cert IV AOD, B.Soc.Sci (Youth Work)

Director of Operations

Ultimate Youth Worker

‘Development for the future’

PH: +61. 430 064 165

M: P.O. Box 3114

Eltham, Vic, 3095

E: aaron@ultimateyouthworker.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ultimateyouthworker

Twitter: @Ultimate_YW

Blog: http://ultimateyouthworker.blogspot.com.au/